Investments in India’s real estate sector slip by 65% in 2013: C&W

World’s largest privately held real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield said in its latest report— Investment Market Beat’ 2013— reveals that India has received a total estimated investment of US$ 1.2 bn in the real estate sector making it the 10th most invested location in APAC region of which investment in land was the highest at US$ 838 million. The APAC region received a record US$ 487 billion of investment in the real estate sector. Of the nations surveyed for investments, China (core & emerging) recorded the highest volume of investments of US$ 358 bn, followed by Japan which recorded investments worth US$ 44.6 bn in 2013.

Sanjay Dutt, executive managing director, South Asia, Cushman & Wakefield said, “There is a poignant pause that the investors have adopted so far as the Indian real estate market scenario is concerned, largely on account of the fact that India is currently at political cusp with general elections for the country just around the corner. Adding to this, are the suggested regulatory framework changes, which are yet to be implemented therefore, their entire impact is still to be assessed on ground, which is also keeping investors from making futuristic investments.”

“This decline in investment numbers are however, not indicative of the sentiments investors have of India, as it continues to show  future promise as a key market with the APAC region. This can be well understood from the fact that private equity has seen a rise of approximately 13 per cent Y-o- Y in the 2013. We expect the economy in general and investment markets in specific to start seeing  remarkable improvements by 2015.”

According to the report both in India, land received the highest shares of investments followed by office in 2013. However, both these sectors recorded a significant decline over the previous year. Investment in land suffered a decline of -61 per cent while office saw a decline of  -77 per cent in total investments in 2013 over the past year. Hotels recorded approximately US$ 11 million recorded a decline of -87 per cent, albeit on a low base.