NCR Top Residential Hotspot for Investment

Many cities in the country, after the slowdown, are once again in the spotlight for the good investment potential they offer in the mid to long term

The only segment to emerge almost unscathed from the turmoil that the real estate sector underwent during the slowdown was the residential sector. Its resilience in the face of negative global cues was as much a result of the latent demand for affordable housing in India as the large share of the Indian real estate pie that the residential sector holds.

As with office space and retail malls, residential property did, to a lesser degree, suffer the effects of the global downturn in 2008 and 2009. However, unlike its counterparts, the residential sector has begun to show signs of stability in many markets, and even recovery in certain cities. Whether this trend will continue depends in large part on economic factors (mortgage rates, GDP growth, labour market stability) and on prudent decisions by developers on issues relating to pricing and quality of products being offered.

Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj Research conducted an analysis of residential markets across India to help identify investment hotspots for retail investors. While abnormally large returns can be found in specific projects throughout the country, the analysis was limited to India's seven largest cities due to high residential demand from their large populations, relatively higher transparency levels and presence of premium regional and national developers.

The top ten cities were Gurgaon, Mumbai, Noida, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Kochi.

Based on proprietary data from the Real Estate Intelligence Service (REIS), each cities' potential was examined across a variety of parameters, including affordability, investment yield, absorption momentum, supply overhang etc “Residential property is very definitely the flavour of the year in 2010. While the primary metros continue to command the highest demand and appreciation potential, many other cities are once again in the spotlight for their mid-to-long term investment potential,“ says Abhishek Kiran Gupta, head research and REIS, Jones Lang LaSalle India.

Source: Hindustan Times: NCR-Top-Residential-Hotspot