Real Estate to Feel Rate Hike Tweak

The RBI’s decision to rise its policy rates, leading to hike in lending rates by banks, will adversely affect the sectors like real estate and automobile. These increases in the policy rates will raise the cost of properties as it increases cost of funds. The RBI’s hiking of the repo rate by 25 basis points is far from good news for the real estate sector, especially in terms of housing.

“Purchasing activity had already dropped, chances of minimising the property prices by developers to counter the negative effects of this hike depend on the financial ability of individual developers to hold on to their current pricing and risk losing sales till the situation improves.

Developers with enough capital as base are less likely to relent on their pricing than smaller developers with an urgent need to sell their inventories. The industry is already revolving under the high input costs and coupled with high sanction costs, it has to pass on the same to end user. However, hope is that the development will not discourage buyers of their buying decisions.

ICICI Bank , Country’s largest private sector bank, Managing director & CEO, Chanda Kochhar said that the RBI’s decision to increase the repo rate by another 25 bps and the existing systemic liquidity conditions could lead to an increase in funding costs for banks, and in lending rates.

RBI continues with its tight monetary policy to contain inflation. However, many analysts doubtes its efficiency to contain inflation. But, the measure will certainly affect the economic growth of the country.  The increase in the interest rates will not only make the loan costly but will also reduce the entitlement of credit of a debtor. According to banking norms, while approving loan to a borrower, bank see to it that the EMI on the loan should not exceed the 40% of the total monthly income of the family. As increase in interest rates will lead to rise in EMI and will bring down the claim of loan amount of a debtor on the same income.

Home Loan Rates Increases Tends to Increase Home Prices

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: A 25 basis point rise in key interest rates by the Reserve Bank of India on Thursday is likely to further lower home sales across the country, some builders and bankers said in the midst of increase in bank rates. Customers will now have to reconsider the size and locations of houses they wish to purchase and many buyers are expected to put off their purchases altogether till home prices come down and rates stabilise. This is certainly bad news for existing home loan consumers as banks will certainly increase home loan rates.

Purchasing capacity had already gone down visibly during the last tranche of interest rate hikes, and we will see a further reduction in buyer interest. Owing to the last 10 rate hikes by RBI, EMIs for housing loans have risen 25 percent to INR980 per INR 1 lakh of borrowing, and consequently loan eligibility for homebuyers has declined by 20percent. Anil Kothuri, head of retail lending business at Edelweiss Group says, “Housing finance companies have no wriggle room available.” For new home loan seekers, this will be big warning, not just because of the rate hike but also because of the frequency of the rate hike by RBI. “The person who is looking to purchase a home has the option, of buying or not buying. Existing home loan customers are stuck. However, of the opinion of Renu Sud Karnad, Managing Director of HDFC, is that this quarter percentage hike will not impact housing demand and loan off-take.

2 acre plot for sale in Navi Mumbai

India Steel Works plan to sell its 2 acre plot in Navi Mumbai. Firm has thought of this step in order to unlock value from its real estate. Also, in order to use the proceeds to reduce its debt by half.
The Executive Chairman of India Steel Works’, Mr. Ashwin Gupta informed media that they plan to reduce a debt of Rs 70 cr. through the sale of this land. They are eyeing over Rs 35 cr. from the sale.
He added that once the firm achieves its agenda of becoming a debt-free, the motive behind selling off the Navi Mumbai land, they will raise working capital and drive up turnover. The firm expects to make profit in the financial year 2012.
The firm wants to complete this sale deal as soon as possible.

DLF Plans to sell non-core assets for Raising Debt.


Kolkata Properties - Real Estate India - Surekha Sunrise Symphony
DLF
, India’s leading real estate developers, plan to raise an amount of Rs. 2700 cr. this financial year by selling non-core assets in order to reduce its debt of over Rs 16,421 cr. by about 33%.

The realty giant plans Rs. 5000 cr. to be cut from its debt. Out of these, Rs. 2700 cr. will be raised from sale of non-core assets and the left over from internal accruals. Last year, DLF could raise only Rs. 1800 cr. from sale of non-core assets while it planned for Rs. 5500 cr.

This fiscal, DLF has to compensate Rs 2,500-2,700 cr. in debt and also an interest of Rs. 1800 cr. Also, officials believe that this Divestment of non-core assets is not just a means to reduce debt but is a strategy to focus more on the core business operations.

Rs. 7,855 cr. was the overall revenue during financial year 2009-10 which is reduced by 25% as compared to Rs. 7,855 cr. in financial year 2008-09. The firm sold an area of 12.55 million sq ft across the world in the last fiscal.