Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Despite being the most expensive property market in the country, Mumbai Metropolitan Region continues to be the prime market for attracting investor interest. Structured equity or debt was the preferred route of investment as the city received the major portion of private equity investments in the past year.

Out of the total Rs 19,500 crore, Mumbai received more than 1/3^rd or 34 % investments in the sector in 2015, showed a JLL India study. The city was followed by Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Bengaluru and Pune receiving 29%, 14%, 11% and 5% respectively. Talking about this trend, Shobhit Agarwal, managing director-capital markets, at JLL India said, “The preference for these cities reflects learning from past experience. While investors remain cautious about which cities to invest in, what is interesting to observe is that the ratio of structured equity and debt was more than half of the total investments received.”

Rubi Arya, Executive Vice-Chairman, Milestone Capital Advisors anticipates equity deals to gain a foothold over the next two three years because of an expected increase in commercial  real estate funding due to instruments like real estate investment trusts. Arya said, “We have seen proven returns from such structures and will continue introducing products in this space for some more time. But from a safety viewpoint, structured debt will remain preferred route for investors.”

Core commercial assets are being preferred over asset classes such as residential, hospitality and retail for plain equity investments. The preference indicates how investors are circumspect despite being optimistic about major potential gains in real estate. Also, important has been the preference amongst investors to invest in projects of developers with a good track record and credibility.

While residential and office projects continue to be the focus for PE investors, entity-level investments and platform-level deals come into the limelight, indicating increase in investor confidence. The JLL report said that a total of Rs 6,048 crore worth of entity-level equity yes deals were witnessed. Deals such as Goldman Sachs and Warburg Pincus investing in Piramal Realty and Blackstone buying Alpha G:Corp aggregating to around Rs 4,000 crore were amongst the 10 entity-level investments witnessed in the year 2015.

In terms of asset focus, despite receiving a reasonable share of funding, residential projects have not received much from equity investment. At the same time, a significant sum of equity investments has been towards income-yielding office projects. Although residential and office will attract a majority of investments, retail is expected to soon gain a foothold in the market.

Namma Bengaluru

Property Consultant JLL India and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have forecasted that Indian realty market will see a revival in 2016. Bengaluru, witnessing a real increase in realty, has emerged as the second most preferred destination for investors after Mumbai.

Mainly driven by private equity (PE) players, the demand for real estate is especially coming from the commercial real estate segment. Juggy Marwaha, Managing Director, South, JLL India says, “PE investors are attracted to Bengaluru, as it is a highly corporatised market with good quality tenancies. The IT firms pay decent rents, the lease terms are good and it’s a stabilised market where demand and supply has always been kept neck-to-neck.”

The increase in demand for commercial real estate doesn’t mean that there is a lack of opportunities for retail investors. Affordable commercial units in North Bengaluru can become potential good investments because of the large demand emanating from eCommerce businesses and startups in the area. Endorsing the prospects of North Bengaluru, Satish B.N., Executive Director, South India, Knight Frank India says, “North Bengaluru (Thanisandra and Hebbal) has better prospects than East Bengaluru (Whitefield and Brookfield), owing to better infrastructure and metro connectivity,”.

Over the last three years, the average price growth in Bengaluru’s residential areas, has been approximately around 23%, higher than the average price growth in other important real estate hubs such as Delhi NCR (18%), Mumbai (22%) and Pune (17%). A case for example would be Hebbal, which saw a 67% growth with average property prices rising from Rs 4,250 per sq. ft in 2012 to Rs 7,100 per sq. ft in 2015.

While the growth in residential properties is expected to be subdued in the long run, mid-range residential projects might become a positive exception. The price appreciation in the mid-range segment (Rs 3,500-5,000 per sq. ft) is high because of the demand and availability of customers in the market. Says Marwaha, “Owing to the new set of people joining the city’s IT brigade, the midrange segment is doing better than other project and investors can also looking at renting out the properties after purchase,”. Stating the potential growth of upcoming areas such as Thanisandra and Yelahanka in North Bengaluru, Marwaha added, “You can expect up to 35% price escalation in Thanisandra and up to 30% in Yelahanka, if you buy now and can hold for next 4-5 years. Other areas in the North such as Nagwara, Hoskote, Kanakpura are also good areas to invest in.”

Indian Real Estate becomes attractive for Foreign Investors

Indian real estate market has become increasingly attractive for foreign investors after almost 5 years, as indicated by India-specific fundraisings.

Talking about the improvement in foreign investors’ confidence in real estate market, Shobit Agarwal, Managing Director of Capital Markets at JLL India, said “During the pre-GFC (global financial crisis) phase, 82% of funds got raised in US dollar. This reduced to 57% in post-GFC phase when micro-market understanding was required more than banking on the macro-economy. Interestingly, the contribution, 2014-onwards, has increased considerably to 70% – hinting that the positivity is here to stay for some time.”

The increase in investment gained impetus before the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and has only increased further as evidenced by funds amounting to $2.2 billion (Rs. 14,860 crore) that has been raised so far in the current investment cycle.

