Real Estate News – Page 21

ANAROCK Bags Exclusive Mandate for Swaminarayan City in Mumbai’s Dombivali

PRESS RELEASE

ANAROCK Bags Exclusive Mandate for Swaminarayan City in Mumbai’s Dombivali

Limited-edition housing at Mumbai’s latest major pilgrimage destination

Mumbai, 25 January 2019 – Leading real estate services provider ANAROCK Property Consultants today announced that it has accepted an exclusive mandate to market 550 limited-edition flats in Swaminarayan City at Dombivali West, Mumbai.

The project, which leverages excellent location along with a high spiritual aspiration quotient, is spread over 148 acres in Retigaon in Dombivali (West) – one of Mumbai’s fastest-growing suburbs. Its proximity to the Ulhas river offers unmatched views of this famous water body.

Bappaditya Basu, Director & Head – Channel Partner Business, ANAROCK Property Consultants says, “The project’s USP may be seen to be that it abuts India’s largest Swaminarayan Temple coming up over 14 acres in Dombivali.

However, Swaminarayan City also provides exceptionally high location value. In fact, the mounting housing demand in Dombivali had prompted the launch of nearly 2,960 new units in 2018.

Easy connectivity via local trains,

by Anuj Puri

Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants

The interim budget may focus on wooing voters rather than boosting specific industries
PMAY and employment shortfalls must be addressed
Funding announcements without implementation guidelines will not suffice

Before every annual Budget, the real estate sector trots out a highly optimistic (and unrealistic) wish list to the Finance Ministry.

Whether the industry actually expects the upcoming Budget to cure all its woes with a wave of its magic wand is beside the point. Unrealistic expectations – many completely outside the purview of the Finance Ministry – have become the norm.

Single-window clearance, industry status and hiked tax exemptions limits which will miraculously revive demand for properties have become the usual suspects in such wish lists.

Let’s be rational in our expectations from an interim budget which is announced shortly before general elections.

Though the larger ‘acche din’ premise is debated to the present day, the first Union Budget under the Modi Government in 2014 was certainly a harbinger of change for buyers and builders.

by Anuj Puri

PRESS RELEASE

A significant drop from 47 months of inventory overhang in Q4 2017
NCR still constitutes 52 months’ inventory overhang; Bengaluru & Hyderabad at an all-time low of 17 months each
Sales exceed the number of units launched the second year in a row
property sizes across the top 7 cities shrink by 8% compared to 2017 & 19% since 2016

Mumbai, 15 January 2019: Despite all headwinds including the liquidity crisis in 2018, housing sales rose by 18% and new launches by 33% across the top 7 cities compared to 2017. Residential inventory overhang reduced to a year-low from 47 months in Q4 2017 to 33 months in Q4 2018 across the top 7 cities.

The DeMo effect in late 2016 had pushed up unsold inventory to 47 months in Q4 2017 from 40 months in Q4 2016. An inventory overhang of 18-24 months signifies a fairly healthy market.

“Having absorbed a lot of the impact of various structural changes, the Indian real estate sector seemed poised to grow from the previous year,” says Anuj Puri,

by Anuj Puri

Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants

Benefits aside, a cut could have been a major setback to the affordable housing segment
GST rate cut, clarity on / abolition of ITC – boosted demand vs. actual sales

After much anticipation, the GST Council has failed to deliver a final verdict on GST applicable on real estate – but how much would it really have mattered?

Here’s a Utopian vision – the government would announce a GST rate cut, homebuyers would cheer up since prices would reduce marginally, and the market revives. Really?

The biggest paradox in Indian real estate is that numbers suggest a massive burden of unsold housing stock in the midst of a chronic shortage of housing. As long as prices don’t reduce significantly, the housing shortage will only widen regardless of tax sops.

What we have today is a nation of aspiring homebuyers, many of which are perpetually on the fence, waiting for a slew of minor policy windfalls to cumulatively make a home purchase feasible and attractive.

by Anuj Puri

Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants

A possible GST rate cut at the very beginning of 2019 could bring in the much-needed respite for the Indian residential sector, which is still reeling from reformatory changes.

Though ANAROCK data indicates that sales numbers picked up by nearly 16% in 2018, sales are still far from their peak levels.

The ongoing 12% GST rate levied on under-construction properties has proved to be a major deterrent for homebuyers, who understandably shied away from this added burden on their finances.

ANAROCK’s consumer sentiment survey also confirms that the prevailing GST rate has prevented as many as 49% of property seekers from buying under-construction homes liable for GST. They preferred ready-to-move-in homes that were exempt from this tax.

To attract home buyers and kick-start a more convincing revival of the residential sector, the GST Council is now considering reducing the GST rate for under-construction homes during its next meet in January 2019.

In fact, this move was expected in December 2018; nevertheless implemented, it will be a perfect New Year bonanza for millions of aspiring homebuyers looking to buy under-construction homes in the coming year.

by Anuj Puri

Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants

The applicability of GST in the Indian taxation system was a move aimed towards ‘one nation, one tax’.

Post land abetment, the applicable GST for under-construction properties was 12% while ready-to-move-in flats were kept out of the GST ambit.

Even for under-construction properties, there was a ruling of Input Tax Credit (ITC) pass-over to the buyer to ensure that it becomes a tax neutral proposition.

