New Delhi: 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 FY 2014-15, 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.
The winds of change are now blowing more perceptibly. Inflation, including the house price component, has now been reduced to the lowest level in recallable history. Property buyers are back in force in most cities as enquiries have rebounded, and developers are finally reading the writing on the wall more accurately and coming in with the kind of supply that is relevant to demand.
Meanwhile multinationals that were hesitant to foray into the Indian market because of the uninspiring political environment are now dusting off their plans for India and getting their entry vehicles back in gear. Going by the recent reports of recruitment agencies, many more jobs will be created in 2015 - especially in the IT/ITeS, manufacturing and services sectors - and the demand for homes will increase visibly. Also, REITs are hitting the market at long last, and only a few details need to be sorted out before they get the funding wheels spinning.
2015 will definitely be a good year for the real estate sector on three counts:
* The threat of inflation has completely submerged, and borrowing rates are sure to go down from the current levels. This will encourage potential buyers planning to avail of home loans to finally take the plunge. Also, with property prices staying stable and good deals being offered by developers in order to clear their inventory, fence-sitting buyers be further encouraged to press the ‘buy' button.
* Economic activity is gradually picking up, and the Central Bank anticipates GDP growth to reach 6.5 per cent y/y in the next financial year (FY2015-16). Corporate India has already made it clear that there will be more hiring of talent to help tackle rising business activity. Put together, this means a rise in jobs and incomes, which in turn is very favourable for both residential and commercial real estate.
* The market has witnessed a re-orientation and developers are now largely focusing on affordable homes. This will go a long way, though definitely not all the way, in bridging the existing wide gap between demand and supply of affordable homes.
