Track2Realty Exclusive: Nearly Real estate stocks have been on a roller coaster ride for the last few years but 2012-13 has been witness to some stability in the realty index. Critics call it more speculative than any other index as the disconnect between the respective company and its stock has often been devoid of logic.
Track2Realty: Mumbai witnessed the launch of approximately 18,000 real estate units during the first half of 2013; representing an increase of 30% compared to the first half of 2012. Of the total launches, 30% were witnessed in the western suburbs of Mumbai which had the highest share in new launches at locations like Andheri, Bandra, Malad and Goregaon. Navi Mumbai contributed 24% of the overall launches with the second phase of a large township project launched in Panvel.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The RBI needs to put its act together before its next monetary policy review on July 30. In the wake of sluggish pace of economy, the Reserve Bank’s status quo on key policy rates in its last monetary policy sent a wave of disappointment in the industry.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Why the US investors are shying away from investing in India? Primarily, it is the fear of change in policy as they had experienced in the past. Lack of significant growth is also another factor that is working against their investment in the Indian realty stocks.
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 Exclusive: There are analysts who believe the retail investors need to be exposed to this asset class through an institutionalized vehicle, which would be regulated. REITS is the ideal solution.
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: The debate of promoter versus professional driven realty companies gained momentum in the year 2012 because high attrition at the top level of realty sector has been in the news throughout the year. The Managing Directors of Indiabulls Real Estate and Peninsula Land quit in the month of October. So did the real estate heads of two property funds, Indiareit and Everstone Capital. Most of them either moved to other realty companies, starting their own ventures or shifting streams to join consultancies.
Track2Realty: Omkar Realtors & Developers, one of the leading players in making the slum redevelopment a success story in Mumbai believes slum projects are generally feasible in Metro Cities and more particularly in Mumbai. Shifting focus on Slum Rehabilitation for ECB will really help the sector.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The realty market has been pretty exposed to the greedy investors and vulture funding, not venture funding. In desperation the developers often lost track of what kind of funding was required and met with the disaster. Amidst the cyclic very high and very low there has been off balance debt-equity ratio as well. Of late, some developers tried within the box and some outside it. The needs and solutions are different for listed and unlisted companies. Still the sector is in search of right funding mechanism and as Track2Realty finds, are guinea pigs in the funding market.