Track2Realty Exclusive: Congested city roads, traffic jams, pollution and on the top of all, constantly growing demographic pattern has given rise to a new lifestyle in urban areas. People have started preferring small flats or apartments owing to various reasons in comparison with old traditional bungalows or mansions.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Urban Planning, experts suggest, is based on the three-tier concept of engineering, architecture and social concerns. Each is incomplete without the other. While a city needs its share of road networks, it also needs space for, say drainage and it needs hospitals and schools and blood banks et al. although each city has separate agencies to deal with these needs, a central agency is needed to provide a holistic approach to crisis management and to contain chaos.
Track2Realty Exclusive: A festive spirit only adds to the buyers’ sentiments in the property market. It can not be catalyst to new sales if the sentiment in general is low, as has been evident in the property market of Mumbai in the last 3-4 years due to general slowdown and other macroeconomic subdued indicators. However, if the sentiments are bullish a festive season can turn out to be catalyst to market revival as well. That is very much expected in the Mumbai property market this time around, thanks to the change in the overall outlook.
Track2Realty: Tata Housing has announced a non-binding MoU of Rs. 3500 crore with the Government of Gujarat at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar, yesterday. This agreement represents Tata Housing’s persistent efforts to create sustainable affordable townships and has been planned for the suburbs of Ahmedabad.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis: The biggest question for the realty sector today is whether 2013 will help them get out of the vicious circle, which came disguised as the pipeline visibility over the years. Many believe everyone is getting ready with own respective strategy and the year ahead holds promise. Some of the leading companies are already selling their land bank at discounted prices to turn the tide.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis: Indian banks lending to real estate sector grew by 10.4% in the fiscal year ended March 2010 to Rs.5.8 trillion, contributing nearly 17% of their loan book, according to RBI data. Since then it has nosedived and now the government also wants public sector banks to focus more on home loans and to streamline lending norms to the real estate sector.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Most of the real estate analysts believe the year 2012 has been pretty disappointing and actually a waste. Anshuman Magazine, CMD of CB Richard Ellis (South Asia), however, feels it was better than expected. He asserts when the global economy is down and the Indian GDP continuously nose diving, any movement is a positive indicator. In an Exclusive Interview with Track2Realty Magazine talks about the learning of the year and sounds cautious with the prospects of the year ahead.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis: Indian real estate companies are reeling under the burden of debt, so much so that the excess cash that they had borrowed has become a liability that they want to get rid of but are unable to relieve themselves due to various factors beyond their control. They are nonetheless trying all possible measures, from selling land bank to restructuring their portfolio. Track2Realty tries to assess the seriousness of the situation where many of the realtors are caught between the distress sale and the debt trap.
Track2Realty-Agencies: To provide cheaper houses for lower income groups, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) is working for the inclusion of affordable housing in the infrastructure list.
Track2Realty: Bangalore’s metamorphosis from ‘Garden City’ to India’s ‘Silicon Valley’ has been remarkable. The tremendous growth of the IT / ITES Industry has revolutionized the residential real estate and retail markets, and triggered massive infrastructure development. The availability of high quality, large office spaces at sub–dollar rental levels (providing lower operational costs), access to a large skilled workforce, the growth of the retail and residential markets and Bangalore’s cosmopolitan culture have worked in the city’s favour, making it a preferred destination.