Cheap Flats In London

Properties for sale in Gurgaon can be located with the help of real estate consultants and dealers.  Also, there are property portals giving information about Gurgaon properties.  Both residential and commercial properties are available.  Flats and apartments of various levels can be located at the prime locations.  You can buy commercial and industrial spaces, condominiums, apartments, flats, villas, shops, office spaces, plots, farm houses, builder floors, agricultural land, etc.  Premium structures constructed by construction majors like DLF, Spaze, Ansal, Bestech, Parsvanath, Omaxe, etc. are among the best properties in Gurgaon.

Commercial spots such as Udyog Vihar, IMT Manesar, Pace City, Info City, etc. are great attractions for property sale and purchase in Gurgaon.  Another location for premium structures is golf course road.  Augusta Point, Vatika Towers, Vipul Tech Square, Global Foyer, Orchid Square, Centrum Plaza, etc. make the location a highly valuable properties spot.  Other prime locations of Gurgaon properties are: Part 2 of Sector 15, DLF Phase I, DLF Phase II, DLF Phase VI, Sohna Road, National Highway No.8, etc.

In the post era of recent economic recession, it is beneficial for buyers since there prevails a slump in the property sector in Gurgaon.  Those who want to invest in properties in Gurgaon, they should look for premium properties.  In commercial properties also there is a little slump.  Compared with any other investment options, property investment is a better choice.

You can also find properties for sale in Gurgaon in the classified columns of the leading newspapers of the place such as Times of India, Hindustan Times, Navabharat Times, Hindustan, etc.  Owing to the increased infrastructure of the region, Gurgaon properties have more buyers now than ever before.  The Gurgaon-Jaipur National Highway, the Gurgaon-Delhi 8-line expressway, the Delhi-Gurgaon metro rail line, the proposed Gurgaon metro rail, etc. have contributed considerably to the appreciation of properties in the region.  The presence of major corporate offices in the region is another reason for the increasing property value in Gurgaon.  India as an emerging market of the world has attracted the major multinational corporations.  Gurgaon lying in the Delhi NCR region with better infrastructure is attracting these companies.  This has resulted in the increased demand for properties in Gurgaon.  As a result, the real estate market in Gurgaon has become one of the primary destinations in India.

Our journey started in the bustling port city of Mumbai (Bombay), home to Asia’s oldest stock exchange. Then we moved on to visit high-tech campuses in Bangalore and Hyderabad. The latter is only miles from the ancient city of Golconda, once renowned for its diamonds. From there, we were off to green Kochi on the Malabar Coast, with its many coconut trees, rice paddies and slow-moving rivers. We wound up the trip in the north – traveling to Jaipur, in hot and dry Rajasthan, then to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and, finally, to the dusty capital city of Delhi.

In Delhi, I walked through the old market of Chandni Chowk, which I had read so much about. Once it was a destination for camel trains from Kashgar, traders carrying jasper and sardonyx, cinnamon logs from Madagascar and much more. Today, it’s still a busy market, lined with shops where you can buy just about anything.

I feel I got a good taste of what India’s all about – our itinerary was so packed it would take pages to tell you everything I saw and did. Of course, I also met with money managers and private equity firms operating in India. That’s how I learned some interesting – and surprising – things about investing in India.

For example, did you realize that India suffers from an acute shortage of hotels?

Our group stayed at wonderful hotels during our trip, such as the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and the Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra. Still, the room rates were so out of whack with everything else. The supply-demand balance is so tight that the average room rates in some cities have reached the $400 level. Overall, room rates in India are higher than current average room rates for New York, London and Singapore. It was one of the most stunning economic facts of the trip. That $400 goes far in India, which is not true of the dollar in too many places of the world these days.

Hard to imagine paying that much for a hotel room in India, isn’t it? But it does make sense…the entire country of India has fewer hotel rooms than the city of Orlando!

