Online trading in real estate, long prevalent in developing countries, is picking up in India. The Indian real estate sector, following a boom in the 1990s and 00s, has become part of the investment portfolio of most HNIs and even mid-level investors.
Investment in India is undergoing a series of radical changes, with sweeping amendments in the telecommunication sector, bold policy initiatives of the Modi Government, and increased access to information. The change started in 1995, when the BSE became an electronic trading platform. Since then, online investment has increased by leaps and bounds.
Trading property online is no longer a local affair. While people used to only purchase property near to where they lived, several changes have made it a more reliable asset class in terms of remote investing. The Government of India has brought about transparency through centrally sponsored digitization of land records via the CLR (Computerization of Land Records) and DILRMP (Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme) programmes, boosting investor sentiments. The RERA Act, too, has led to an uptick in investor confidence.
Sweeping changes in real estate sector and bold policy initiatives by the Modi Government are enabling a number of property dealers to rent, purchase, and sell properties all over the country. Availability of information on prices and trends has contributed to this development.
Online investment makes for efficient delivery and verification of documents and legal formalities with technology serving as the backbone of this dramatic development. Online platforms enable investments at smaller ticket sizes than before. One can choose between properties based on their preferred budget, and reduce risk through diversification.
The real estate sector is all set to grow at a faster pace in India with a shift in the demographic profile of its population and improved investment capabilities. Although the recent inclusion of GST on ‘under-construction’ or ready to move in properties created a temporary downturn, rent on buildings and deals in pre-owned properties have been exempted. Announcement of Government schemes on ‘Housing for All’ along with the RERA Act 2016 that has tilted the balance towards investors is a boost to real estate investments in India.
In this context, online property marketplace are a game changer for the industry as a whole.
SmartOwner, founded in 2012, is India’s leading player in this space, an one of the largest real estate market places for investors in all of Asia Pacific. It has sourced, vetted and curated properties in India’s hottest micromarkets, earning its clients an average of 24% IRR per year. SmartOwner was just ranked by the Financial Times as India’s fastest-growing FinTech company, making them a truly credible and reliable firm.
Advantages of SmartOwner are many, and include ease of operations, speed in investing, and the simplicity of the process, as transactions can be completed in just three easy steps. SmartOwner offers complete transparency, as it includes only pre-vetted properties, and reliable, systematic background check of every property owner. The deals are exclusive to SmartOwner, and offer institutional-grade incentives that normally are only available to large financial institutions. It also has a property resale division to make real estate a truly turn-key asset. All in all, SmartOwner is well on its way to revolutionizing online investment in India’s real estate sector.
The major differences that SmartOwner brings, through its long experience in Asia, are the guidance, security, and ease of investment it provides its clients. Their specialization in real estate sector is sourcing, and checking of valuable and curated, high end to micro properties. SmartOwner empowers its investors through its efficient guidance system. Thus, SmartOwner fills a major gap in the real estate market in India.