Tier-2 cities may not woo global realtors
Global firms find metros safer, tier-2, 3 cities highly risky
Mumbai: Even though the government’s move to reduce capitalisation limit to $5 million is likely to attract FDI in the real estate sector, industry experts believe global investors may initially focus at major metros than investing in high-risk tier 2 and 3 cities.
While the developers’ community is upbeat about foreign investments in smaller cities, international players are reluctant to enter markets which are of high risk, especially where infrastructure has no tyet been developed.
The new government in its budget has announced reduction in built-up area threshold from 50,000 sq mt to 20,000 sq mt and drop the minimum foreign direct investment limit to $5 million from $10 million.
“Already there is a shortage of over 18 million houses and tier 1 cities are bursting at their seams. Given the current scenario, the opportunity presented by tier 2 and 3 cities are ripe, awaiting to be tapped by developers backed by foreign investors,” Tata Housing managing director Brotin Banerjee said.
He further said many private equity investors have ventured into Indian realty since the sector was opened to FDI in 2005. “Given the further relaxation in FDI norms, the participation is only expected to improve in the future,” he said.
According to experts, FDI would flow in such tier 2 and 3 cities where the infrastructure is in place and the investors are assured of better returns.
“We may not see an immediate flow of investments in smaller cities where there is no proper infrastructure in place. Tier 2 and 3 cities may have land, but at the same time if basic infrastructure is not in place, they become high risk markets for investors. There is a need to create smart and social infrastructure,” PwC executive director Anish Sanghvi said.
Among the tier 2 cities Pune, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar and Kochi, and tier 3 cities like Madurai, Baroda, Nashik and Trichy are likely to attract investments as they are growing in terms of infrastructure and economic development, experts said.