Time to invest in the realty sector

Real estate to contribute 18-20% of the country's GDP

There is no denying that every crisis comes with some opportunities which allow us to find solutions, work for life & livelihood, and to do well. And a similar thing is with global pandemic coronavirus. Various sectors have faced the impact of this pandemic including real estate but the real estate sector has done tremendous work by using advanced technologies. With unpredictability all around, maximum people are looking for a sense of security. As per the recent reports people would like to have a physical asset during these tough times.

Mr. Harvinder Singh Sikka, MD, Sikka GroupAccording to Mr. Harvinder Singh Sikka, Managing Director Sikka Group, “The impact of the lockdown on homebuyers has been positive so far. Various schemes announced by the developers, all-time low-interest rates, and subdued prices for quite some time are reasons enough to rekindle the interest of the customers. After the slew of measures taken by the government, the market was seeing an uptrend and the post-lockdown schemes have provided additional reasons to invest in real estate assets before the market goes northward. The resilience of the government towards the economy is being reflected in measures it is taking.”

 

Vikas Bhasin, MD, SAYA Homes said, “When the entire world is facing an uncertain scenario, the realty sector is considered as the safest investment option as it offers maximum stability. After the stock market crash, people do not want to risk their money in volatile instruments. Fixed income options are not looking very attractive even after a flurry of rate cuts. Higher returns could be expected once the economy starts recovering, which certainly makes this a perfect time for customers to invest in their dream homes.

 

DhirajDhiraj Bora, Head Marketing and Communication, Paramount Group said, “We cannot say that only schemes are the lucrative factor as buyers are more aware and they weigh in a host of factors before taking a call. The market in real estate saw a dip during the lockdown but it was mostly due to the inability to physically see the property. Post-lockdown, the sector is at a stage where the buyers should get influenced by the government policies that are aimed at easing out the pressure on buyers. So it all boils down to the incentives/schemes/relaxations that a buyer is getting from the government. It is a time when the policies/incentives are in their favour. These revival signals in the economy are propelled by consumer confidence and entrepreneur optimism. The further push will come from the construction and trade sectors. It will also meet the dual objective of the present government that is industrial growth and employment creation. The government has taken a number of steps through stimulus packages to boost the real estate sector so that Indian growth story and consumer confidence can be sustained.”

Schemes are being lapped up immediately by the buyers as they were waiting for the additional benefits that they can get while buying a property. The market has improved and this will reflect in the overall performance of real estate in this quarter. For rates, I would say the market is stagnant as developers have realized that the rates are already at par with the buying capacity of the customers. The likelihood of increase is low and we can see a change of 5-10 per cent in the coming months. Due to various reasons, property prices have not increased for quite some time now and the recent prices can be termed as 35% less than what it should have been. At present, prices in the realty sector are at their bottom and rearing to pick up, making it the best time to invest in property. This time is right for investment because of beneficial home loan rates. The present market conditions are best for buying a home as the home loan interest rates are at an all-time low. A decrease in home loan interest rates post-COVID has become a big trigger for end-users to buy a home.