All About Real Estate Investing

Posted by Mehul Kothari | Published on 03 Apr 2019
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All About Real Estate Investing

Did you know that the real estate market is expected to grow at 30% in the next ten years? That’s what the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) suggests. Also, India is ranked ninth in the Global House Price Index with regards to real estate investing. These reports showcase the country’s real estate prowess. Even though this sector does go through cyclical peaks and troughs, Indian investors have largely relied on properties to fetch them high returns in the long run. So, why should you be in the dark about property investment? As a guide to real estate investing for beginners let’s look at some of the avenues that can help you as well:

✓ Plots: Investing in plots can be a decent and smart real estate investing for investors looking for capital appreciation. However, it’s vital to choose the location carefully as part of real estate investing. For instance, investing in a piece of land in a developing locality can be a good start. You can also give the land on lease for agricultural use or construct a commercial building on it.

✓ Residential properties: Houses and apartments are considered as residential properties. You can earn a steady income by letting them out for people to reside in on rent or lease. As the value increases, it offers you capital appreciation over the long-term. However, there is a vacancy risk associated to it. You may suffer losses if your house is not on rent for some time.

✓ Commercial properties: Basically, it refers to investing in buildings that are exclusively used for business activities. Investing in commercial properties can provide you both a regular income and capital appreciation over the long-term.

✓ Industrial properties: Warehouses, factories and distribution centres’ are a few examples. The key benefit of investing in industrial properties is that it can yield you a higher income with longer leases. Also, these properties are usually low-maintenance because most of the industrial tenants takes care of this part. However, the risk is high as they are more expensive and also vulnerable to economic conditions. Investor need to be prepared for long-term vacancies and higher loan rates.

✓ Real estate investment trust (REIT) funds: REITs gives you an opportunity to make securitised real estate investments. This fund invests ‘pooled money’ from various investors in completed real estate projects. This means that investing in REITs can help you invest in properties in smaller amounts. The income generated from fund investments are majorly distributed in the form of dividend to investors. REIT funds also offer easy and quick liquidation of investment. As they are regulated by SEBI, there is a fair degree transparency in the investment.

 

To sum up, in a developing country like India, there is always more focus on infrastructure development. Considering the scope of growth over the long-term, real estate investments can be a good option to invest in. Now that we know how to start investing in real estate, it is also important to consider regulatory reforms and the interest rates before you invest in a property or REIT funds.

Purchasing real estate is more than just locating a spot and making it one's place of residence. Almost every individual maybe called to conduct a real estate transaction at some point in their lives. The process of real estate investing can be an intriguing opportunity for some, while others find value in the capture and creation of a sale. Since, investing in real estate has become a common investment vehicle; it makes sense to know all about it. The above mentioned pointers can be your helpful guide in making the right decisions with regards to real estate investments.

 


Disclaimer: Investment in securities market / Mutual Funds are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing.

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Why Alternative Investments?

