2015 may not
have been the best year for the Analytics real
estate website in India. 2016 has seen stagnation in property prices in
almost all cities, which is an indicator that the worst might be over. Though,
the surplus inventory is still not getting liquidated at the desired rate.
The status
quo of real estate prices is a positive sign and implies that market correction
has been achieved and it is headed towards stabilization. The illustration
below shows the property supply and demand in major cities of India. NCR has
been the worst hit, whereas southern cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad have
shown progress backed by the IT sector expansions. Launch of new residential
projects declined by 31% across India.
The focus in
2015 had been to reduce the existing inventory, which continued in the first
two quarters of 2016 and is likely to be the trend for the balance duration of
2016. Two major issues which the real estate sector and especially the builders
need to handle is one the delay in completion of projects and second, the
piling up of legal litigations with end users. These two factors are having the
biggest negative impact on market sentiment. Humane sentiment plays a major
role in at least the legal litigations which in majority of cases can be
resolved with mutual consent or arbitration.
The
government’s reform agenda is on track and urban development is being given the
push. However, the real estate sector in India is going to remain uncomfortable
because this urban development programmer is not being undertaken in cites
which they desire, but where it is actually required. Therefore, the developers
need to come out of their comfort zones and look for expansion avenues in other
towns and cities.
Large scale affordable
housing unfortunately sound ‘down market’ to the Real estate
trends in India who are used to moving in the ‘power corridors’ and the
smell of ‘high profile’ status. The real estate sector needs to shed this
syndrome, in case there is a desire for revival and get on to the brass-tacks;
dirty their hands and feet and enjoy the smell of earthen sand.


