Friday, August 29, 2008

Are Property Prices In India About To Fall?

Prices for land for sale in India could come down sharply according to many experts.

Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC for one feels property prices are due to correct by upto 20% in the next 6 months.

He told CNBC TV 18, ?Prices have peaked and now prices logically have to come down and interest rates will go up marginally.?

RBI is trying to curb speculative activity in land for sale in India by rising interest rates on home loans(there has been an increase of about 1-1.25% during last year itself) to slow down the speculative interest in real estate but still keeping actual users interested in property market. Industry players confirm demand for loans from high net worth individuals has seen a decline, they feel taking a home loan will still benefit an end user. On the other hand it will put a much-needed spanner in loan backed speculative buying of property

Rajiv Sabharwal, Head - Retail Assets Group, ICICI says, ?If you look at people who are buying homes and getting tax benefits, even with an interest rate of 9% to 9.5% their post tax benefit cost would be 6% to 6.5%. Compare that with the rental he will have to pay and here you have not factored in the capital appreciation, which may come to him even at the rate of 10% to 15% per annum. It still goes in the favor of customers buying an own home rather than renting.?

All this has led to a dip in demand for land for sale in India and instead there is a rising trend among enterprising investors towards investing in safer and more regulated overseas land investment markets. This trend has got further boost by a decision of Indian Government allowing Indian Nationals to invest in overseas properties upto a limit of 25000$ per year.

Thus there is an increasing chance that prices of land for sale will see a correction in Indian market.

Stephen Brewood
Land For Sale

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