Posted by Mehul Kothari | Published on 15 Mar 2019

A portfolio with a right mix of stocks and bonds may not be enough to achieve your long-term goals. As an intelligent investor, it’s important to know why alternative investments can offer new opportunities. That’s because exploring investment options beyond the primary assets can spice up the returns column and diversify your investments further. So, here are a few reasons why you can opt to invest a part of your money in alternative investments.✓ Lowers volatility: Traditional assets like bonds and stocks show strong correlation with economic trends that answers why alternative investments make sense. Market risk for such traditional investments cannot be eliminated completely even after diversification across various sectors, avenues and geographies. In that regard, alternative investments depend less on big market trends due to its illiquid nature. Hence, knowing why invest in alternative investments can reduce the effect of market volatility. Let’s consider why use alternative investments such as private equity to understand this better. Since you are investing in companies that are not listed and traded publicly, your investment is not directly affected by stock market volatility. ✓ Higher return potential: The goal of alternative investments is to generate higher returns. Unlike traditional investments, there is no competition against a benchmark. Furthermore, since these investments involve moderate-to-high risk, they have a potential to deliver high returns. This is why it is a good idea to know why alternative investments in market can be a good choice in one’s portfolio. For example, venture capital funds invest in start-ups having high potential for growth. If the start-up starts growing, you can receive massive returns. Similarly, hedge funds can deliver higher returns with reduced risk by trading various strategies across different asset classes – commodities, currencies, equities, debts and derivatives (futures and options, forwards, swaps etc). ✓ Widens Portfolio Diversification: There is a wide range of products in alternative investment space. Investing in them can diversify your investments further. After all, a well-diversified portfolio can deliver better returns to achieve long-term goals. Hence, it makes good reason to know why use alternative investments in stocks as part of your portfolio. ✓ Tax benefits: Since most of the alternative investments are for the long-term, they can provide you certain tax benefits. Private equity and venture capital funds can help you avoid long-term capital gain tax as they invest in unlisted companies. However, it would be erroneous to suggest these investments provide 100% tax breaks. All these options do have certain tax obligations. To sum upAlternative investments can diversify your portfolio and provide you refuge from the volatility of stocks. So, if you have a sizeable kitty to invest and the patience to reap reward in the long run, putting it in an alternative investment can be an ideal choice. The world of alternative investments could also include more confined and niche sectors such as collectibles, fine art and other rarities. These non-conventional investments can play an exceptionally crucial role when conventional investments undergo substantial unpredictability. You may want to consider such options as a potent diversifier along with traditional investments. To know how to best understand alternate investments and make the right decision call, you may want to look into the services of a financial advisor. Investments experts employ progressive and established strategies that can help you to capture opportunities in the various sectors of alternative investments.Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.

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Know the difference between investing in property vs buying one

Posted by Mehul Kothari | Published on 09 Apr 2019

In India, people buy properties for personal use or for investment purposes. While the majority buy a property for their own use, a healthy portion of the population looks to put their money in properties in order to create wealth in the long run. And because the justification to buy a property is different in both cases, the common factors taken into account when investing in property vs buying property are viewed differently as well. So, let’s look at a few factors to understand the difference between investing in property vs buying property. ✓ Location: To understand whether to invest vs buy property, here’s a tip - if you are buying a property for investment purpose, you would take a look at various emerging localities which can be profitable over the next few years. Deciding the location would depend more on your investment objective, whether it is medium-term or long-term. On the other hand, if you are buying a property for end use, you would look at details like amenities, neighbourhood and proximity to various facilities. ✓ Stage of construction: As an investor, it usually makes more sense to buy a property that is yet to be constructed. That’s because investing in under-construction properties has the potential to deliver quick returns. If you are buying the property in order to live in it, you would usually look at properties that are already constructed. However, that may not be the case at all times. It also depends on your need, financial preparedness and tax implications. But largely, it is the ready-to-move-in properties that are usually preferred by buyers. That’s because a delay in completion of a housing project can skewer your financial plan. ✓ Type of property: As an investor, if you are looking for a regular income, you would choose to go with apartments. If your objective is capital growth, you would consider to invest in plots. On the other hand, if you are buying it for your own use, you would make a choice based on what your family needs. Buying a plot in such cases wouldn’t make any sense. Factors like security, finishing of the house and maintenance facility would come into play here. ✓ Time horizon: Time plays a major role in such decisions. If you are an investor, you would choose a property type based on the time you have set yourself to earn a certain amount of money. For instance, if you have three to fours’ time, investing in pre-launch and under-construction projects would be preferable because its value usually increases that time period. For long-term gains, you could explore the option of investing in commercial properties. Investing in a plot can also be fruitful in the long run. As for an end user of a property, these considerations matter little. What matters most is convenience and the property’s very long-term potential. ✓ Valuation of property: If you are an investor, return on investment matters the most. Investment decisions are based on expected price appreciation over time. But that’s not the case for for buyers. In most cases, end users do not buy homes based on expected appreciation in property prices. For them, the emotional quotient is more important. ✓ Size of the property: If you buy a residential property for investment purpose, you would prefer a cozier house. That’s because smaller units are easy to let out on rent or on lease. On the other hand, if you are buying for yourself, you would prefer to buy a bigger house, although it mostly depends on family needs. To sum up, there are basic differences between and buying and investing in properties. Although you are buying the same house, the factors that drive your choices may be viewed differently.Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.

