Consumer activism to increase
Throughout 2016, the number of new residential project launches was lower than units sold. With all states staring at the approaching deadline to implement their versions of the Real Estate Regulation & Development Act (RERA), most will definitely fall in line, said JLL India. "This landmark law will enforce hitherto unprecedented transparency and accountability requirements for developers into the system, and do a lot to increase consumer confidence. Consumer activism, which has already been making news in recent times, will increase in distressed ongoing projects," said Ramesh Nair - CEO & Country Head, JLL India. And it's not only RERA that the Indian real estate sector anticipates with bated breath. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Benami Property Act will also have a major impact on how many developers run their businesses. Demonetisation shook up the older ways of working, but did not affect self-governing developers with the right products targeted at the working masses. The rest have realised it is time now to revamp their existing business models if they want to remain in business at all. Market watchers who had despaired of the Indian real estate market ever shedding its tainted image have every reason to perk up now. "Currently, the residential property market is dominated by end-users - speculative investors are making a beeline out of real estate as an investment category. Residential demand is expected to pick up only towards the end of 2017 - but the recovery will be sustainable and based on much sounder market fundamentals than transient sentiment," said Nair.
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