Track2Realty: In the latest phase of the company’s growth in India, Cushman & Wakefield has expanded operations in Kolkata and acquired the entire team of Lemongrass Advisors, a well-respected real estate consultancy firm in Kolkata and Eastern India.
Track2Realty-Agencies: Supporting Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath’s push for vertical growth in the city, the Delhi government has said the Centre will have to give adequate funds to it for enhancing existing infrastructure if such a policy is finalised.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Commerce Ministry data fails to give a comprehensive picture where many grandiose plans have failed to tap the potential that actually existed. Several SEZ projects and the expansion plans, like the SEZs at Navi Mumbai, Jhajjar in Haryana, Adani’s Mundra, DLF’s Cyber City in Gurgaon, Mahindra World City in Chennai, K Raheja Universal and Flagship Infrastructure in Maharashtra are facing difficulties. The SEZs cumulatively have been losing ground over the past couple of years.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Analysis of East Zone
The transaction activity registered in Kolkata in 2012 was down by 42% during Q1-Q3 2012 compared to the year ago period. The subdued demand is the result of the uncertainty prevailing in both the global as well as domestic markets. Most of the corporates have trimmed their expansion plans and instead looking at consolidation to optimize their real estate usage and bring down the costs.
Track2Realty: Responding to Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s suggestion for reducing the price of housing stock, Confederation of Real Estate developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) has asked its 8,000 plus members across the country to seriously consider the proposal to sell in maximum numbers.
Track2Realty: In the annual report by global real estate consultants Cushman & Wakefield, “Main Streets across the world”, Mumbai witnessed the highest rental growth globally. Colaba Causeway in Mumbai recorded a rental increase of 75% over last year, on the back of strong retailer demand and continuous preference for prime high street properties in the city. Kolkata – Park Street (5th) at 53.8% and Chennai – Khader Niwaz Khan Road (10th) at 36.7% were among the global top ten cities to register highest annual rental growth.
Track2Realty: Cushman & Wakefield has expanded into the Philippines with a new office in Manila, its 5th new office in Asia Pacific so far in 2012.
Track2Realty-Agencies: More than 70 builders across India will showcase their properties at Times Realty India-2012 event to be held on Septmber 28-29 at J W Marriott Hotel, Deira.
The recent decision by the Government to allow foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail is understandably the talk of the town. There are various points of view regarding the impact it will have on the retail sector in specific and the Indian economy in general, but the decision is a big step in the direction of strengthening organized retail in the country. To get the complete picture, it is important to understand the situation which exists currently and how the new regulations are going to change the retail landscape.
Jones Lang LaSalle has a new report, Redefining Retail Investment, to coincide with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) 2012 Retail Real Estate World Summit, taking place in Shanghai this week.