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  • Cost Inflation Index - Meaning, Calculation & Benefits
    Posted by Rushabh H. Mehta | Published on 06 Mar 2020

    Inflation is an economic term and referred to the continuous rise in the price of goods and services, thereby reducing the purchasing power of the money. The pinch of inflation is felt by all sections of the economy, be it, the consumers, investors, and the government.  And, even though it increases the cost of living, inflation is a necessary evil and desirable for the growth and development of the economy. For the reason of inflation, it is only fair to pay more for your goods like comb and brush over the years due to an increase in the price. For the same reason, it is unfair to pay capital gains tax on your assets without taking into account the impact of inflation on the value of the asset. Cost Inflation Index(CII) is the index to calculate the increase in the price of assets year-on-year due to the impact of inflation. What is the Cost Inflation Index? Cost Inflation Index or CII is an essential tool for determining the increase in the price of an asset on account of inflation and is useful at the time of calculating the long-term capital gains on the sale of capital assets. It is fixed by the central government and released in its gazetted offices by the Ministry of Finance every year. Capital gains are the profits arising from the sale of assets like real estate, financial investment, jewellery, etc. The cost price of the asset is adjusted taking into account the Cost Inflation Index of the year of purchase and the year in which the asset is sold, and the entire process is known as Indexation. Cost Inflation Index Calculation The cost inflation index calculation is done by the government to match the inflation rate for the year and calculated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Cost Inflation Index India for the financial year 2019-20 has been set at 289. Change of the base year for the Cost Inflation Index The cost inflation index base year was changed in the Union Budget 2017 from 1881 to 2001. The base year was changed by the government to enable accurate and faster calculations of the properties purchased before April 1, 1981, as taxpayers started to face problems with valuations of older properties. The base year has an index value of 100, and the index of the following years is compared to the index value in the base year to determine the increase in inflation. With the change in the base year, the capital gains and tax burden has reduced significantly for the taxpayers as it now reflects the inflated price of the asset realistically. The current Cost Inflation Index Chart for each year is as under- How is the Cost Inflation Index (CII) used in calculating capital gains To calculate the capital gains on your assets the purchase price of the asset is indexed by the cost Inflation Index using the formula below- Indexed cost of the asset at the time of acquisition = (CII for the year of sale/ CII for the year of purchase or base year (whichever is later))*actual cost of acquisition If suppose you purchased a flat in December 2010 for Rs 42 lacs and sold in Jan 2019 for Rs 85 lacs. Your capital gain from the sale of the flat is Rs 43 lacs. The CII in the year in which the flat was purchased is 148, and the CII in the year the flat was sold in is 280. The purchase price of the flat after taking into account the Cost Inflation Index is = (280/148)*Rs42 lacs= Rs 79. 46 lacs  This is the indexed cost of acquisition. Your long-term capital gain after taking indexation into account is Rs 85,00,000- Rs 79,45,946 = Rs.5,54,054. Long-term capital gains on the sale of property are taxed at 20% with indexation benefit. So, your tax liability, in this case, would be- 20% of Rs 5, 54, 054= Rs 1,10,810 Without indexation benefit, the capital gains are taxed at 10%. In this case, the capital gains would be- Sale price of the flat - purchase price of the flat = Rs 85,00,000 – Rs42,00,000 = Rs.43,00,000.  The capital gains tax without indexation benefit will be 10% X Rs 43,00,000 = Rs.4,30,000. Thus, indexation helps reduce the long-term capital gains and reduce the overall tax burden for the taxpayer considerably. Indexation benefit can be used for investments in mutual funds, real estate, gold, FMPs, etc. but is not applied for fixed income instruments like FDs, recurring deposits, NSC, etc. Few important tips to remember about the Cost Inflation Index- If you receive an asset as a part of the will, then in such the CCI for the year in which it was transferred will be considered and not the CCI of the purchase of the asset Indexation benefit for the cost of improvement of the asset is the same as the cost of improvement of the asset. Cost of improvement incurred before 1981 to be ignored. CONCLUSION Cost Inflation Index is an important parameter to be considered at the time of selling long-term assets as it is beneficial for the investors. Reach out to our experts at IndiaNivesh for any queries about capital gains arising from the sale of assets for correct guidance.   Disclaimer: Investment in securities market / Mutual Funds are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing. 

