Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Housing boom fades in Hyderabad

Real estate boom fizzles out fast
Deccan Chronicle Hyderabad,
Dec 25: The real estate boom which held sway in 2006 petered out in 2007. The poor response to auction of Kokapet lands in the third week of December was only the latest instance in the downswing. Except for a few projects catering to high end consumers in up-market areas such as Madhapur and Gachibowli, the construction scenario was dismal in the capital and surrounding areas.
The number of real estate transactions in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts declined by 40 per cent when compared to the previous year. Fall in NRI investments because of the increased rupee value and the real estate industry reaching saturation levels were cited as the main reasons. The slowdown in the IT industry also contributed to the downturn. However, the prices of apartments remained high in the city after construction came to a halt in the wake of stringent building norms introduced through GO 86.
"The growth rate from April to December this year is 13 per cent while it was 38 per cent in the previous year," said a senior official of the Stamps and Registration Department. Real estate transactions almost came to halt this year in areas such as Maheshwaram, Shamshabad, Nizampet and Ibrahimpatnam, which saw tremendous growth in 2006.
Interestingly, the revenue increased from Rs 752 crore (between April-December 2006) to Rs 762 crore for the corresponding period this year in Ranga Reddy because of revision of market values of lands. "But the number of transactions declined from 1.72 lakh to 1.03 lakh in Ranga Reddy and 33,000 to 28,000 in Hyderabad," said the official.
In Hyderabad, the revenue also dipped from Rs 312 crore to Rs 299 crore. Top builders admitted that the situation had drastically changed when compared to last year. "Though the price did not fall, there is no rush to buy property," said Indu managing director, Mr Shyamprasad Reddy. However, the year also saw the launching of the first ever public private partnership township at Srinagar where owners of plots became equity holders.
Other positive developments in the real estate front were the mega venture of Lanco Hills at Manikonda and payment of Rs 444 crore by American real estate giant Tishman Speyer for the 500-acre township at Tellapur. Township projects of Indu Aranya, Palm Meadows and Aparna also started off in 2007. The year also witnessed the implementation of GO 86 which stipulated mortgage of a portion of the constructed area to the civic authorities. Builders would have to forfeit the area if they violate building norms.
"We made it compulsory for builders to register themselves with civic authorities," said Greater Hyderabad Municipal Commissioner, Mr C.V.S.K. Sarma. "We also introduced tatkal scheme for independent buildings whose permissions will be sanctioned in 48 hours."

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