This is why we had to book rooms nearly two years in advance to get the hotels we wanted. It’s not a situation that’s going to get a lot better anytime soon. The number of tourists visiting India will likely increase 10% per year through 2012, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. That would make India one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world, to say nothing about the business travelers. Some companies have gone ahead and put up their own hotels on land they already own. They run these hotels for employees and business visitors. They can’t afford to sit around and wait for government approvals to build new hotels.

So opportunity No. 1 for investing in India would be to develop and run hotels in India. Unfortunately, there is no way for you as an investor in publicly traded stocks to do that. We heard a couple of developers talk about hotel and resort projects they have on tap. These were attractive, I thought, promising 30-40% annual rates of return on modest assumptions for hotel occupancy and room rates. They also have recent success stories, such as a 250% gain on a project started in January 2006. The people on the trip with me will have a shot at investing directly in these projects if they choose, but for purposes of this letter, it’s a tough insight to act on.

The real estate market is hot in India all around, and it’s attracting some mega money flows. Goldman Sachs calls India “the most exciting real estate market in Asia.” Overseas funds have raised $2.4 billion through September for investing in India. There’s another $1 billon ready to come on in the last quarter of the year. According to Private Equity Intelligence, investors will pour another $4-6 billion in 2008 into property funds with an Indian focus. All told, the market could grow from $15 billion to $90 billion by 2015. Kind of mind-boggling, isn’t it?

Even something like office space is in short supply. Commercial property space has doubled from 2002. Estimates call for another 150 million square feet over the next five years, and 500-650 million square feet over the next 10 years. That’s a lot of real estate.

In addition to real estate, there are many parts of the domestic economy that are attractive for those interested in investing in India. Unlike China and the Southeast Asian economies, India’s economy is not so dependent on exports.

The explosive growth in India’s economy is mainly a grass-roots-driven trend. There are about 200 million participating consumers in India, with tens of millions added annually. Needs are everywhere – for power, water, basic infrastructure.

Unfortunately, yet again, many of these opportunities are off-limits to public equity investors. This was a common frustration as I traveled in India. Investing in India is just not that easy. Foreigners cannot own Indian shares directly. Only institutional investors can. You can participate directly in certain projects, as I mentioned above, but that’s not helpful for our purposes here.

The easy way to invest in India is to buy the polite merchandise.

There will come a time in the life span of any new company when they will have to consider their first business premises and this is one of the most important decisions that can be made in the early stages of any company.
London offers phenomenal advantages and services to businesses of all sizes. It is served by five major airports, European rail networks, Underground network and is at the centre of a vast motorway network. London is the nerve centre of business in the UK, a driving force of the economy with virtually every business facility you care to think of.
A London business address carries a significant amount of weight in clients’ perceptions of your company; a London business can appear more dynamic than a similar one that is located in other regions of the UK. One question, and especially in today’s economic climate – is whether to rent or to buy?
While buying commercial business property can eventually lead to your business having some collateral, it can also present a number of problems that are not experienced by those who choose to rent; initial outlay being the first. In order to secure buying a business space, you are going to need a lump sum to put down and, very possibly, a commercial mortgage.
Rental offers you the freedom to view substantially more available premises and move into your choice, without the worry that your investment is going to affect the company’s profitability. In addition, as has been proved in recent months, bricks and mortar are not guaranteed to retain their worth.
An important part of any business is the monitoring and control of cash flow; renting office space generally allows greater flexibility and fluidity. As the recent economic downturn has shown, mortgages are subject to the fluctuations of interest rates, whilst rents are usually fixed for a minimum of 5 years – and of course, there is always the consideration that you may find it hard to borrow at all in the current climate. In London, due to the fact that many offices face the prospect of becoming unoccupied as a result of a series of redundancies, the supply of office space is beginning to significantly outweigh the demand. The result is that landlords are already being forced to drop their rents, meaning that there are a number of rental bargains waiting to be snapped up in the capital – with the likely possibility of more to come.
London’s stagnant property market also means difficulty for the owners of business space who may want to move. For a tenant, it is simply a matter of giving notice at the right time, finding new premises and moving on.
If a company who own the office space find their business expanding and the space they own insufficient, the current climate in the capital presents a huge hurdle; how are they going to sell the property? If they are lucky enough to do so at the moment, it could be at a loss.
London’s facilities have enticed and supported businesses for hundreds of years. The current economic climate in the capital has turned the odds in favour of the tenant and it looks to remain that way for some considerable time to come.
For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact:
Shivani Gurtu-Louth
Devono Operations Manager
Tel(DDI): +44 (0)20 7096 9911
E-mail: sg@devono.com

