Sahil, COO of Shray Projects, explains why an NRI might consider Indian real estate, what to check before buying, how to choose a trusted partner, and whether to buy before or after moving. These are his views, not a promise of returns.
Sahil, COO of Shray Projects, explains why an NRI might consider Indian real estate, what to check before buying, how to choose a trusted partner, and whether to buy before or after moving. These are his views, not a promise of returns.
Sahil, COO of Shray Projects, starts with the growth of the Indian economy. The video description describes Shray Projects as a real estate brokerage backed by over 35 years of legacy. He describes India as one of the fastest growing emerging economies in the world today, and says real estate offers more than better returns alone.
On returns, Sahil's view is that a real estate investment held for five to ten years can outpace investments made in other countries once currency movements and taxes are taken into account. He says timing matters most, since the entry point and exit point decide how an investment grows. He is careful to add that the trends he can compare in India cover only the past few years.
He says the market has changed for the better since COVID-19, and that the reasons to invest are not only financial. Many NRIs want to reconnect with India, upgrade the housing of family members who live there, and keep a home they can call their own base.
His firm compared sample data from about a thousand NRIs who were putting money into property in India. Those buyers wanted a good, fairly new house that might make money, and they held on to it, because real estate is not like the stock market, where people keep buying and selling. For many NRIs, he says, real estate is about creating a base in India rather than building net worth.
Sahil credits government action since 2014 with a positive change. He says it has brought in class A developers and class A companies to build the infrastructure India needs, including special economic zones such as GIFT City, and that growth now shows across the country.
In his view, the demand is coming from India's own middle class rather than from money sent from abroad. He says middle-class spending is fuelling consumption and lifestyle upgrades. He also says developers have noticed what people see in places such as America and Dubai, so they are copying lifestyle features into their buildings.
Sahil also points to change beyond the largest cities, citing Pune as a market that has shown a strong return. He says he believes Delhi NCR has surpassed that over the past six years.
On infrastructure, he says new projects are meant to connect airports with hospitals and good schools through faster transport. He says this gives real estate a strong push, and that developments are now being planned as integrated cities rather than a few towers around a swimming pool.
Sahil says property is a heavy investment that can transform a life or cause a great deal of stress, so he recommends a few things to do and a few to avoid. The first is to have a trusted representative in India.
The second is to park money only with very trusted developers. He says India has large national developers, and every region has local developers with a good name. Timing matters too, because currency and taxation play a key role in whether real estate fits an investment strategy.
Sahil does not set out specific tax rules in this conversation, so an NRI should check the current position before deciding. For the tax side, the Income Tax Department e-filing portal is one official source to check. For the legal rules that apply to NRI buyers, read FEMA, TDS and power of attorney rules for NRI buyers.
The third is to understand the RERA certificate. Sahil describes it as a compliance that gives buyers access to most of the documents they might need to look at, such as building plans, flat layouts and site layouts, the name of the project, and possibly a draft builder-buyer agreement. In his view, a buyer can know what they are getting into before speaking to the developer.
Finally, he says a buyer should define a precise intent before going ahead, and he returns to intent later in the conversation.
The main warning Sahil gives is against buying on emotion alone. He accepts that emotion has a place, but says the decision still has to be practical, with the options weighed and the research done. He puts the point simply:
"Real estate is not about investing. It's not impulsive. It should not be impulsive."
He also says a buyer must check the legal documents, even when the developer is a cousin or a brother. The sales talk shows only the good side of a society. Developers often sell phase by phase, so a buyer may see a single tower in a single phase. The legal documents show how many towers and flats will be built, what kind of society it will be, and what kind of ecosystem the developer is trying to create.
Sahil also warns against FOMO, or fear of missing out. Avinash, who hosts the conversation, notes that there has been a lot of it in the last few years, with people rushing to buy, and agrees that due diligence before signing is the key. Sahil advises that a buyer who is driven by FOMO should not buy at that time, but do more research first. He adds that the more prepared a buyer is, the more peace of mind they will have.
Sahil says the first step is to define intent and a timeline. A buyer who plans to move back in two years needs to be clear about that, and a buyer who only wants to invest needs to be clear about that too. The intent shapes the strategy, and he says buying property without a strategy is very risky. Buyers should also ask how long they can wait and whether it is better to buy now or later, because forecasting the market matters.
