A recurring theme of this pandemic has been seniors living alone, struggling for basics, managing without house help and anxious about existing and potential medical issues. The need for homes in a setting where these factors are taken care of is now undeniable.
India's residential real estate segment is witnessing a decisive return of serious enquiries, which are now at 50% of pre-COVID-19 levels in the top cities. Recovery is fastest in Bengaluru, where current enquiries have reached 70% of the January-February period, followed by Gurugram with nearly 65%.
In the West, investors have shown immense confidence in the self-storage sector due to its underlying attributes and resilience. Despite recessions and demographic shifts, private equity, institutions and private wealth of varying magnitudes continue to have an appetite for it.
In a market where tenants have the leeway to bargain, property owners need to go the extra mile to attract tenants at good rentals. This helps them to let out their property faster while also justifying higher rental asks.
Historically, the major demand driver for NRIs investing in Indian real estate was their eventual inevitable return to India. The general sentiment of a post-COVID-19 reverse exodus to India has thrown this driver into sharper relief.
Currently, the top 7 cities account for almost 70% of India's residential market, with the remaining 30% accounted for in Tier 2 & 3 cities. This ratio may well change in times to come. Cities like Lucknow, Indore, Chandigarh, Kochi, Coimbatore, Jaipur and Ahmedabad would be the main beneficiaries of the reverse migration of professionals who have lost their jobs in the metros or are likely to.
In a big move, the government has announced the one-year extension of the CLSS scheme up to March 2021. This will help push demand for affordable housing.
The government has extended the timeline for project completions and registration by 6 months and announced INR 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for NBFCs/HFCs and MFIs