The recent policy measure of easing foreign direct investment rules is also expected to bring more capital in the real estate sector. Encouraged by this, private equity funds are looking to leverage on this rising interest among foreign investors.

According to Rubi Arya, chief executive of Milestone Capital Advisors, “Offshore funds are showing interest in Indian real estate and there is lot of interest from FDI funds back in Indian real estate. We believe this is an opportune time to invest in Indian real estate, with rigorous risk management and strong asset management. We are planning to leverage further on our structured debt and commercial platform to raise money from offshore funds.”

Adding further she said, “FDI funds are looking to invest in pre-leased commercial assets, create strategic-level partnerships with reputed developers mainly through equity deals and make structured debt investments in residential projects”.

The JLL India report says that India-specific cumulative fundraising attained its peak in the pre-GFC period. During this period between 2005 and 2008, there were 50 such funds that raised $16 billion in total. However, post-GFC, only 29 funds got raised in five years, with cumulative fundraising of $3.9 billion.

The current investment period starting in 2014 has witnessed an increase in the volume of investments as well as the average investment size from $ 134 million to $ 184 million.

Top cities in India which are offering houses in your budget

It seems like, years 2016 is positive for real estate developers as well as end users because there are several affordable housing projects in all over India which are ready for launch. Due to active and optimized urban planning schemes in Indian states and cities now the budgets for properties is somewhere affordable for specific segment, however; its still true that there are not much number of cities where you will find affordable property and in India its far-fetched dream common man to own a property in most of the metro cities.

With the boom in commercial real estate sector, now budget for personal housing is also shooting on high levels. In past few years, the real estate landscape has witnessed spatial transition and due to that it has led towards the consistent rise in the budget of the properties. According to recent report of JLL India, which is global property consultant firm, there are still some cities in India where housing is still affordable. As per the statement of Anuj Puri, Country Head of JLL India, “It is expected that 2016 will be good year for investment activities that were seen in 2007; the previous peak year which saw investments of more than $8 billion into Indian real estate”. The names of cities are following where you can grab your dream property in the budget of Rs. 30 to 50 Lakh;

• Hyderabad, Telangana:  Hyderabad is the combined capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and it is also the centre of dynamic workforce and now again its trending the buyer’s market. In Hyderabad, there are many well-developed residential localities such as; Sainikpuri, Kukatpally¸ Miyapur and Manikonda where you can buy house in the budget of Rs 30-50 lakh. In simple words we can say that Hyderabad is perhaps one of the most affordable cities among all tier 1 cities of India.
• Pune, Maharashtra: In last two years, Pune has recorded good growth in terms of economy and growth in the affordable housing segment. Here you can buy affordable property of 1 BHK and 2 BHK in different areas. Apart from that people from high-end segment are buying 3BHK and 4 BHK budget homes. Pune offers better standards of living than any most other metros
• Jaipur, Rajasthan: Jaipur is one of the fastest developing city with many influencing growth drivers and due to that it has progressed tremendously in last three years. In Jaipur, there are some regions such as; Malviya Nagar, Tonk Road and Ajmer Road, which is good for investment deals. Currently, with annual capital appreciation of 12 to 17 percent, Jaipur holds great potential and promises good returns on investment.
• Ghaziabad, NCR: Ghaziabad is perfect destination for those who wish to buy property near Delhi, Noida and Gurgoan because here the supply of property is very high and its easy to find the budget home of Rs 30-50 lakh. Infrastructural developments such as the extension of the Metro Rail and the widening of the NH 24 will further boost Ghaziabad’s realty market.
• Nagpur, Maharashtra: We all know that Nagpur is city with extreme climatic conditions and in present Nagpur is one of the fastest-growing cities in our country. Apart from that now even state government is taking interest in turning Nagpur into the next IT hub of Maharashtra, the city is set for a major transition in its real estate profile.
• Kochi, Kerala: Now days builders are not focusing on affluent buyers, they are focusing on the affordable housing because in present there are huge demand of affordable housing and its accounts more than 60 percent of the total housing projects in the city. The increasing land prices have made it difficult real estate developers to build independent houses, and due to that now there is increasing demand from the emerging mid-income segment that wants homes packed with amenities at affordable prices.
• Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: Currently, Coimbatore is a market which is responsible for the 40 percent real estate investments including cities Bangalore, Cochin and Chennai and apart from that professionals are also looking for property in Coimbatore because its emerging as a retirement destination and people are interested to buy 2 BHK homes in Coimbatore.
• Ahmedabad, Gujarat: In present, Ahmedabad is witnessing rapid infrastructural development in the form of GIFT Smart City¸ bullet trains and entrepreneurial nature of the population. The gas, oil and energy industries, petro-chemical industries and automobile manufacturing industries are some of the major factors driving perennial demand for real estate in the city. Currently, there are high demands of affordable property and due to that you can easily find properties within the range of Rs 30-50 lakh.