Moving a business to London or managing office moves across the capital can be daunting. With thousands of available properties, it is essential a business can conduct an efficient office move.
London remains a magnet for businesses of all sizes. Serviced by five airports, including Heathrow and its new Terminal 5 and the latest European rail connections, it is still favoured by major corporations.
Knight Frank’s most recent survey of commercial property activity within the M25 revealed 72 per cent of property take-up was in out-of-town developments, with budget office moves enjoying units one-third greater than town centre lettings.
There has also been a marked interest in the West End, which remains popular with the developing media industries. Investment has more than doubled during the first three months of this year, compared with the final quarter of 2007. Property group, Frank Knight, has revealed £1.15 billion was spent on commercial property in the West End since January.
Media reports have recently noted a decline in commercial property markets. However, for companies planning office relocations there is much good news. With a number of commercial properties nearing completion, vacancy rates have risen to 6.2 per cent and there is 13.7 million sq ft of commercial property available across Central London. Added to this, the ongoing credit crunch has contributed to lower rental prices in the City, which now average £60 per sq ft reduced from £63.50 per sq ft.
Managing office moves can be made easier by first considering your firm’s needs and the cost of moving – will it involve a new IT system and office design, or can the cost of office refurbishment be limited by continuing to use current equipment?
London’s skyline is filling with high-profile commercial property, although it is equally likely when moving offices firms will find themselves in renovated or refurbished buildings.
In the next 12 months, 15 separate refurbishment projects are set to be completed within the boundary of the M25 adding a further 833,789 sq ft of accommodation.
Successfully relocating in the capital and ensuring an efficient office move can be better achieved with expert help. Employing the services of a relocation advisor that maintains its loyalty to your business and not the building would be an excellent start.
Whatever the reason for your relocation, its effect on staff is likely to be considerable. Estate agents, Savills, in its recent study, What Workers Want and What this Means for Property, revealed the importance employees place on quality offices. It found 82 per cent of respondents said immediate workspace conditions, such as comfort of work area and lighting, were most important.
Firms planning corporate relocations will have many properties to choose from. By recruiting the help of experts in managing office moves, they increase the chance of getting office moves right and minimise disruption to their business.
For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact:
Shivani Gurtu-Louth
Devono Operations Manager
Tel(DDI): +44 (0)20 7096 9911
E-mail: sg@devono.com
Website: http://www.devono.com
Resources:
Market rent guide – http://www.devono.com/Market-Rent-Guide/
Office Space Calculator – http://www.devono.com/Office-Space-Calculator/
Industry News – http://www.devono.com/News/

Since 2007, the price of office buildings, shops and other commercial property has fallen by 40pc. This week however, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of easyJet, was reported to be planning to invest in commercial property, based upon the expectation that prices could turn around soon.

Sir Stelios said: “I am tempted to call the bottom of the property market in London. I don’t own any property in the UK at the moment but now I am looking again at London real estate.” The entrepreneur was reported to be setting up an investment vehicle to buy London office buildings at their depressed market prices.

There are others also keeping an eye on the commercial property market in Britain. A specialist commercial property fund has been set up by Eaton Investment Management, the property fund developer, and LLP Services, and this that will seek to capitalise on the market conditions.

This commercial property fund will only be available to those with significant sums to play with, as the minimum investment is £50,000. There are however, other property investments that are open to those with investment capital.

One of the contributing factors for the renewed interest in commercial property is the fact that the weak pound is making British property much more attractive to buyers from overseas. It is hoped that this demand may help to stop the falling prices and turn the market around.

