Bangalore honchos on property-buying spree in the US

BANGALORE: The investments by Indians (those with Indian passports) in residential property in the United States rose by nearly 50% to $5.8 billion in the year ended March 2014, compared to the year before. Real estate analysts say top executives in Bangalore’s technology industry, many of who have a close connect with the US, are among the biggest spenders. Indians constitute the third biggest overseas community to buy property in the US, as per data shared by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), US. Chinese buyers topped, investing a staggering $22 billion, a growth of 80% over the previous year, followed by Canada. UK residents bought as much as Indians, […] read more »

Relaxed foreign investment rules will help Indian realtors

The relaxation of rules on foreign direct investments into India’s property development sector, will improve developers’ liquidity and speed-up project-turnaround times, but may also increase competition, says Fitch Ratings. Fitch Ratings says that, the relaxation of rules on foreign direct investments into India’s property development sector, will improve developers’ liquidity and speed-up project-turnaround times, but may also increase competition, says Fitch Ratings. The Government of India approved the amendment of existing rules on 29 October. Key amendments include allowing foreign developers to invest in smaller property development projects – with a minimum floor area of 20,000 square meters (sqm), compared to 50,000 sqm previously . The minimum foreign-investment threshold was […] read more »

Easier FDI in real estate means govt is inflating India’s urban housing bubble

India’s relaxed rules for foreign direct investment (FDI) in construction will make it easier for foreigners to invest in real estate. While the move has surely been cheered by the real estate sector, for it will bring in much needed capital for those steeped in debt, it could bring more pain for home buyers. Reason: more foreign money in realty means higher property prices. Simple demand-supply logic. Current urban realty prices represent affordability for a microscopic few, while the average home buyer will have to exchange 20-30 years of future earnings to afford a house. Under earlier rules, the government allowed 100 percent FDI in real estate development but with […] read more »

‘By March, $10 billion of real estate investment trusts may get listed if Govt provides tax relief’

Alastair Hughes, CEO (Asia Pacific) of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), who was in Bangalore to hold a board meeting of the Asia Pacific region comprising China, Japan, Australia, South East Asia and India, spoke to BusinessLine to share the real estate market sentiment and key issues on corporate leasing. How is the realty market in India as compared to other countries in Asia Pacific ? India has seen a dramatic recovery. The hangover did not last very long as it had in 2010-2011. The market is very dynamic here right now. While Asia-Pacific began to recover in 2012-2013, India went through a lull, largely due to lack of business confidence, […] read more »

Ambience to invest Rs 1,950 cr on two new housing projects

NEW DELHI: Realty firm Ambience today said it will invest about Rs 1,950 crore over the next four years to develop two luxury housing projects in Gurgaon and Noida. The Delhi-based company will develop over 1,030 apartments in these two projects launched today. Ambience has presence in Delhi and Gurgaon property markets. It is developing a 150-acre project ‘Ambience Island’ in Gurgaon that comprises premium homes, ‘Leela Ambience’ hotel with over 400 keys and a huge shopping mall. In Delhi, it has a ‘Kempinski Ambience’ hotel comprising 480 keys and a shopping mall at Vasant Kunj. “We are coming up two new projects in Noida and Gurgaon. We are entering […] read more »

Real-estate firm asked to pay over Rs 11 lakhs for deficiency of service

NEW DELHI: The Delhi state consumer panel has asked real estate firm Omaxe Buildhome Pvt Ltd to pay over Rs 11 lakh to a retired Indian Airlines official after holding the realty firm of “deficiency of service” in the allotment of a flat at Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC), presided by judicial member S A Siddiqui, asked the firm to pay Rs 11.14 lakh to Secunderabad resident Pradeep Chaudhary. Chaudhary had approached the Commission alleging “unfair trade practice” and “deficiency of service” on the firm’s part and said that despite his strong opposition, the company, on its own, changed the location of […] read more »

Japanese realty major to build townships in India

New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS) Japanese real estate company TamaHome Corporation has entered into a joint venture with Developer Group to create townships in India, the company said Wednesday. The first two township projects in India will come up in Visakhapatnam in 50 acres and the second in Ludhiana in 150 acres. Both will be in collaboration with Developer Group India Pvt. Ltd. “Building the highest quality homes at the lowest cost, regardless of income scale, offers a more comfortable lifestyle. We have fought to build homes that eliminate common real estate practices and decrease conventional costs in half without reducing quality,” said Yasuhiro Tamaki, president and chief executive officer […] read more »