Surging steel and cement prices to make owning a home costlier
Steel prices have gone up by around 30% and general metals have risen in cost by around 30% in the last few months or so. Essential inputs to construction such as cement and sand have seen an increase of around 20%. Further, the proposed introduction of the RERA Bill by April 30th as originally scheduled, will mandate that real estate developers maintain a separate account, which will be used towards timely construction. All these factors – from rising input costs of steel and cement as well as general metals and the RERA Bill, coupled with the impact on real estate from the Budget may add to base line prices w.e.f April 2017, making residential units more expensive and compel developers to pass down additional costs incurred to potential consumers. “These factors can change the dynamics of the real estate market in Bangalore in the next two quarters”, says Mr J. C. Sharma, President, CREDAI-Bangalore. “Prices that are currently on the low, are likely to rise in the next two quarters. Considering the skepticism of potential home buyers with regards to price changes, there has been an uptick in enquiries related to home purchases and we have been trying address all the queries”. “Keeping these in mind, it would be wiser for a prospective home buyer to invest in a home now. The market is currently stable and the buyer can command the best price possible, with a range of amenities”, says Mr. Suresh Hari, Secretary, CREDAI-Bengaluru. There are a few other factors that make investment in a home a wise decision in the current scenario. 1. Loan interest rates lower than ever: The basis points for home loan interest rates have been reduced by almost 0.5 in most banks, making now a great time to buy a house. State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, has reduced its marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by a 90 basis points, among the steepest interest rate cuts in a long time. 2. Budget housing now much more affordable: Budget housing got a boost with land prices plummeting, especially in fringe city areas around Bengaluru, for the announcement by Prime Minister, Mr. NarendraModi; “This is in keeping with the mandate of Prime Minister NarendraModi's larger plan of 'Housing for All' by 2020”.
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