Another reason why investors are looking at property again is because of the rock bottom interest rates. Commercial property funds are currently yielding about 7pc to 8pc, while those who have directly invested in bricks and mortar though buy-to-let are typically receiving yields of 4.9pc for flats and 4.8pc for houses, according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla).

While certain analysts see these factors as a sign of improvement to the housing market. Many remain concerned that the recession will prevent any swift turnaround.

In the commercial property market, not all are as confident as Sir Stelios in the belief that prices will bottom out. Malcolm Naish, the head of property at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, suggests that prices in the commercial sector will fall by a further 10pc before turning around.

Despite the best efforts of the recession to undermine the UK’s economy, London still remains one of the most important centres for business and commerce on the planet. Prior to the economic downturn, London commercial property came at a price that was well beyond the reach of most small businesses. However, since the recession really took hold, freeholders and landlords have been forced to drop their prices, creating a window of opportunity for small businesses and private investors.
There can be little doubt that having a business with a London address carries more weight than anywhere else in the country. London offers everything a business could want: it is served by 5 major international airports that offer convenience for business overseas and hosting meetings with foreign companies. London’s underground network provides a means of transportation that can take you from one end of the capital to the other in the space of little more than one hour and the motorways and road systems that feed London provide accessible routes for haulage vehicles and nearby means to access any location in the country.
Buying commercial property in London can be a lucrative investment. With prices at an all-time low, many small businesses are taking advantage of the opportunity to expand by buying commercial property in London at prices that are now much more within their price range. For the private investor, the opportunities are even broader; buying at the low prices thrown up by the recession can only lead to an increase in capital as the property market recovers its footing. As the price of property will inevitably increase, so too will rents charged for commercial property in London. As both landlords and freeholders, investors can make a profit on either front; there will never be a shortage of tenants in London and a property bought at today’s prices should in time see substantial gains.
Anyone considering buying commercial property in London would be best advised to seek the services of a commercial property estate or acquisition agent. Their local knowledge and overall knowledge of the London property market will allow them to identify emerging hotspots ripe for investment. In addition, an independent commercial property estate or acquisition agent will be able to use their negotiating skills to secure the favourable terms possible on your behalf. With the London Olympics arriving in 2012, certain areas of the capital will experience regeneration and investment quicker than others; a good commercial property estate agent will be able to advise you as to which areas offer the most potential profitably to you and your investment ; there is much more to the capital than the West End and the City.
Property advisors, have predicted that London office space will start to increase in value at some point during the course of 2010. As a result, landlords will be able to increase the rents they charge and we should see a kick-start to London’s economy finally. Before that happens, investors would be prudent to investigate the current prices of commercial property to rent or to buy in London and see just how profitable the opportunities are that the recession has inadvertently provided.

Economic downturns and recession are a cyclical part of the world’s economic structure. The ramifications for a country can manifest themselves in many different ways but, as a rule of thumb, for many it means that the cost of living is more expensive, as fuel bills rocket and property prices plummet. However, during these times, opportunities for business owners often arise from the most unexpected sources.
Research into the potential effects of the UK’s predicted recession on the market for office space in London, has provided information that might be considered good news for those looking for new premises in the capital.
According to a study on London commercial rents, prime City office rents are down by £7.50 per square foot to £57.50 when compared with the same period in 2007 and the capital value of commercial office space in London is down by 30%. While this is bleak news for landlords, it provides welcome opportunities for those looking to rent office space and those looking to buy.
In the wake of the credit crunch, there is also the situation where the supply of office space and commercial property in London is now outweighing demand. Prudent prospective tenants and buyers are now finding themselves in an extremely advantageous position and can use their commercial property agents to negotiate favourable terms on their behalf. Landlords and vendors are now more likely than ever to cut their rentals and vendors are anticipating selling commercial office space in London at much less than its previous worth. Needless to say, the current economic landscape is attracting many long-term investors who have been watching the property markets and are now ready to reap the benefits.
In addition, there are still many office developments under construction, but the waiting lists for tenants have evaporated over recent months. For the immediate future, this suggests that dramatically more office space will leak into the market and continue to force rental and investment prices down. Another study has predicted rising vacancy rates across the capital for the next year and a half. As the situation stands, the market for office space in London is definitely now in finding favour of those looking to rent and to buy.
Whilst buyers can expect to snap up office space in London for much less than its previous market value, tenants can look forward to a series of incentives to accompany low rentals, such as ‘grace’ periods. Landlords and vendors alike seem to be prepared to accept what they can get in this current climate, rather than watch their office space in London go unused and lose money on upkeep and business rates.
Whilst the credit crunch has directly affected banks and financial institutions and resulted in large numbers of redundancies in those sectors, businesses and companies that are continuing to expand should be looking carefully at the commercial property market. If an expanding company has the capital, it seems that there has never been a better time to invest in office space in London.
For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact:
Shivani Gurtu-Louth
Devono Operations Manager
Tel(DDI): +44 (0)20 7096 9911
E-mail: sg@devono.com

The chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) M Damodaran on Wednesday said the regulator was considering proposals to allow real estate investment trusts (REIT) in India.

Speaking at a conference on capital markets organised by the CII, the Sebi chief also said the rules on listing and trading of securitised debt market instruments will be finalised by December.

The regulator had put out a consultative paper on securitised debt in June this year. The draft regulations proposed a system of registration of special purpose distinct entities which were planning to offer securitised debt instruments to the public or seeking the listing of such instruments issued earlier. Damodaran further said that select companies could opt for fast track issuances.

According to the fast track share issuance programme allowed by Sebi in August this year, companies with a 3-year track record on NSE and BSE, and with free-float market capitalization of at least Rs 10,000 crore, can raise funds through rights and follow-on issues, without having to wait for the market regulator’s clearance.

Sebi, at its board meeting in June 2006, had approved guidelines making it mandatory for REMFs (real-estate mutual funds) to be listed on the stock exchanges. But the absence of valuation norms delayed the introduction of REMFs in the country.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was looking into the valuation issue and once it clears the norms, Sebi will be ready with the rules, M Damodaran said.

“It is not going to be a REIT versus REMF issue. Consultations with people who have a better understanding of these products have commenced and we will shortly write the first set of proposals,” said Damodaran. REIT is a better product, but we will ensure that both products are introduced over time, he added.

The Sebi move comes amid plans by a clutch of companies to raise funds from the Indian market for listing REIT-like vehicles on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX).

The Bangalore-based developer Embassy group, Ascendas, provider of business space in Asia and the Delhi-based DLF and Unitech have announced plans to list their fund structures, mainly REITs, on the SGX, banking on its recent easing of norms.

REMFs will be close-ended funds and will invest directly in real estate properties in India, mortgage (housing lease) backed securities, equity shares/bonds/debentures of listed/unlisted companies which deal in properties and undertake property development, and in other securities.

Following the curbs on participatory notes (P-notes), Sebi has received a large number of applications from overseas investors seeking FII registrations, Damodaran said, without providing figures.

The regulator is planning to launch a nationwide campaign for investor education in 2008 and encourages the market participants to take their role as self-regulatory organisations (SRO) seriously.

Nimesh Kampani, Chairman, CII National Committee on Capital Markets and the head of JM Financial Group also stressed on the need to develop SROs for financial intermediaries.

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November 21, 2007

Fortis Invest eyes Japan pension funds

Filed under: India Real Estate News Updates, Real Estate Funds, New Development — Administrator @ 3:05 am

TOKYO, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Fortis Investments, the global assets management arm of the Fortis group, is eyeing Japan’s multi-billion dollar pension funds as key investors for its two new investment funds next year worth a combined $745 million, its real estate chief said on Wednesday.

Fortis Investments, which has about 130 billion euros ($190 billion) in assets under management, will launch two new “funds of funds” — funds that hold a portfolio of other investment funds — focused on European and Asian property.

“We were very Europe-specific when we started two years ago but have diversified outside of Europe since,” Bart Coenraads, chief investment officer and head of real estate for Fortis Investments, told Reuters at the sidelines of a conference in Tokyo.