While calculations and ITC pass-over still remain a challenge after 1.5 years of GST regime, a recent announcement stated that there is no GST applicable only on ready-to-move-in flats wherein sales took place after the issue of completion certificate.

This is likely to add woes to buyers as well as developers.

Impact on Buyers

Until now, all properties that were treated as ready-to-move-in were out of GST ambit, so buyers had significant choices.

As per ANAROCK data, more than 90,000 units out of total unsold inventory of 6.87 lakh units (as of Q3 2018) across the top 7 cities were ready-to-move-in – a massive 14% of the overall unsold stock.

by Anuj Puri

Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants

The recent stand-off between the government and the RBI owing to the NBFC crisis and the apex bank’s endeavour to maintain its autonomy and reserves had caused the industry to watch closely whether the repo rate will increase or remain unchanged.

That said, today’s move by the RBI to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5% was more or less expected. This was not solely because inflation targets are still under control.

Politically, an upward revision would not have served the current Government well as the 2019 elections are around the corner. From the economic standpoint, a hike in repo rates would have had a direct impact on home loan rates.

High housing loan interest rates are known deterrents to many buyers, especially in the affordable segment where higher interest rates can and do weaken sentiment.

Any move to further discourage customers from availing of bank credit would ultimately exacerbate the liquidity crunch and adversely impact the economy.

From that perspective, the unchanged repo rate will at least keep the demand for housing loans at status quo.

The RBI obviously needs to maintain an adequate buffer for the economy – especially in light of the massive changes that are likely to come about in the next few months in form of REITs and SPVs.

by Arun Chitnis

To expand ANAROCK’s UAE presence with new offices in Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait & Saudi Arabia by 2019 end

Mumbai / Dubai, 5 December 2018: ANAROCK Property Consultants today announced that sales & marketing veteran Shajai Jacob, previously Executive Director & Head – Marketing (West Asia) at international property consultancy JLL India, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer – GCC (Middle East).

He will be based out of ANAROCK’s Dubai office and will have complete oversight of the Firm’s brokerage operations across the Middle East & North African countries.

Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants says, “We are excited to have Shajai on board to spearhead our rapidly growing Middle Eastern business. Shajai is perfectly aligned with our vision of becoming the most preferred, one-stop, technology-powered residential real estate services firm in the GCC region. He will expand our presence beyond our existing Dubai operations with 4 new offices in Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait over the next 3 quarters. Having worked closely with him for nearly a decade, I have complete confidence in Shajai’s ability to implement our ambitious plans for the Middle East”.

by Arun Chitnis

PRESS RELEASE

ANAROCK Launches Consulting Services Headed By Ashutosh Limaye

Gaurav Wahi joins as Head of Operations, ANAROCK Consulting

Mumbai, 19 November 2018: Leading full-stack real estate services providers ANAROCK Property Consultants have announced the formal launch of ANAROCK Consulting Services.

The division will be led by industry veteran and thought-leader Ashutosh Limaye as Director & Head – ANAROCK Consulting Services.

Limaye was previously National Director & Head of Research at a leading international property consultancy. His long-standing senior associate Gaurav Wahi comes on board as Head of Operations for the new Consulting vertical.

“It is exciting to be a part of ANAROCK, India’s most disruptive and tech-driven real estate services firm,” says Ashutosh Limaye. “We look forward to amplifying its scope with our consulting expertise. This division will provide expert advisory services to major real estate stakeholders across the board, starting with developers. We service Government agencies, banks, NBFCs, institutional investors and retailers as well as HNIs and end users on the perfect entry,

by Arun Chitnis

At Economic Times-powered ACETECH event on 15th November 2018 in Mumbai, knowledge partners ANAROCK Property Consultants will release their latest and most incisive report on MMR – ‘The Peripheries – Greater Mumbai’s Future Suburbs‘.

A veritable Who’s Who of Mumbai’s real estate industry is participating in a panel discussion on Mumbai: Resurgence and Preparation for The Big Leap

Panellists:

Dr Niranjan Hiranandani, Managing Director – Hiranandani Group
Venkatesh Gopalkrishnan – CEO, Shapoorji Pallonji
Parag Munot, Managing Director – Kalpataru
Vikas Oberoi, Chairman & Managing Director – Oberoi Realty
Sandeep Runwal, Chairman – Runwal Constructions
Shrikant Joshi, CEO – L&T Realty
Sangeeta Prasad, Managing Director & CEO – Mahindra Lifespaces Developers
Ashish Raheja, Managing Director – Raheja Universal
Hafeez Contractor – Architect Hafeez Contractor
Neel Chandra Raheja, President –

ANAROCK Bags Exclusive Mandate for Swaminarayan City in Mumbai’s Dombivali

Interim Budget 2019 – Let’s Not Get Too Excited

Unsold Inventory Hits 2-Year Low In Q4 2018 – ANAROCK

GST on Real Estate Maintains Status Quo

GST Rate Cut in 2019 – A New Year Gift for Homebuyers?

New Blow: GST On RTM Projects Without Completion Certificate

Unchanged Repo Rates Astute From All Angles

Shajai Jacob Joins ANAROCK As CEO – GCC (Middle East)

ANAROCK Launches Consulting Services Headed By Ashutosh Limaye

Upcoming ANAROCK Report at ACETECH 2018, Mumbai