Interviews :: Home prices, loan rates unlikely to fall in 2018; time to buy: Harshil Mehta


Several cities under the Smart Cities initiative hold a distinct advantage and can be safe bets for ‘smart’ real estate investments, say Mehta.
Sarbajeet Sen | Retrived on 1st Jan 2018 | MoneyControl.com

The real estate sector has seen some major changes in 2017 including ushering in of RERA. It also had to bear the impact of demonetisation, which slowed down sales. In an interview to Moneycontrol, Harshil Mehta, Joint MD & CEO, DHFL, tells how he sees property prices and home loan rates moving in the New Year.

Year 2017 saw the Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA) coming into play. How has the new Act impacted the real estate market?

RERA is a well-timed effort by the government and a good step towards accomplishment of ‘Housing for All by 2022’ and other housing and housing-development related initiatives. Several states have implemented RERA and has positively impacted buyer sentiments as a result of the mandatory disclosures of project details and strict adherence to project deliverables such as the area, legality, amenities and the quality. It has also ushered a more transparent ecosystem for developers and housing finance companies. DHFL has also undertaken a drive to assist developers in various states to help them understand the regulatory implications of RERA and become RERA compliant.

How do you see home prices moving in 2018, especially in the affordable segment?

We do not foresee any reduction in prices in the affordable housing segment because of the increasing demand and the limited supply to meet this demand. To attract buyers and maintain sales volume, developers are launching attractive offers and other benefits to encourage customers to fulfill their aspiration of owning their dream home.

Home loan rates have come down substantially. Do you think there is a likelihood of further lowering of rates by lenders?

Owing to the last few monetary policies, home loan rates have stabilised and we do not foresee any further reduction.

So, for those waiting to buy property, do you think this is a good time?

Yes, it is a good time for the buyer.

What is the loan bracket that you are seeing the largest offtake?

We have been seeing a steady offtake in the affordable housing segment that ranges from Rs 15-30 lakhs. The affordable category has received a strong boost led by the government’s various incentives and efforts to stimulate the industry. All these efforts have started to show visible impact on the ground. Benefits from the recent Credit-Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) under PMAY and lower interest rates have further given a boost to the consumer’s loan eligibility.

What is the home price segment DHFL is targeting?

Since inception, DHFL has always targeted the affordable housing finance segment catering to the low and middle income in the semi urban and Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns. This has remained unchanged for the last 33 years. As we mentioned earlier, we are witnessing strong uptake in the affordable finance segment driven by the incentives and conducive industry dynamics particularly from Tier 2 and 3 towns and cities which are emerging as India’s new growth engines.

Is government’s push for affordable housing having a bearing on loan offtake?

The Indian housing finance industry and, in particular, the affordable housing segment, is witnessing one of the most exciting times. Over the last few months, the Government has been taking several significant, growth-oriented steps to develop demand as well as generate greater supply through impacting policy frameworks towards greater financial inclusion. Granting infrastructure status to the real estate industry, announcing the extended CLSS to include MIG 1 & 2 and most recent announcement on RERA, are some commendable efforts to stimulate demand of affordable housing. These customer friendly measures and efforts have definitely given a strong fillip to loan offtake.

What are the market and sub-markets where you are seeing a high demand for home loan?

Affordable Housing has clearly been a central growth agenda for the Government. Initiatives such as ‘Housing for All by 2020’, PMAY, CLSS, home loan rate cuts and housing regulations such as RERA has considerably sparked interest for affordable housing options across the consumer pyramid. Most of the first-time home buyers fund their property purchase through home loans. As a result, there has been a surge in home loan demand across India specifically the Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets.

What according to you are the best emerging real estate investment destinations across the country?

Post the launch of the Smart Cities Mission in 2015, the Government shortlisted cities from all regions of India having high economic and industrial potential. Smart cities will become catalysts in improving the quality of life and give a major fillip to the real estate in urban locations. Considering the upcoming infrastructure projects and other growth drivers, several cities under the Smart Cities initiative hold a distinct advantage and can be safe bets for ‘smart’ real estate investments.

What more, according to you, needs to be done to boost the housing sector?

For all the benefits to make real impact, customer centricity is becoming key. Financial institutions and HFCs need to focus on making the entire experience of home purchase more seamless and customer friendly. Companies need to think how we can address their financial needs across their whole financial life cycle through customised products.

To further boost the affordable housing sector, external commercial borrowings (ECB) should be extended to housing finance companies to enable onward lending to developers in the segment. Also, single-window clearances is another step towards increasing development in the affordable segment and ensuring timely delivery.

Source: https://goo.gl/S2NiV6

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