Commercial Realty Offers Big Opportunities in Mumbai

The number of high net worth investors (HNIs) and corporates seriously looking to invest in Indian office space has increased manifold in the last few years. Mumbai continues as India’s numerous office space investment destination, with companies from all over the world unerringly zeroing in on the financial capital.

As South Asia’s only true financial hub, Mumbai is among India’s best places to invest in commercial real estate. In times of global economic uncertainty, investors flock to markets that have consistently proved their long-term stability and fundamentals.

In a scenario wherein institutional investors are showing reduced preference for commercial real estate in their portfolios, Mumbai continues to present HNI and corporate investors with myriad growth opportunities in office properties. However, the multitude of options also gives many enthusiastic investors heartburn -where on Mumbai’s vast and complex map are the low-risk/high returns locations?

Today, Mumbai as a city for commercial space investment reveals a high rate of vacancies in many locations. The rental yields in these micro-locations are expected to decrease marginally over the next 12 months.

While this seems to present a depressing scenario on the surface, the fact is that we are now looking at the bottom of the curve. In other words, these markets are expected to bottom out over the next one year and will consequently start to move up again. These locations have significant long-term capital value appreciation potential, and well-informed investors are keeping a close eye on them.

Demand for Super Luxury Housing is Back

Chennai Properties - Real Estate India - Villa Viviana 1

Luxury Property

The super luxury housing segment whose range was from Rs. 4 cr to Rs. 30 cr and which had taken backseat during the slowdown is now coming back. The demand for these residential properties has risen by 30- 40 percent.

The real estate firms such as Lodha Developers, Orbit Corporation, and Skyline Constructions are taking advantage of this demand hike and plan to cash in on a rather specialized alcove- the boutique homes category.

According to the national head (residential agency) Knight Frank India, Anand Narayanan KB, the sales of such luxury boutique homes are much higher as compared to volume luxury properties since there is limitation in this segment.

The HNI segment is to be hit by these homes. This includes senior professionals, CEOs, wealthy non-resident Indians and entrepreneurs in new-age businesses who are seeking for house in India. The CEO, Homebay Residential, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, a real estate services firm, Mr. Raminder Grover noticed that the prices of luxury homes has gone up by 20%.

However, he also added that the prices should not rise now and become stable or otherwise the demand will go down again.

HNIs Going For Commercial Properties

Cornhill, Shanghai Commercial Bank
March 20, 2010

You need to give a second thought if you believe that commercial properties are purchased only by companies to aggrandize their business plans. Forthwith, money is put into commercial properties by High Net worth Individuals (HNIs) too.

In the past, the New Age Indians were just confined to investing in residential properties, but it does not goes for now-a-days. The trend is growing fast. According to the CMD of PropEquity, Samir Jasuja ,a large no. of HNIs will look ahead to buy commercial properties if banks do not show aversion to giving loans to individuals in order to invest in commercial properties. He added “the fact that banks do not show any positive response to sanction loans to individuals in order to purchase commercial properties is not a secret anymore. The status is same all over the world. That is why you cannot compel only our banks.”

The reason behind banks avoiding loans disbursal to individuals in investing in commercial properties is that the rate of default is very high in this segment as compared to residential properties. Thus, banks joyfully give loans for residential properties while they are not that interested when it comes to loans for the investment in commercial properties.

The director of Century 21 India, Anu Gupta suggested that HNIs should make investments in commercial properties as investing in them could prove to be highly beneficial as far as their return is concerned. The underlying reason would be that while they could go for bank loans up to 75-80 % for such purchases, the compensation of such loans could be set off against the rental incomes from such commercial properties. Therefore, as the retail/commercial industry grows, by investing a portion of the full price, an investor can gain a high-value asset, which will not only give maximum return (thanks to the set off provision in IT against rentals), but could see a significant appreciation over a period too.

Indian HNIs make realty investment

Cash MoneyForeign developers are trying to attract Indian HNI (High Net Worth Individual). HNIs are people with net financial assets (liquid assets) of at least $1 million, excluding primary residence and consumables. India is projected to be the world’s third largest economy by 2050. A subsequent increase in the number of wealthy individuals, real estate consultants from across the world are trying and also getting the HNI segment interested enough to buy.
Strong GDP growth, robust figures in industrial and service sectors, high market capitalization and steady FII inflows are some factors contributing to the rise in HNI wealth. In 2006, India’s HNI population crossed the one lakh figure, which made it the second-fastest growing HNI segment in the world.