The forthcoming GST Council meeting is expected to consider major reforms that would simplify the tax structure and potentially reduce costs for the housing sector. The government plans to cut down the four existing GST slabs to two, while also reviewing the possibility of reducing GST on cement from 28% to 18%. Industry experts believe that these changes could lower construction costs, ease compliance, and ultimately benefit homebuyers through more affordable housing. Developers have expressed optimism that these reforms will drive growth in the real estate market.Read more

At the 17th NAREDCO National Convention held in Delhi past week, Maharashtra's Minister of State, Meghana Sakore Bordikar, assured industry stakeholders that the State Government would work towards framing infrastructure and housing policies in line with evolving requirements. She confirmed that proposals on town planning, water management, and industry incentives would be considered, while remaining cautious on demands for stamp duty rationalisation. With sustainability and water resource development high on the agenda, industry leaders highlighted the need for consistency, transparency, and policy support to achieve long-term growth.Read more

The Delhi PWD has identified seven land pockets for redevelopment under a public-private partnership, with NBCC tasked to prepare proposals. Sites include Vikas Bhawan-1 at ITO, Timarpur, Gulabi Bagh, Kalyanvas, Probyn Road, Sindhora Khurd, Sindhora Kalan, and Bahapur. NBCC, which has executed projects like Kidwai Nagar and Sarojini Nagar, will design plans to modernise ageing government colonies, add sustainable infrastructure, and create office and retail spaces. In North Delhi, Gulabi Bagh and the Sindhora colonies house around 1,200 government quarters, while Kalyanvas, Probyn Road, and Timarpur add smaller clusters. The plan aims to address dilapidation, improve housing standards, and optimise prime urban land.Read more

Over 80 homebuyers of the Lotus Arena project in Noida's Sector 79 staged a protest over decade-long delays and stalled construction. Launched in 2014, the project faced insolvency in 2020 after promoters allegedly diverted INR 387 crore, with Purvanchal Projects appointed as the new developer under a 2023 resolution plan. However, the Noida Authority has refused to revalidate the layout plan, citing CAG objections over Sports City allotments, halting progress. Buyers said they continue to suffer rent and EMI burdens, with some reporting personal tragedies during the delay. The association has urged state intervention, warning of further protests and legal action.Read more

The Delhi government has launched a centralised online portal designed to assist investors in locating land parcels for industrial and infrastructure projects. The initiative, developed by DSIIDC using geospatial data from GSDL, is aimed at speeding up the land allotment process. Officials have instructed divisional heads to provide parcel details by early September to ensure a smooth rollout.Read more

The Uttar Pradesh Minister for Stamp and Registration Affairs clarified this past week that the main reason behind delays in property registrations in Noida and Greater Noida has been the absence of no-objection certificates (NOCs) from developers, rather than inefficiency in the registry department. He noted that once builders secure the necessary NOCs from the respective development authorities, registrations for homebuyers would proceed without delay, ensuring that long-awaited ownership documents could be formalised swiftly. The statement offered much-needed clarity to buyers facing prolonged uncertainty.Read more

In July, UK mortgage approvals reached 65,352, the highest monthly total since January, signaling a potential stabilization in the housing market after the end of a homebuyer tax break earlier this year. Despite the rise in approvals, Nationwide Building Society noted a decline in house prices for August, reflecting ongoing affordability issues. Consumer borrowing also rose by 7% in the year up to July, marking the largest increase since October 2024. These trends show a mixed picture of recovery, with growth in mortgage activity alongside persistent affordability and borrowing pressures.Read more

Thiruvananthapuram's Karimadom Colony Housing Complex, with 128 new flats, was inaugurated this week by Minister V Sivankutty in the presence of Mayor Arya Rajendran. Built at a cost of INR 27 crore, the project is the first phase of a plan to provide 200 homes in the colony. The civic body has already delivered thousands of homes under various schemes, including 318 flats at Kalladimukham, 542 at Mathippuram, and over 12,000 units through the LIFE project. Costford will soon begin construction of an additional 105 units under the BSUP rehabilitation initiative, with completion targeted in a year, further strengthening affordable housing delivery.Read more