Next, he advises looking at financing options. He says India has several, and that it can be worthwhile for an NRI to look at them, including options in their own country. The buyer should know what money they can access and set a budget, because otherwise they may spend a long time searching the city for the right spot. Buyers who still own a home abroad may also want to read about whether to sell a US house before moving to India.
On choosing the partner, Sahil says an NRI needs a reputable broker or broking firm that understands how, what and where they want to invest. He describes the value of a partner who will say to hold off, for example when corrections may be coming or a developer is about to launch a new product. He points out that almost everyone will say today is the best time to buy, so a buyer needs someone who will give a different view. He gives the example of a partner with a close relationship with a developer, who knows a launch is six months away, so the buyer should wait for it.
The partner should also provide proper paperwork, inspections and insight. Avinash adds that buyers should ask the right questions. Sahil says that without a local contact, a buyer can make mistakes.
Sahil gives one example from his team's work. An NRI family wanted to move back so their children could grow up with Indian cultural values, staying with cousins and extended family. Their own research showed that the area they had chosen was about two hours from where the family lived. Sahil uses a one-million-dollar figure to make the point: even putting that sum into a house would not have served them, because the children could not meet their cousins or live with the family.
His team first built trust and credibility, then gave the family several options. The real choice, he says, was between buying a ready product now and waiting a few years for a new one. The family had a horizon of about four years before returning, which opened the door to under-construction properties.
The property they chose was due for delivery in three years and had a construction-linked payment plan, which also made a home loan possible if they wanted one. It was about fifteen minutes from their cousins' home, so they stayed close to family without using all their capital. Sahil says they could buy a new house without worrying that the amenities would be old.
Sahil presents this as one client's experience, not a rule for every family. In his telling, the purpose of living near relatives shaped which property made sense.
Sahil says a longer timeline and an under-construction purchase call for risk tolerance. He points to pollution as a problem in Delhi NCR, and says the NGT puts a ban on construction for three months in a year. That can delay a project by a year, so buyers need to be prepared for the delay.
If a buyer does not have that tolerance, he says there is no point in going into a forecasted product. The buyer should instead choose a ready product that is available now, and see it with their own eyes and the view of a trusted local contact. He also stresses that buyers must be very clear about their target location. For the wider range of options open to NRI buyers, read builder, resale and plot options for NRI buyers.
Sahil says Delhi NCR offers a rare mix of cosmopolitan infrastructure, a strong developer base and high appreciation potential. He says it is no longer just a place to invest, but a lifestyle upgrade, where luxury means a community that gives people what they value, whether that is green space, a clubhouse or a social circle.
Gurugram is the area he discusses most. He says it now has several micro-markets performing strongly, helped by infrastructure including the Dwarka Expressway, Cyber City, Golf Course Road, the upcoming Golf Course Extension Road, and the Northern and Southern Peripheral Roads. He says this is why buyers are being drawn there.
On the airport, Sahil says people often point to Gurugram's closeness to it, but he does not use the airport much day to day. He says the appeal lies in lifestyle, from where people eat and shop to what they drive and where they drive out to.
Sahil says demand in Delhi is moving away from self-built bungalows in DDA colonies. DDA, the Delhi Development Authority, is a government body he says helped establish homes in the city. Buyers now prefer redeveloped towers and group housing, where they can live among people like themselves, build social and business networks, and reach better offices, schools and hospitals.
He says developers, schools and hospitals are responding to that demand. In his view, Gurugram now has healthcare facilities that outpace those in western countries, and demand is driving the growth of every urban city in Delhi NCR.
Sahil says the answer goes back to intent. He repeats his framework: a buyer should weigh their financial situation, familiarity with the place, target location and risk tolerance, whether the purchase happens before or after moving. For a wider plan that covers the move as well as the property, see the return-to-India planner.
He lists the benefits of buying after moving first. The buyer gets firsthand experience of the neighbourhood, learns the local market once living there, and builds local connections such as a trusted broking team, an accountant and a tax team. Renting first gives flexibility. Sahil says a buyer can try a villa or a penthouse before committing, because a property takes time to sell, unlike shares that can be sold in minutes. For the numbers behind that choice, see the break-even maths for renting or buying, city by city.