Lutyens Delhi bungalow

According to reports, Assam Company, which is located at Kolkata is contemplating to sell a bungalow in Delhi which is situated at Bhagwan Das Road and comes under the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone of central Delhi.

About Assam Company:

Assam Company is basically from the business of tea plantation and oil & gas and it is expecting Rs 1,100 from the sale of property.  According to real estate experts, it could be the best and biggest real estate deal in recent years.

Property Details:

Property is strategically located near the India Gate¸ Supreme Court and other high-street shops which are in the Connaught Place. However; property is spread over an area of 13,723 square metres or 3.4 acres or 13,723 square metres. According to sources, the property will be sold through auction and all the potential buyers have to submit their bids.

This time it is JLL Indian, property consultant who is handling the transaction of Assam Company. According to property expert, “The expectation of Assam Company is very high and in this subdued market, conditions are not so positive. However; the company could get Rs 700-800 crore from the sale”. The more he added that property markets are dull and demand for large properties are too weak, but still it depends on the auction and the response of the buyers.

Some big property transactions in Mumbai:

Last year, it was billionaire Cyrus Poonawala, who bought Lincoln House from the US Consultate in Mumbai and the cost of deal was about Rs. 750 crore with the tag of largest property deal. However; there were hurdle from defense ministry as they were asking the local collector to register the property only after getting approval. According to reports, the company could repay the high value loan from ICIC Bank with the help of property sale. But the staffs of the property are not aware about any sale. Last year, it was the Subhash Chandra, promoter of Essel group who bought a bungalow in same area after paying Rs 304 crore from realty firm Anant Raj Group.

Some big property transactions in Delhi:

We all know that in past two to three years, Delhi has witness many great deals in Lutyens’ Delhi. As last year, V C Burman, Chairman Emeritus of Dabur Group bought a bungalow in the tony Golf Links area and the cost of deal was about Rs 160 crore.

Apart from that earlier, Rajiv Rattan, Co-Founder of Indiabulls Group, bought a bungalow of 2,920-sq yard on Amrita Shergill Marg in Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone at an amount of Rs 220 crore.

In 2015, the Delhi based real estate builder Kabul Chawla of BPTP sold a bungalow of 575 sq yard in Golf Links for Rs 65 crore.

Housing sell will rise – festive season.

This Dewali, residential property sales may rise up to 15 per cent due to various offers and discounts by real estate developers as there are many real estate developers who are offering 15 to 20 per cent discount through various means. According to real estate experts, this festive season can holds out the hope of Indian real estate market as in major markets the demand from end users are increasing. Experts are estimating the growth of up to 15 per cent and more in residential property sales in comparison of previous year.

According to Chief Executive of one of the Mumbai-based real estate company, “From past one year there was no major price appreciation in real estate market, but this time real estate developers are offering 15 to 20 per cent discounts with an aim to make the net gain of 25 per cent in prices for buyers.” However; price reduction seems to be the most important primary reason for the consumer pull. In comparison of last year, growth in sales should be between 15 to 20 per cent, however; it also depends on the market and it is showing positive curve towards growth, as per the statement of experts, “It’s not time when we should expect the high growth number in comparison of previous boom. But still it’s expected that consecutive years of growth will help the market to recover from deep down phase. And due to that this year we are expecting good numbers”.

As per the statement of Sanjaya Gupta, MD of PNB Housing Finance, “Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru and the suburbs of Mumbai had seen increased activity in last few years. Last week were surprised to hear that transactions in south Delhi was high with ten high-end floors being sold. We can say that its harbinger of better sentiment”. Apart from new launches dwindling in major cities such as; Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Bengaluru, Delhi and NCR expecting are high time because most of the real estate developers focusing on clearing inventory with ready-to-move in houses in next 6 to 12 month. It will improve the confidence of buyers or end users accustomed to seeing delivery commitments being flouted. According to PropEquity, a real estate consultancy, the number of new launches in MMR, Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR has come down by over 61 per cent with 87,298 dwelling units during January to September from 227,211 in the same period of 2012.

According to statement of Pankaj Kapoor, MD of Liases Foras, “There would be a significant improvement in sales for this festive season because interest rates had come down and price had not gone up so much and developers are also offering the discounts”. The more he added that over the year’s income of working couples have raised by 10 to 15 per cent, which means affordability has improved in most markets such as; Delhi, Mumbai and NCR. In real estate market the inventory level for first quarter of 2015-2016 was rose by 24 per cent to 41 months in all major eight cities. However; NCR had the inventory of 68 months, MMR had the inventory of 45 months, and Bangalore had the inventory of 30 months, as per the reports of Liases Foras. An efficient housing market maintains 8-12 months of inventory.

It’s clear that Indian realty market has been hit economic slowdown, financial constraints of developers and low sales in last two years. According to Ashutosh Limaye, National Director, Research at JLL India, “This year will be better than the last year”. The plus point in this season is the price and it is attractive for buyers and end users. The more he added that still there is scope for negotiation. The festival season is started from October and it will continue till December, it is expected that 30-40 per cent of total house sales but in last two years very little activity has been recorded during the season.