The quest for property has not subsided among the Indians; nor do they have any doubts over the appreciation potential of real asset. They still consider property the tangible asset class that is less prone to market volatility, compared to stock market and other avenues of investment. However, they need a bit of cushioning this festive season to take a plunge into the property market.
The Indian real estate has been known to dole out discounts & freebies every festive season to reap the auspicious spirit. It worked well for the sector for quite some time as the Indians are traditionally known to buy property during the festivals. However, the slowdown in the last five years made the marketing strategists look for alternative ways & means to bring the buyers back to the property market during the festive season. Track2Realty analyses the market trend.
I often get amused when I get into the details of the industry survey that shouts at the top of its voice – “All is Well”. Some of these industry reports claiming the business to be witness to higher consumer sentiment are based on the feedback of connected parties like developers, banks, financial institutions and private equity players. All in all, it’s a family cycle where everyone is desperate to beg, borrow or steal for sale. The most important stakeholder – the home buyer – whose sentiment is being tracked is better left out in this mutual appreciation club of vested interests.
There are multiple factors why the home sales in monsoons are subdued. One obvious reason is that the Indians traditionally don’t make any high value purchases after Akshay Tirtiya and before Ganesh Chaturthi. Since a home is the most emotional & aspirational product; is life’s biggest purchase; and is in most of the case for the lifetime; the Indians prefer to wait till the beginning of the festive season. Inauspicious period of Shraddh and Pitripaksh also falls during the monsoon season, where the traditional belief is that any new purchase will invite the curse of the ancestors.