Track2Realty: The Union Budget 2014-15 was presented in the parliament under economic circumstances that required tax revenues to keep pace with targets. Considering the state of government finances and the current situation – below-normal monsoons, Middle East tension leading oil price volatility, the weakness of the India rupee etc., there was not much room for populism.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Coming out of the shadow of Gurgaon-Manesar the once sleepy town in Bhiwadi is fast shedding the tag of affordable destination. What was initially conceptualised as an affordable residential market for those who could not afford high property prices in Gurgaon and for the industries that could settle in a moderately priced market has shaped up so very well that Bhiwadi today has emerged as a case study in how even the extension of a satellite town should be positioned.
Track2Realty: For the quarter ended March 2014, nearly US$800 million was invested into India’s real estate sector. This translates to almost Rs.4,800 crore having been injected into the sector through the private equity route over the past few months. This couldn’t have happened at a more opportune timefor a sector faced with a liquidity crunch, high land acquisition costs, and stringent due diligence from the banking sector—which continues to perceive real estate as a high-risk domain in India.
Track2Realty: Despite more than 60% of global retailers already having a presence in India, the lack of quality retail space and legislative issues have been an impediment to the spread of organized retail in the country, according to CBRE’s report, Expanding Horizons of Global Retailers in India.
Track2Realty: There has been a 43% increase in Q1 2014 new residential unit launches from the previous quarter. The total estimated unit launches were recorded at 55,500 units across major eight cities of India with Bengaluru recording the largest number of units launched, an increase of 22% from previous quarter, says a report by Cushman & Wakefield.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The term ‘serviced apartment’ is traditionally used to describe an apartment alternative to hotel accommodation for long stay leisure or business travelers. However there are two types of accommodation namely extended stay and corporate housing. It is built in a manner where a furnished accommodation, comparatively larger than a hotel room, with small kitchenette is provided with basic facilities of a household, sometimes even provided with concierge service.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The question before Indian real estate today is what makes a luxury living? Is it high-end apartments? No. Luxury living is creating an ambience in totality that not just matches the aspiration level, but exceeds it.
Ravi Sinha: But if we go by that yardstick, my question is that in the major real estate markets across India do we have that kind of projects where ECB would be viable?
Track2Realty: Despite an 83% drop in supply of organised retail space across key cities in the country, 2012 continued to witness an increase in transaction activity and retailer expansion. According to the findings of CBRE’s latest report “Indian Retail Market View H2, 2012”, approximately 2.5 million sq.ft. of fresh retail space entered the market in 2012, mainly concentrated in Bangalore, Kolkata and Pune, as against over 15 million sq.ft. in 2011.
Track2Realty-CRIENGLISH: In a country where majority of the people do not have decent homes and the volume of sales of housing units in Indian markets is under pressure,a growing number of Indians are keen to buy homes abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom.