Track2Realty Exclusive: It has indeed been a busy year and 2014 can well be described as the year of roller coaster emotions where the business confidence index was exposed to two extreme ends of swing. In an otherwise flat year, the real estate sector may not have been witness to transactions on ground but the poetic engagement has definitely been at the emotional level.
Track2Realty: The year 2014 has been quite fruitful for the real estate sector in terms of business sentiment, although the real effect of many of the policies and amendments announced in 2014 will take effect only in 2015. Starting from Union Budget FY2014-15, where affordable housing was considered on par with infrastructure, to relaxation of rigidities in the Land Acquisition and Real Estate Regulatory Bill, India’s new Prime Minister has been offering the India real estate sector consistent doses of energy.
Track2Realty: After a better than expected growth of 5.7% during the April–June quarter, India’s GDP growth slowed down to 5.3% during July–September, mainly due to sluggishness in manufacturing growth and a slowdown in agricultural output.
Track2Realty: Sentiment around Indian real estate among both domestic and international investors has improved in recent times, following the election of a new government and also on account of an upturn in consumer demand, says theEmerging Trends in Real Estate® Asia Pacific 2015 report, published jointly by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Track2Realty Exclusive: FICCI has recently released Real Estate Sentiment Index for Q3-2014. The report is also supported by sensitive data being put forth by one of the world’s leading independent real estate consultancy, Knight Frank. The index or a very formal survey conducted by the joint efforts of these two independent organizations revealed a lot about Indian realty market.
Track2Realty-Agencies: In a boost to realty-related investment in the state, West Bengal Government has decided to grant an exemption under section 14Y of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act for township projects enabling them to acquire land more than the ceiling limit of 24 acres.
Track2Realty: Even as the Indian real estate market shifts into the second gear of recovery, developers whose operations had slowed down during the lull are still faced with multiple concerns. On the one hand, the very basis of their business is the launching of new projects (the only function that really defines a developer’s viability as a going concern on the real estate market). On the other hand, it is vital for them to clear piled-up inventory in order to generate capital and enable clearances for new projects.
Track2Realty: With BJP controlling the Centre and the two biggest real estate markets in India – Mumbai and Gurgaon – the government has to focus on 3 I’s – Infrastructure, Interest reduction and Income generation. With the BJP’s remarkable show in Maharashtra, the state will give a new lease of life to its infrastructure projects across all sectors.
Track2Realty: The month of October saw the government easing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms to boost India’s construction sector. The announcement is expected to widen the sector’s investor-base by allowing FDI in smaller projects of 20,000 sq. m. instead of 50,000 sq. m. from firms with capitalization of US$5 million instead of US$10 million.
Track2Realty: A few years back, Hyderabad was offering the likes of Bangalore stiff competition for attracting office space investments. Today, the formation of a new state, a new government and a stabilized political environment are yet to instill the confidence that is needed to revive Hyderabad’s real estate fortunes.