Sahil stresses that the family, not the investor, has to live in the house. Renting lets children try a place, and if they do not like it, the family can move. Being physically present also simplifies the process. Document checks, property verification and negotiation with sellers are easier in person than over Zoom.
He lists the benefits of buying before moving. A buyer with a long-term plan has years to prepare, to choose schools, and to decide whether they need a hospital nearby for parents who are getting older, or resort-style living if they do not. Under-construction purchases give time to research the product before deciding. He also says buyers have access to 25 cents for every dollar of a purchase today, which he calls a big difference. These are the figures discussed in the video, and this is general information, not personal tax, legal or investment advice.
Sahil also says owning a home before the move gives a smoother transition, a base in India and a sense of owning a piece of land. In the end, he says both options have pros and cons. What matters is what the buyer prefers, and whether they can make the decision in advance and carry it out. He sums it up by saying the decision depends on connections and market information.
Watch the full conversation on the Desi Return YouTube channel.
To work through your own timeline, budget and intent, start with a 1:1 quick call with Avinash. For the money side of the move, the Financial Blueprint is a course on the financial transition from NRI to resident.
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0:05 Why should an NRI consider investing in India? Real estate in a 10-year horizon will always make more money than any real estate investment done across globally. However, as I said, time is the essence. When we compared a sample data about thousand NRA is parking money in India, we figured out that three to four things that one must do and one must not I would do also advise one should what must not do is he should not run into FOMO. If this is like a small framework that we have that we made to for anyone to buy real estate but it's not the airport that Burga offers. Burga offers you lifestyle upgrades. Having the leverage and having the right strategy to enter gives you such a big
1:08 Swad. Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of DIY return. Today's topic is expert insights where we bring an expert from different domain sharing their expertise insights on the topic that's very relevant for people who are living abroad or thinking about moving to India. Today I'm really excited to have Mr. Sahil who is the chief operating officer with Sheree Projects. Sheree Projects is a leading real estate brokerage firm in North India backed by over 35 years of legacy and expertise. The firm specializes in residential, commercial and retail real estate along with end-to-end services in leasing and property management. Mr.
1:53 Sahil, a graduate of Austrian University, UK with a specialization in real estate economics and finance, joined Shray projects in 2013. Since then, he has played a key role in expanding the company's footprint and overseeing major real estate transactions. With that, I welcome Mr. Sahil to the show and really excited to have you and sharing your insights, expertise on real estate opportunities and what one should do when they are living abroad. and I'm really looking forward to our discussion. Well, thank you Ain for such a kind introduction. I think you've almost said what we do. so we've been in the business for real estate broking and advisory for the past three decades now. And what we do is we help and specialize in buying and selling real estate across residential, commercial and land acquisitions as well. What we believe is if we are giving somebody a service then we have to go end to end. We want to be we want
2:56 Our investors to feel that real estate is not just a transaction. It is a long-term relationship and the key pillar of that relationship relies upon trust, integrity and accountability. With our years of experience in this market, we've established that with thousands of NRIs who want to either move back to country or either want to simply invest in India to have a piece of India that they call it their own. Yes, for sure. So, let's kick it off,
3:25 Right? Why should an NRI consider investing in India? So what is the reason and why should they consider that? We believe Indian economy is booming today. It is one of the fastest growing emerging economies in the world today. And when it comes to real estate, real estate is not just giving you better returns. It is giving you there are several factors that everybody can relate with the western world. If we just talk about the numbers, we would say that rel the real estate market gives in better return than the western countries when it comes to a longer timeline. Timeline time is the essence of rel of real estate. And we believe that if somebody is parking money in real estate for 5 to 10 years, then that investment outpaces any investment done in globally. And if you compare that with currency and taxes so even including the depreciation of the US dollar or UK to Indian rupee or
4:28 Everything like you know when you take the net growth or the irr after a horizon 5 to 10 years that's when you can definitely see a significant you know growth opportunities as soon as you adjust currency and taxes that is it real estate in a 10-year horizon will always make more money than any real estate investment done across Ross the essence. Your entry point and exit point determines how your investment would grow. in India, we can only compare the trends that we have in the past few years with regards to real estate. However, if you see since COVID 19, real estate has dynam dynamic and it has evolved very very very in a very positive manner with India having infrastructural growth, India having social aspects being covered in the rel in the real estate market and we also believe that now developers have an ecosystem in India that they're trying
