Track2Realty: Retail leasing activity continued to be subdued in Q2 2013, as most retailers remained cautious due to the weak economic conditions that are currently prevailing in India. Several retailers started to employ new service delivery models by closing down loss making stores, especially in non-core markets.
Track2Realty: In a major setback to attempts of Maharashtra government to improve infrastructure in the Mumbai, none of the five shortlisted firms put in tender for the ambitious Mumbai TransHarbour Link (MTHL) project, the bids for which opened on Tuesday, Aug 6. It is also seen as a major blow for the Mumbai real estate market which was expecting a turnaround post this Rs. 10,000 crore ambitious project.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The realty sector may call it freeze of creative liberty but the proposed penalty clause in regulator bill on misleading ads can also bring much-needed facelift to the sector. Track2Realty takes up the issue with the industry representatives to understand why they are scared with the misleading ads clause in the proposed bill. Is it really about curbing the creativity or an attempt to rationalise over promises by the developers?
Track2Realty Exclusive: There is no clear-cut definition of the term ‘affordable’, as it is a relative concept and could have several indirect meanings in different contexts. In India, private developers primarily target luxury, high-end and upper-mid housing segment, since it fetches a premium over low income housing. This leads to a sustained supply for this segment, increasing market competitiveness for developers.
Track2Realty: Godrej Properties has entered into a development agreement with Oasis Buildhome to develop a 13.76 acre property situated on Northern Periphery Road (NPR) in Sector 88A/89A, Gurgaon. The project will be developed as a premium residential group housing project and is expected to offer 1.2 million sq. ft. of saleable area.
Track2Realty: Sentiments towards commercial real estate investment remains favourable, as India’s economy shows itself to be less vulnerable to the overall slowdown as compared to other Asia economies.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Not all stories are such fairy tales in the covert clash of mindset between the second generation and their predecessors. When Ratnesh Shah (name changed on request) joined the real estate business that his father had raised from the scratch after a long stint as broker, he had pretty discomfort, not just with the unorganised and unregulated nature of the business, but even more with the opaque way his own organisation used to operate.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Clash of generation in Indian business is no secret. However, when it comes to the second generation in Indian realty, the gap gets even wider since suave & sophistication that often comes with their foreign degree is in sharp contrast to the complex nature of business.
Track2Realty: The real estate sector has been hoping against hope that the rates will be marginally cut in order to keep the sentiments bullish. Reports of foreign funds warming up and the substantial contribution of the sector, 6 plus to the Indian GDP was also being seen as an indication of why the policies would be eased.
Track2Realty: USD 2 Billion (INR 11,854 crores) is available with private equity firms ready to be deployed in real estate, despite a drop in the PE investment in the first half of 2013, says Cushman & Wakefield’s latest report on the private equity (PE) in real estate investment.