Wealth from property: a guide

Before the purchase

A potential investor should understand the property cycle so as to identify the best entry point.

Speaking of legalities,do understand the nature of the leasehold titles issued by the government.

Also,the investor needs to have a clear comprehension of unearned increase or capital gain and the consequently higher stamp duty implication at the time of conveyance from the developer.

Have an eye for the quality of development,for depressed markets often result in poor design and construction quality.

In addition:

Availability of the project’s development plans and all statutory approvals is de rigueur. If approvals are not yet in place,the investor should monitor them closely during the investment cycle.

The developer’s arrangement for all the finances for completion of the project must be established.

The title’s due diligence by a qualified and reputed legal firm is now a given. One can no longer rely solely on the due diligence of home loan firms,as they have targets just like developers.

The size and dimensions of the plot and the apartment need to be understood; small plots or apartments may cost less,but they are also often difficult to resell.

The location of the development may be important,but so is the location of the plot or apartment within the complex. Investors should avoid buying flats on the top floors of high-rise buildings,as these artificially add to the cost due to floor-rise concepts.

The credibility and track record of the developer need to be researched,since even the best ones have failed to deliver under the current market conditions.

The price band of the development should be lower than the last highest peak in 2008 (exceptions can and should be made for quality,delivery date and location).

The time of conveyance of land and delivery (possession) must be explicitly clear.

The penalties in case of delay must be well understood; not everyone can fight legal battles.

The investor must clearly understand the differences between soft launch,launch and current price of the developer (the resale of existing ready projects may be actually cheaper).

Before the sale

The investor must understand the sale agreement along with the transfer charges in case he wishes to sell the apartment during construction or prior to registration.

He should establish whether the agreement captures within the official cost all the amenities,parking,etc. that the developer promised at the time of sale,or whether these are mentioned separately.

The investor should employ usable carpet area vis-à-vis chargeable area as the price benchmark vis-à-vis other projects.

Finally,the investor should keep an eye on the market and sell the property at the right time in order to multiply wealth.

If all the above precautions have been taken,the property should have appreciated at a consistent rate of 15 per cent per annum for three years.

It is important to remember that one can almost never sell at the peak,just as it is impossible to always catch the lowest price.

Some of the markets that currently show the highest residential property investment potential are:

North India — NCR,Lucknow,Chandigarh and Jaipur

East India — Bhubaneswar,Kolkata and Guwahati

West India — Ahmedabad,Mumbai,Pune and Nasik

South India — Hyderabad,Bangalore and Chennai

Within these cities lie the opportunities for a higher variation of capital value appreciation,depending on the demand and supply dynamics of their micro markets and also the quality of the development,reputation of the developer,strategic value of the location and timely completion of projects.

—The author is CEO – Business,Jones Lang LaSalle India