The firm currently has two Europe-focused fund-of-funds vehicles and a third invested in Asian assets.

Coenraads said he was particularly keen to attract Japanese pension fund investors as their allocations for real estate were minuscule relative to other asset classes.

“A lot of Japanese pension funds already invested in Japanese real estate now see opportunities in Asia ex-Japan,” he said, adding that Fortis Investments had already obtained a $40 million commitment from a Japanese pension fund investor for an existing fund of funds focused on Asia ex-Japan property.

Japan’s pension funds have traditionally parked their money in low-risk corporate and government bonds but are raising their investments in riskier assets such as equities and property to boost returns for the country’s ageing population. Fortis Investments has about 2.5 billion euros in global real estate exposure — 25 percent of which is run through its fund-of-funds vehicles. The remaining 75 percent of its property-related holdings are in publicly traded securities.

“Many pension funds don’t have the internal capabilities to get the sort of exposure that they can get by buying into a fund of funds,” Coenraads said.Coenraads plans to raise about $300 million for the new Asian fund of funds, about half of which will be invested in Japanese funds. The remaining portfolio will be invested in China, Malaysia, Vietnam, India and Singapore assets.

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Omaxe may tap West Asia as Indian real estate market cools

Filed under: India Real Estate News Updates, Commercial, Residential, New Development — Administrator @ 1:26 am

Source: http://www.livemint.com/2007/11/21005026/Omaxe-may-tap-West-Asia-as-Ind.html

New Delhi: Real estate company Omaxe Ltd has decided to develop properties overseas in places such as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the real estate market in India starts to cool and profits get squeezed.The developer plans to build commercial and residential properties in Dubai.

“Last year was very bad for developers,” Rohtas Goel, chairman and managing director, Omaxe, said. “Prices declined by 10% and even by 30% in some locations, which has forced developers to look at overseas markets for expansion,” he added.

The company has decided to enter the Dubai real estate market as the average yearly return on an investment in Dubai is slightly better than in India, Goel said. “It is also easier to do real estate business in Dubai compared to India,” he added.

Omaxe will float an offshore development company to enter the Dubai market. Goel declined to say how much money Omaxe had earmarked for overseas development.

The company will develop real estate through joint ventures with a local real estate developer. Omaxe has to find a local developer to market property in Dubai in keeping with regulations of the UAE government. “We can acquire the land on our own, but to market the property we need a local partner,” Goel said.

Omaxe is in talks with several developers from Dubai for a possible tie-up. But nothing has been finalized yet, Goel said. In the last seven to eight months, the real estate market in New Delhi and its suburbs has seen a decline in demand mostly because of the high interest rates on home loans, which are at a five-year high. The interest rates have increased to 12%, compared with 9% just a year ago. That, coupled with the rising value of land, is making homes more expensive and less affordable—keeping buyers at bay.

“A few developers might be looking at overseas markets because of the high cost of land in India,” said Ganesh Raj, head, real estate practice at audit and consulting firm Ernst & Young India. “As return is a function of price of land, given the present cost of land, developers probably feel that returns in the overseas markets will be better. However, very few developers have actually started real estate development in offshore markets,” Raj added.

Omaxe’s plans to go global comes in the wake of similar efforts by other developers. Parsvnath Developers Ltd has decided to venture into real estate development in the UK, Singapore, UAE, Muscat and Mauritius. DLF Ltd is looking at international acquisitions, and Ansal API Ltd has a partnership with Malaysia’s UEM Group to bid for government projects in Malaysia.Investors are not willing to buy residential properties any more as the interest rates have shot up and it is costlier to buy homes on borrowed money.

Investors are gradually exiting the real estate market, say developers. While investors constituted 70% of the buyers last year, it is now the reverse, Goel said. “Now the actual end-users constitute 70% of the buyers,” he added. Omaxe is present in 30 cities and nine states in India. The company operates across residential, commercial and retail verticals. Omaxe made an initial public offering of shares in July and raised around Rs600 crore.