India witnessed a robust demand for office spaces in Q3 2018, recording approximately 12.3 million sq ft of gross absorption, indicating a 23% growth over the corresponding period last year. As a result of rising demand coupled with lowering vacancies in premium Grade A buildings, the office rental values have recorded an increase in select micro markets across cities.
The MMR was notified in 1967, in an effort to address the rising problems faced by inhabitants. More areas were also included in the region and today the MMR covers Greater Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai, apart from several more towns and villages. Over the years, property price rise has been astronomical in the original core parts of Mumbai.
With global corporates increasingly seeking to optimize resources, maximize savings, and drive growth, India offers a compelling proposition. During Q1 2024, India continued to witness traction in GCC leasing activity. A significant 5 million square feet (msf) of leasing activity by GCCs, represented 37% of total office leasing across the top six cities. Looking ahead, GCCs are projected to lease between 45-50 msf of office space in the next two years, constituting around 40% of total demand.
Indian cities witnessed a strong office demand in Q2 2018, with about 12.6 million sq ft of gross absorption recorded, indicating a 10% QoQ growth in office leasing activity.
A high rental growth was seen mostly in South cities like Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad where y-o-y change ranged between 8-17% at some locations. In H1 2017, Bengaluru and Hyderabad both witnessed single digit vacancy levels hovering between 8-9% due to a dearth of quality Grade A stock, thus leading to increased rental values in some micro markets.
Track2Realty: Real estate investors as well as developers in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) had been cautiously awaiting the results of the recently concluded General Elections to ascertain the future mood of the market. Having been elected with a full majority, the new government will hopefully usher in a stable regime at the center, which will definitely have a positive impact on the real estate sector too.
The input cost escalation has indeed brought the catch 22 situation for the real estate developers in this part of the world. As per the industry estimates, the input cost of various construction raw materials has surged from 20-35 per cent in the last 12-18 months. The property prices in the proportional ratio have not increased and in most of the micro markets across India the prices during the said period are at a standstill.
Till a decade back such was the mad rush for raising money in the capital market that even the real estate companies with limited presence in select micro markets started launching projects across the country to showcase a pan-India presence. Significant increase in housing demand, organized retailing and liquidity boom from 2003 to 2008, led to huge increase in land prices and real estate values and most real estate companies had a great run.
Mumbai real estate, often criticized for getting saturated, has been rather blessed with a number of hidden jewels. The city is sitting over some of the under-valued and lesser-known micro markets that are set to transform into property hotspots pretty soon. The cynics who thought that the peninsular city is left with no scope of horizontal growth have probably not visited any of these places.
Some call it market intelligence and not due diligence where the focus should be more on the micro markets than general trends which could be misleading. However, there are many grey areas where in the absence of proper research and reliable data even the assessment of ground realities is not feasible.