Affordable real estate will drive growth in Indian property market in 2010, experts claim

Affordable property is set to play a key role in the residential real estate sector in India in 2010 on the back of a significant pickup in demand, according to the country’s developers association.
An upturn in the economy and the Government’s ongoing efforts to push growth in the infrastructure are expected to help the sector grow this year, said Kumar Gera, chairman of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI).
‘This year will be crucial for the housing industry given the Government’s concern over the massive housing needs of the people, especially in urban areas,’ Gera explained.

‘By the end of 2010 we expect prices in the real estate sector to roll back to at least 90% of the level prevalent in 2007/08,’ he added. CREDAI estimates that values have fallen by 20 to 35% on average across different regions in the country since August 2008.

Real estate growth expectations are based on an assessment of GDP growth by CREDAI, the global revival, domestic sentiments and on the assumption that there would be no major unforeseen fluctuations in the economy or natural calamities this year, he explained.

The real estate market in India was most hit by the downturn between August and October of 2008 when the sales almost came to a standstill.
There were some early signs of recovery in March 2009 and since then prices have stabilised and sales went on to improve considerably by the end of the year, Gera also said.

The growth of the information technology sector in different markets such as Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata will help drive the growth of housing in the regions irrespective of the national IT scenario, he said. And US economic recovery would help stabilise the situation in the IT sector and activities in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the country, he added.

Infrastructure is also set to aid the property market revival on a local basis. In Mumbai prices are already rising at the prospect of the city’s second airport coming up near Khargar. According to Gulam Zia, national director for research and advisory services at Knight Frank, the Navi Mumbai area is likely to grow faster than other location.

Opening may be some six to seven years away yet, he said, but it is already a factor along with a new trans-harbour link and extensions to the metro network.
Generally it is southern cities that will see growth, according to Zia, but places like Kolkata in the east are also expected to see substantial growth, led by the IT industry.
‘Other emerging locations include Mahesh Tala and Tara Tala. Many new townships are being constructed in Tara Tala, gradually transforming it from an industrial zone to a residential township. This will be a promising area in the future,’ Zia added.