Demand for retail space on the rise
After being virtually comatose for three quarters, retail real estate demand is showing some signs of revival as players in organized space begin to put their expansion back on track. 

With same-store sales in April and May faring better than the preceding quarter, commercial markets in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore are seeing an up tick in enquires for additional space, say industry watchers. 

According to a recent report Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi NCR are expected to see the highest demand, together comprising about 20 million sq ft (msf). 

According to one of the real estate consultant, the first half of the year could be looked at as a period of stabilization for the retail industry after a positive sentiment in the economy with the formation of the new government and the return of buoyancy to the stock market. 

Corporate space: it is time to bounce back - The Economic Times (Delhi edition)
After residential property market's recovery mode, the nation's commercial market has also started showing signs of revival, driven by a spurt in office space and retail sectors.
 
Commercial real estate transactions are now showing some signs of movements. Among positive signs, lease rentals in peripheral areas as well as the central business district (CBD), are showing signs of settling down and 'conversions' have begun to happen. There has also been a rise in demand for less costly premises But more than anything else, the revival this time is being witnessed largely in the office space and retail sectors. 

The beginning of the third quarter has seen a further rise in demand for office space in the small-to-medium segments. Moreover, buildings that were launched in the last 18-20 months are now moving closer to their 'completion stages', which would again foster some movement in the commercial office space. Organizations are going in for an expansion - deals happening for office spaces in the range of 15,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft are now shifting to the 50,000 sq ft plus category going to as large as 150,000 sq ft. Even the Retail sector is witnessing the revival with retail investors interest being renewed once again According to a report by Images Retail the number of operational malls to grow more than twofold, to cross 412 malls, with 205 million sq ft by 2010, and a further 715 malls to be added by 2015, with major retail developments in Tier-II and Tier-III cities in India. Even the high net worth individuals (HNIs) are putting money mainly into office and retail spaces. This is largely because during the economic crisis, commercial reality became the worst hit segment in the sector and lease rental and property rates fell by 30-40 percent in the metros and bigger cities. The lower prices, in turn, have triggered a path towards revival in recent months.

Real Estate: Good Investment Opportunity
Have all those who purchased an apartment, house, or land made a wise decision real estate a hedge against inflation? the inflation raising its head again, investors are re-evaluating their investment decisions. People who had taken floating interest loans are paying conversion fees and getting into the fixed option. People who had locked their money into bank accounts are looking at it again. So, have all those who purchased an apartment, house, or land made a wise decision? Is real estate a hedge against inflation? For an investment to be immune to inflation it is essential that the returns increase by leaps and bounds to keep ahead of it. For many, a house may be the only major asset. They may not have the resources to venture into the arena of stocks, funds, and other alternative investment avenues. So, is this emotionally binding, invaluable asset safe from inflation?

Beating inflation Consider a scenario where there is plenty of money floating around. Coupled with it, a shortage of real goods. Thus arises inflation that brings down the real value or purchasing power of money. Quite contrary to this phenomenon is deflation. In a deflationary economy, there is too little money around and plenty of real goods. By owning assets that rise in value with inflation, in other words real estate, you can beat inflation. Holding liquid cash erodes it during inflation. Reasonably high inflation also showers favours on borrowers. If you owe money to others you will be repaying it at a later point with rupees that is lesser in real value. Thus, it is detrimental to those who have loaned money out for long periods of time. Over the years, the value of real estate in Baroda has appreciated considerably. The increase has always maintained an upward trend. Real estate is a traditional hedge against inflation.

Real estate and price fluctuations during inflation there is a lot of money in circulation. It follows from the definition of inflation that more money trails behind relatively fewer real goods. Consequently, real estate prices in residential areas will increase in proportion to the increased cash flows. Rents are also seen to leap up in cities. Consider a deflationary economy. Here, less money trails behind tons of real goods. As a result of shortage in money supply, the price of real goods comes down. At times real estate prices can beat both inflation and deflation. Perhaps much depends on where this piece of land is located. If you are living in a place where people are moving out due to scarcity of jobs, prices will come down as both population and purchasing power dwindles. On the contrary, if you are living in a place that sees a high influx of people in quest of jobs, you will see a boom in real estate prices. The bottom lines gone are the days when you purchased gold with the excess money you made. It's time to turn to real estate.

• You cannot buy agricultural land. Except for that, you can invest in any property of any size. There is no cap to your investment in property.
• You may also buy any number of properties, across the country. No cap here too.
• If you ever want to take back your monies by selling property, there are two caveats: you cannot take back any profit you make on the sale; and you will have to cough up capital gains tax, just like the resident mortals.
• You may use your FCNR (B) account with the bank or your NRE account to remit money to India.
• If you want ot take back the sale proceeds (less profit), you need to inform the RBI within 90 days from the date of sale on Form No. IPI 8.
• Of course, you may rent out the property if you so wish. No question will be asked. Remember, your rental income will be taxed.

These are only a few basic rules. There are other concerns as well. If you are investing in a flat in a city, check the local rules before signing the deals. For instance, the builder should convince you that he has the necessary permission to construct the building. The floor in which your flat is located should have been permitted by the municipal corporation. Cheating is quite common here. The builder should get you the all-important 'occupation certificate'. If not, you will cought up huge fines for water connection and property tax.

If you are buying a flat from an existing owner, see to it that all the dues on the flats, including the home loan and all the outstanding dues towards the cooperative society have been cleared.

You should also check it there are disputes over ownerships. If it involves a big sum, interest an advertisement in a newspaper inviting objections to the purchase. Also make sure that there are no tax dues on the flat. You will have to clear unpaid tax dues later, probably with huge fines.

Property Investing
Why would you want to invest in Property? One reason is because many people have made money out of property and I expect many more to make even more money in the years to come. It is an easily accessible market that has many favorable advantages. If you are using property to invest in, make sure that you do your homework properly. Like any investment area - there are sensible and risky ways of investing and depending on your experience, determination and skill. You can just as easily lose money as make money.

Millionaires from Property Intelligent use of real estate can enable ordinary people to become millionaires in about 10 years or less. Despite the "concept" of property belonging to the "rich", most property investors earn below the average wage. So property is clearly not just for the super wealthy - it is for anyone who wishes to increase his or her net worth in a steadily, appreciating environment. Bear in mind that if you wish to be one of the "wealthy" people in the future you should probably be using property to your advantage. Statistics show us that home ownership in general is decreasing. As property prices keep rising, less and less people are able to afford their "dream home". These figures coincide with the general wealth of the population, who are now holding record levels of consumer debt. Get on the right track to true wealth creation and start getting into property now.