Cover Stories  
 
Property: Don't invest for the short term now   India, the only place in the world to be in: CEO, HyperCITY
When it comes to investing in properties, a clear exit strategy is important. You have to be sure about how long you wish to hold a property. Based on this there are three types of holding periods: short-term, medium-term and long-term. Short-term means an investment horizon of 2 years. Medium-term means a period between 2 to 7 years. Long-term is more than 7 years
  
Andrew Levermore, CEO, HyperCITY - a 120,000 square feet hypermarket brand launched by the K Raheja Group in the western Mumbai suburb of Malad - is responsible for the entire gamut of operations of HyperCITY around the country. Andrew came on board in 2004 and since then he has been involved in conceiving and crystallizing the launch of India’s largest hypermarket.
Realty funds bring diversity to portfolio   Real estate prices in select pockets are cooling off
Telling one quality housing project from another is often difficult. But with the entry of real estate mutual funds, that's likely to become a whole lot easier. Experts say, rental agreements also will see an impact.
  
It's official! Real estate prices in select pockets have started cooling off. With banks turning up the heat on developers, speculative buying is easing as well. CNBC-TV18 reports that this squeeze could leave the new projects as the worst hit.
Pre launch booking: Risk more than returns   Real Estate: Your best friend in old age
With the ever-increasing price of the property, the concept of the pre launch booking is hit among the prospective buyers. In this, a buyer gives a token money even before the property is developed. But in this type of booking, the returns are very less as compared to the risks, which rules the roost. Thus, before booking a flat, you should always thoroughly check the background and the deliverance quality of the builder, you are thinking of booking your flat with.
  
Looking deserted, looking sham. But the fact remains that Vikram Kumar aged 72 happens to be the proud owner of this old little building on a 500 square yard plot in the posh colony of Vasant Vihar in New Delhi. At regular intervals and more specifically on every Sunday you can listen to the telephone ringer making its presence felt and these telephone calls are from property brokers who continue to send proposals to Vikram to sell this old little building for a fat, really fat sum of Rs.10 crore
Get set to give extra bank guarantee if house values fall   Real Estate Investments: Options galore
If the fall in the property prices is so steep that the market value of your house falls below your outstanding loan amount, banks are likely to demand more security from you. Most finance companies have clarified this in their document, though they say it is never practiced and meant only as a caution.
  
Property prices have just been going up and there is no looking back. As Sanjeet Narain, Director of commercial property at Narain Corporation, says "Property appreciation is much stronger than stock markets. Stock markets can probably crash down anytime whereas property rates do not drop down that fast."
     
 
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