5:31 To in inhibit in the land values or in the projects that they're bringing out. Got it. We also believe that India offers more stability and there is a better growth story in the entire paradigm of a 10-year horizon. Even if we shut it short to 5 years, we would still feel that India is a safer investment. However, real estate can not only be a number game, you know, it is also determined on various factors like there are emotional decisions attached with it. People who are abroad want to buy India basically that it connects themselves with India again. There is aspiring housing lifestyle upgrades for their family existing over here and they also want to keep some parachuting or a home that they call themselves that they have in India which is their base. Real estate is not about creating wealth or it is not about creating you know it is not about net
6:31 Worth for a for many many individuals. It is only and only about creating a base in India. How we figured that out is when we compared the sample data about thousand NR parking money in India. We figured out that NRIs have a very very very simple aspect that they look at is that they want a good house and they want a house which is fairly new and they want a house which might make them money as real estate is not like stock market that you keep buying and selling. So you hold on to the property. There's a lot there's some with having practical decisions. It holds a very very big emotional value in anybody's heart. Yeah. making that decision and helping that secure that real estate is what we specialize in. also I feel India as a growth story in the government intervention today since
7:26 2014 has been super positive. We have not only brought class A developers but we brought class A companies who were investing in India to build the infra that India needs. not only special economic zones such as gift city but we've seen we witnessed growth across pan India and what is fueling that demand today is not money coming from abroad it is India's middle class that is fueling that economy bringing that consumption and giving a lifestyle upgrade to India every it's a it's a globally connected world today and everybody sees what's happening in America everybody sees what's happening happening in Russia, what's happening in Dubai and developers also see that. So these developers are now started to replicate these lifestyle upgrades in their buildings not just to make a home with a tower or not just to give them some land where they can build their own home but
8:26 To give them an ecosystem in which they call themselves to be living in a community. Yeah, this is what is India why is India being so so so lucrative as an investment option today we used to see Petrona twin towers for many many years in Malaysia to be one of the top-notch class A office buildings and buildings to have you know to have a social hub over there however now that is changing India's skyline is changing we are seeing not just infrastructure but we are seeing a blend of urban urbanization, urban landscape coming across not just tier one cities but in tier 2 cities too. Earlier we used to see Mumbai being very very very very advanced and having good buildings, good infrastructure but as soon as you get out of Mumbai everything becomes horizontal again. Now that's not the case. We have Pune. Pune has got out to be a market which is very very which has shown tremendous amount of return. I do believe that Delhi NCR has surpassed all
9:27 That in the past six years. But having invested in India anywhere today would have made anybody returns if he would have invested in the past 5 to 10 years. And the growth story doesn't stop here. our government has big big plans for India. All the new infra projects that are being laid out are being laid out to minimize not just provide an airport anymore. We have airports. No. Now the infrastructure that is being laid is to connect the airports, to connect the hospitals, connect good schools with faster I would say transportation. Having eight lanes highways is not just to boast about having an eight lane highway. It is to bring in the luxury of traveling to any place within the within the fastest hour is what our government says. With that having said, it drives real estate with rocket fuel. We are at 99 high octane petrol these days with real estate as
10:29 New developments are coming in. We only used to see earlier that there was a small community being built and there were three towers maybe five maybe 10 and that is it having a swimming pool. This is not just it. Now what people are going forward is with integrated cities. things have changed dramatically in a very positive way since co right I think you know as you rightly said you know it's the
10:55 Emotional connect not only that but also the returns I think it makes a strong case why someone should seriously consider about investing in India and and it's in a right trajectory where it it's in a growth phase so with that said so if someone is looking at investing or if they have plans to move back and then they wanted to purchase a real estate right where they want to live or they want to invest what are the things that they should consider you know based on like time horizon or the area or how should they go about evaluating so anything that you can share from your experience what are the things that they should consider before investing or purchasing a property in India there are various dos and don'ts that you should consider before buying a property in India not we won't there are a there's a plethora of things that one has to consider because real estate is a heavy investment into somebody's life it's it it it can transform or give you a lot of stress in your life too. So we would recommend three to four things that one must do and one must not
11:58 Right for this. So with the do's part we would say that you would should have access to having trusted representatives in country in the country let's say you're investing in India you you must have a trusted representative that you have you must then only park your money with very very trusted developers like you must have TLF as a name you know it's India's biggest developer and there are certain local developers in every region that have a very good name that you can park your money Also I believe that you should factor in your timing. Timing is essence. Currency and tax taxation play a key role in what you should do in having real estate as your investment strategy. You must also have a very very brief idea of the REA certificate. RERA certificate is like one compliance that gives you access to majorly every document that you might have to look at.