Debt-ridden developer Supertech Ltd, currently under insolvency proceedings, has delivered more than six thousand homes across multiple housing projects over the past three years, despite facing financial distress. The deliveries were made under the supervision of an insolvency resolution professional appointed by the National Company Law Tribunal. Former chairman RK Arora confirmed that around fifteen thousand homes remain pending, with the firm seeking Supreme Court approval for a joint resolution plan with Apex Heights Pvt Ltd.Read more

Lucknow Development Authority is preparing to hold a lottery for 332 residential plots in the Anant Nagar housing scheme, scheduled to take place later this week at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan and streamed live on the LDA's YouTube channel. Over 8,500 applicants had registered in the second phase, which offered plots ranging from 112.5 sqm up to 450 sqm. The township, spread over 785 acres, includes over 2,100 residential plots, 60 group-housing blocks with 10,000 flats, 5,000 units for EWS/LIG households, and 3,000 PMAY homes, along with modern infrastructure and a dedicated Edutech City.Read more

President Donald Trump's administration plans steps to address high housing costs in the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained that the measures could include declaring a national housing emergency to tackle rising prices and limited supply. Falling rents are providing some relief, and lower interest rates may encourage more home sales, improving market activity. The administration is also exploring ways to simplify construction permitting and promote standardization to increase housing supply. Affordability remains a key focus, reflecting broader efforts to reduce financial pressures on Americans.Read more

Excel Infra Construction is set to invest INR 252 crore in the Bellissima luxury residential project at Bandra Reclamation, Mumbai. The 33-storey tower will feature 96 apartments, with expected revenue of INR 400 crore. The funding will be a mix of equity and an Alternative Investment Fund structured as non-convertible debentures. Leveraging advanced construction technology, the company aims to complete the project ahead of schedule.Read more

Dubai's property market witnessed sales worth AED51.1 billion during August, marking a year-on-year rise of 7.9%, with transaction volumes climbing 15.4% to 18,678. Apartment sales dominated activity with AED30.2 billion in value, reflecting a 29.2% increase in volume. While villa sales declined 38.1% in volume, average prices per square foot increased 15.2% to AED 1,720. Key districts such as Business Bay, Jumeirah Village Circle, and Jebel Ali First recorded the highest activity. The most expensive sale was a luxury villa on Palm Jumeirah, fetching AED161 million.Read more

Andhra Pradesh RERA has directed all real estate agents in the state to complete mandatory registration within a month, highlighting that only a limited number have complied so far. The regulator warned that homebuyers are at risk when dealing with unregistered agents and stressed that penalties, restrictions, and legal proceedings would follow in cases of non-compliance. Measures are also being taken to clear pending project applications and enhance transparency.Read more

The National Housing Bank's latest housing price index shows residential values rising in 45 of 50 cities, with Bengaluru recording the steepest annual gains driven by its strong IT and economic base. Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Kolkata also posted solid growth, while only five cities saw declines, led by Howrah. On a composite level, prices rose 5.7% year-on-year, slightly slower than last year but reflecting market stabilisation after rapid increases. Quarterly data also showed continued growth, supported by a nearly 100-basis-point cut in home-loan rates earlier this year. The report highlights resilient demand in metro markets despite uneven performance in smaller cities.Read more

The Bombay High Court has ordered a judicial probe into 935 redevelopment notices issued by the Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB), a MHADA unit, after finding they were based on visual checks rather than mandatory structural audits. A bench of Justices G.S. Kulkarni and Arif Doctor called the notices arbitrary and possibly driven by vested interests to exploit redevelopment. The court struck down a 2024 SOP that gave officials undue powers and appointed a two-member judicial committee. Retired Justice J.P. Devadhar and Retired Judge Vilas D. Dongre to investigate. Of the notices, 46 were withdrawn and 889 put on hold, reinforcing property rights and curbing misuse of authority.Read more