12:54 It gives you access to building plans. It gives you access to how your flat would look at site layouts. It could give you access to what the u what company is investing, what's the name of the project. It might even give you the draft copy of of a builder buyer agreement that you may read before investing. So you would actually know what you're getting into before even talking to the developer. Yeah. And also I think you know you have to have a a precise vision and a precise intent of how you want to go about it. You have to define your intent and then go about investing in real estate. Real estate is not about investing. It's not impulsive. It should not be impulsive. So when it comes to must not I would say that don't buy purely on emotion. It has to be a practical decision. You have to weigh down the weigh down all your cars and you have to have all your research in play. Yeah. Also I would say you should never may may it be your cousin brother
13:54 Building it in America and in India but I believe that you must check legal documentation in in our country we have a notion of that real estate is not a trusted business. However real estate is a very trusted business. If you actually read the document and not just hear the sale talk in a sale talk you only get to know the good part of the society. However, the legal documents tell you the real picture in has developers sell phase wise in India. So you only see singular towers coming up in singular phases. However, when you look at the legal documentation, you exactly get to know how many towers will come, how many flats would be there, what kind of society you'll be getting into, what kind of ecosystem is the developer trying to build. And then you have digital access to everything. You have digital access to the exact 3D lookout, you have digital access to the
14:55 Exact flat renders, you have digital access to people sitting out here in India who can manage it for you. And what I would do also advise one should what must not do is he should not run into FOMO. If somebody is getting driven by FOMO, I would advise them not to buy real estate at that time. Hang on, do some more research and that then get into real estate investing. Real estate investing in India is deeply personal. But if it becomes very very very progressive, if one looks at how prepared you are before investing, the more prepared you are, the more peace of mind you'll have. Yeah. Is what we believe. Yeah. No, completely echo that. I think you know there has been a lot of FOMO in the last few years where people were rushing to purchase things and I think the key takeaway from your conversation is having that trusted partner that can guide you and help you especially the
15:55 Due diligence that you have to do before signing the document. Right? That is the key. You have to know what you're looking at. You have to know what you're reading. It's not just the sale talk. You have to know exactly what you're getting into before putting your money down. All your questions can get answered. Nobody's trying to hide anything in the real estate industry. The only important thing to do is you have to ask the right questions. Yes. So continuing along those lines. So how
16:22 Should one evaluate a trusted partner? Because the trusted partner plays a key role can help them guide them bringing up the right questions and so on. So while they're evaluating and finding the right trusted partner to do the real estate transaction in India, how what should they consider? what should they you know look at and how should they evaluate and finalize it. If one is approaching to invest into India, as I said earlier, you have to define intent and you have to have timeline. You have to fix your in okay I want to buy a house today but when do I need the house? How long can I wait to get the house? You know what are the pros and cons of buying right now or should I wait until the you know if the time is going to get better. Forecasting the market is also important. So I feel one should define intent and then have timeline. If the intent is to come back let's say maybe and move back in two years you have to be very clear about it. If the intent is just investing then you have to be very clear about it. You know the your intent basically is the shapes up your strategy to invest. Going
17:25 To buy property without having a strategy is very risky. We would always tell everyone to define intent and have a timeline first. As soon as you have that decided you know then you need to exercise you need to look at different financing options available. There are various financing options available in India and it is very lucrative for an NRA to look at them. You can look at financing options in in your country and then look at buying property out here. One must explore what what access of to money they have today whether you know they have to determine a budget to buy real estate. Otherwise you will be going all around the city trying to find the best spot for yourself. After that we would definitely advise you to have a trusted partner. If you do not have a local guy out here you might make mistakes in buying real estate.
18:16 If this is like a small framework that we have that we made to for anyone to buy real estate u I recommend that you know you should one NRI whenever come putting your money down even it should be before or after you have to weigh certain factors in your life and based upon those certain factors like financial situation familiarity you know target location only then you can have some risk tolerance only then if you choose to purchase days before moving. Working with a highly reputable, you know, trusted broker or a broking firm is really important who understand the dynamics of how, what, and where you need it. Yeah. You go to a guy, you tell him, I'm going to give you a million dollar, you're going to make money.
19:03 Nobody's going to say, "Today's the bad time." Everybody say, everybody's going to say, "Today is the best time." You know, you need to have a guy who can tell you, "I think you should hold on to your horses." know we see some corrections happening or they say we have a new product coming in not many people know about it but we have brilliant relationships with the developer and he's told me that in the next six months we will launch so you must wait for that so you have to have that kind of guy who gives you proper paperwork inspections insight and that is when you win win win in real estate yes once we had a person who is an NR who wanted to move back to India because now they believe that they have to give their children Indian cultural values and the best way to do it is for the the children to stay with the cousins, stay with the family. So they have they had the aspiration to live with the family.
19:55 However, when they were doing their real estate research on their own, we figured out that they would actually two hours away from where their family lived. So even moving back to India and putting $1 million down to real estate wouldn't serve them the purpose as the kids would not be able to meet their cousins. They would not be able to live with the family. So we determined or fought them to first we established some trust with them, some credibility across to give them various options. Then we took them on the drive to their financing drive and in the end we figured out that whether you should take a product today or you should wait until a few years for a new product to come. Yeah. They had a horizon of maybe four years to come back to India which gave them the access to get into under construction properties. Yes. Right. So when you had the li when they had the liberty to do that they could access they could they had im unimaginable access to various things that were giving you the having the pros of buying the product rather than just putting $1
20:57 Million down to have a house at which you would live four years later. They decided to get into a project which is getting delivered in three years. Which has a construction link payment plan. Yeah. Which gave them the access to having a home loan as well if they wanted in India. Yeah. So that their capital is safe and it was only 15 minutes from their cousin's place. So they were close to the family. They did not have to burn all their capital and they could invest to live in a super new house. Yeah, did not have to worry about the amenities being old. Everything that is going to come is going to be a of quality standards. It's going to be very new and when they come, they're going to have access to the latest product in the market to reside in. I think this suffices what any NRI would want to do when they come back to India if to have a fresh new home. Yeah. Yeah. So, so this is what we recommend. Also we
21:58 Recommend a few things you know we we we've done we've worked with various financial institutions as well and we've worked with various families who settled back to India. So we think that they have to determine target location. You have to be very clear about target location. Yes. And also if you have a longer timeline and you're putting going into under construction you must have some risk tolerance. Yeah. Right. in let's say in the Delhi NCR region we we certainly have some problems with pollution coming in so what we had was we have the NGT putting ban on construction for 3 months in the in a year so that delays construction by a year so you must have some risk tolerance if you do not have that there is no point in going into a forecasted product you must then go into a ready product which is readily available see it from your eye see it from your trusted guy guy's eye and then you buy it. Yeah. So these are two things that we would want to say. Got
23:00 It. So yeah, thanks for that. want to
23:03 Understand the current market situation and you know the trends, right? So for this let's focus on Delhi Gorgon metro area you know based on where we are what do you think you know is the market in the short term right in the next 1 2 3 years and what trends that are you seeing and which areas so anything that you can share a little bit about the market insights in that metro that would be very helpful 100% I think today Delhi NCR offers a rare mix of you know cosmopolitan infrastructure a strong developer base and a high appreciation potential. It is not just a place to invest anymore. It's a lifestyle upgrade in Delhi NCR. if you're putting your money down in Delhi and NCR, lifestyle and luxury assets have picked up over the past six years.
23:52 And you see everybody going towards luxury living. Luxury living is not living in a flat made of gold. It is about living in a living in an atmosphere, living in a community that gives you access to whatever you may feel is luxury. You know if somebody wants green, if somebody wants a green area to live in, for him nature is luxury, if somebody wants a brilliant clubhouse giving you all amenities for that you need to if you want if you have a lot of if you're very social then that clubhouse becomes super essential for that guy. Yeah. If you're that then that clubhouse is luxury. Now Delhi and NCR today offers you a plethora of such products which give you access to whatever you may need in order for you to live a upgraded lifestyle. That's the concept these days. And now in Delhi and NCR we've seen Gura. Gura is the milliondoll baby of Delhi and NCR. In the past three decades we've seen Gurao established from us not being able to go
24:54 To the plot to sell the plot. But now however we have access to Gorgawin with the infrastructure being built like the Duara Expressway, the cyber city, the golf course road, the upcoming golf course extension road, the northern periphereral road, the southern peripheral road. All these things have made Gurao into having several micro markets who are super performing it. Gura gives you access to whatever you need, whenever you need, however you need, you know. So Gura, this is the only reason why everybody's being attracted to Gura. It's not just the airport. People say it's the airport. You're close by to the airport. I don't usually use the airport that much in my everyday life. Yes, I do travel, but for that I can travel 20 more minutes. But it's not the airport that Burma offers. Bulg offers you lifestyle upgrades in terms of where you eat, how you eat, where what you wear, where you wear, where you shop from, what what you drive, and where you take that drive out of from. So real estate plays a key role
25:56 In India as we know real estate is one of the largest industries after agriculture and of course as as so consumption for real estate is also huge. Real estate has brought in so many opportunities in the Delhi and Gura and NCR region that we have started to feel differentiation in products across different diversities but all of them having one strategic goal which is to urbanize the landscape of Delhi and NCR. Yeah. So, so this is what Delhi and demand demand in Delhi is shifting from having bungalows self-obtained bungalows in you know DDA colonies DDA is Delhi development authority they basically u were the ones who established Delhi to have some homes so it's a government authority so now people are moving away from that and going into redevelopment of tow you know redevelop towers group housings they want to not only live by
26:57 Themselves They want to live in a community wherein they have people who are like themselves. They want to have a social circle. They want to have a business associate circle and they want to network in the best way possible to give their career, give their life and give their family the best of the services. Now if somebody has that kind of perception, you bring in the best the developers bring in the best kind of office spaces. the developers the the schools bring in the best kind of schools the hospitals trying to bring in the best kind of hospitals. If you compare all this, Gurao itself has now started to have healthcare facilities which which outspace you know the medical facilities available in the western countries today. We have medical tourism being booming in India is only because of what services we are giving and they're all happening because people are demanding for that. Demand is driving the growth of every urban city
27:58 In Delhi and NCR. Yeah. It is not just Guram. We have no we have a lot of NRIs having faith in India now because of the Japanese you know integrated cities like Risumi is building a Japanese integrated city. We have Sumitomo in Gorga building it. Then we have then we have Max who is a hospital chain who who's building building in Gorgo again. Then we have DLF who is transforming Skyline. Then we have EMAR with backto-back launches and they're all sold out. Yeah. It's all being driven by the ideologies of all the people living abroad having to seen those concepts and you know witnessing that they're all successful now coming into their own land. So they all want to be a part of the story. Someone is
28:47 Thinking about moving to India, right? And you know it could be happening in in a year or so like does it make sense for them to purchase a house you know before moving or after moving because they don't know about the locality or what they like. Maybe they might have a preconception that they might like a villa versus an apartment. So just curious what's your advice or what what's your insights on that? This again goes back to our first framework strategy which is you have to define intent. Okay. Now there are benefits of moving buying first or and benefits of buying later. So we'll go one by one. We'll go with the benefits of you know buying after you moved into India. So there is you get firstirhand experience of what your neighborhood would be like. You don't have to imagine anything. It's it's right in front of you. You start living in it and then you get to know whether it's comfortable for you or not. Then I think you understand the local market dynamics better once you are stationed out here right it also
29:48 Helps you build local connections as I said paperwork is very very important to have a trusted guy who's doing the workings for you who's who's actually doing the market research for you your trusted broking team your accounting team your tax team all these people you build local connections once you're out here so it gives you better access to them Then I think you with rental flexibility you have the the the flexibility to move your investment to plan your investment to gives you time it gives you a little breather that you know you can breathe and then it's not about much of a hassle that now what should I do now you know now I'm done I'm stuck for 20 years what should I do so it gives you it gives you the flexibility to move from here and there to try and test what you may like if somebody says I like a villa try it right If somebody say like I want a penthouse. Yeah. Must try it. The rental gives you the flexibility because if you buy a penthouse once, it's not very easy. It's not like stock market that
30:49 You put in the market sold in minutes. It takes time and your investment once you buy u it's not for the purpose of just growth once you're you know and you're considering back to moving back to India is for you to stay. So you can try and test what your family likes. There are certain there are many factors that you have to weigh as far as our experience has gone. It's not you who's investing who's buying a house. You it's your actually your family who has to stay in the house. So whatever they may like you tend to like that. So rather than you know putting your head to it and deciding okay I should buy a villa because my kids would like a villa you you can give them the rental gives you the flexibility of letting them try if they like it. If they don't then you can shift. Yeah. Right. In the end there are certain legal advantages that you know you have if you don't buy before you move in. there are you know you're physically if you're physically present here it just simplifies the entire document process. Yes. It gives you
31:49 Hassle-free property verification. Gives you hassle-free documentation. Gives you hassle-free negotiation with sellers also. Yeah. Yeah. Being in person and being over zoom very big difference. Yes. Once you're in person, you can play all the sales tactics that you've learned in life. It's buying property is once in a lifetime opportunity for a lot many people. So I believe that this is one life. You're doing it once. Make the most of it. You know if you're here in India and you're negotiating it gives you a you know it gives you a little kick that you know you went you saw you negotiated your heart is satisfied it gives you this sense of contentment once you've done it yourself right so this is an advantage if you if you purchase after you're moving in let's say if you purchase before moving back to India there are also a very many advantages of that you know one is that you get the advantage of having a long-term plan in claim Yeah, as you have a long-term plan
32:50 In play, it gives you preparation of you know years of preparation in advance. You can plan schools, you can plan strategically entering into the market, you can plan u you can plan you know where how you how your family is timeline today. If your parents are getting old, whether you need a hospital nearby, if your kids are studying in school, whether you need a school nearby, you know, and if you don't need any of that, then you can choose a resort style living which is available all across the country today. So it gives you the right to strategically enter market at the right time also if you're you know planning well then it gives you under construction opportunities as I said in the case earlier you know the the leverage of having UC gave them the chance to to do their research to look at the product to decide upon it and then take a good call also it gives you financial leverage putting a dollar down you know and putting 25 cents Big big difference. Yes, everybody has access to if you're considering real estate with a million dollar approach,
33:51 We believe you have access to 25 cents today. So if you have that, you have the leverage to play around with that. Having the leverage and having the right strategy to enter gives you such a big swad that any battle could be won. You get the best rates, you get the best developer, you get the best broker, you get the best deal from the developer, you get the best gift items. Sometimes you get best interior also. Developers sometimes to do the transactions throw in things like wardrobes, vanity kits, they even throw in ACs. Yeah. Which saves you a lot of money. So if you're you know if you buy that there is u you can modulate with all that. Yes. And once you come back to India and you know you bought a million dollar house let's say with 25 cents. So by the time you move in, I think that million dollar house will be 2.5 million in 5 years. As I said, by 2030 3fold, so 2.5x easy. So now you will enjoy the luxuries of a $2.5 million house in India, which is
34:52 Going to be super luxurious if you compare it with any of the western cities. Having a $2.5 million house in San Francisco and having a $2.5 million house in India, a big big difference, right? A super lifestyle upgrade. Then also I feel that if you bought a house before then there's a smoother transition you know my base is there right you know mai that's mine you know you call that piece of land your own you know you have this sense of ownership you have this sense of kingship you don't feel like you're entering into a you know going back to India and you don't have anything you know gives you a big backbone if you have your house in play yes so I think it gives you a smoother transition in life yeah no I think it all makes sense so there are pros and response for every option. It's just what you prefer and you know if you have that kind of a luxury to make the decision beforehand and and and to execute on it. It's all about the connections and all about the market information to make the right decisions.
35:52 So yeah, thanks a lot Mr. Sahill. I really enjoyed today. Yeah, it's it's a very insightful and lot of nuggets to take on. really appreciate you taking the time and sharing your insights and you know valuable information to us today. Thank you Abin. I hope to see you in person soon too when I visit Hyderabad again. Yes, sure.
Your RNOR window, retirement accounts, and move date planned as one sequence.