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  • Dematerialisation of Shares – Meaning, Process & Benefits
    Posted by Rushabh H. Mehta | Published on 06 Mar 2020

    The online platform has revolutionised the way we live. Whether it is transacting, connecting with a loved one, getting updated about the happenings in the world, everything can be done online. When it comes to investments, the online platform provides ease and convenience. Investment in shares and share trading is a prevalent activity undertaken by many investors. They invest their money in the stock of a company with a view to earn profits when the stock value rises. When shares are purchased, share certificates are issued in physical form containing the details of the investor and the investor. However, these physical share certificates are inconvenient, and so the concept of dematerialisation has been introduced. Do you know what it is? What is dematerialisation? Dematerialisation of shares means converting physical shares and securities into an electronic format. The dematerialised shares and securities are, then, held in a demat account which acts as a storage for such shares. Dematerialised securities can then be freely traded on the stock exchange from the demat account. How does dematerialisation work? For the dematerialisation of securities, you need to open a demat account with a depository participant. A depository is tasked with holding shares and securities in a dematerialised format. As such, the depository appoints agents, called, Depository Participants, who act on behalf of the depository and provide services to investors. There are two licensed depositories in India which are NSDL (National Securities Depository Limited) and CDSL (Central Depository Services (India) Limited). Need for dematerialisation of shares Dematerialisation of securities was needed because it became difficult for depository participants to manage the increasing volume of paperwork in the form of share certificates. Not only were there chances of errors and mishaps on the part of the depository participant, but physical certificates were also becoming difficult to be updated. Converting such certificates into electronic format frees up space and makes it easy for depository participants to track and update their investor's stockholding. Benefits of dematerialisation for investors As an investor, you can get the following benefits from dematerialisation – You don’t have to handle the physical safekeeping of share certificates. Since your investments are converted in electronic format, you can easily store them without the risk of theft, loss or damage You can access your online demat account and manage your investments from anywhere and at anytime The charges associated with the demat account are low. Depository participants change holding charges which are minimal and you don't have to pay any stamp duty on dematerialised securities Since no paperwork is required to be done, the transaction time is considerably reduced Given these benefits, dematerialisation proves advantageous. Nowadays, the practice of holding physical securities has become almost obsolete and buying through a demat account has become the prevailing norm for investors. How to convert physical shares to demat? To convert physical shares to demat, the following steps should be followed – You should open a demat account with a depository participant. A depository participant can be a bank, financial institution or a stockbroker who is registered as a depository participant with the two licensed depositories of India You would then have to avail a Dematerialisation Request Form (DRF) from the depository participant and fill the form Submit the form along with your share certificates. The share certificates should be defaced by writing ‘Surrendered for Dematerialisation’ written across them. The depository participant would, then, forward the dematerialisation request to the company whose share certificates have been surrendered for dematerialisation. The request should also be sent to Registrar and Transfer (R & T) agents along with the company The company and the R & T agents would approve the request for dematerialisation if everything is found in order. The share certificates would also be destroyed. This approval would then be forwarded to the depository participant The depository would confirm the dematerialisation of shares and inform the depository participant of the same Once the approval and confirmation is complete, the shares would be electronically listed in the demat account of the investor Buying securities in a dematerialised form If you are looking to buy stock in a dematerialized form, here the simple steps that you can take for the same – Choose your broker for buying the securities and pay the broker the Fair Market Value of the securities that you want to buy The payment would be forwarded by the broker to the clearing corporation. This would be done on the pay-in day The clearing corporation would, then, credit the securities to the broker’s clearing account on the pay-out day The broker would then inform the depository participant to debit its clearing account and transfer the shares to the credit of your demat account The depository would also send a confirmation to your depository participant for the dematerialisation of shares in your account. The dematerialised shares would then be reflected in your demat account You would have to give ‘Receipt Instructions’ to your depository participant for availing the credit of shares in your demat account. This is needed if you hadn’t already placed a Standing Instruction for your depository participant when you opened your demat account. Similarly, for sale of dematerialised shares, the process is opposite. Trading in stocks in a dematerialised format is simple, quick and convenient. It has also become the practice of the current market. So, if you want to buy or sell securities, open a demat account and start trading in dematerialised securities. Should you have any doubts, get in touch with the team at IndiaNivesh who will look into your requirement and lead you towards a quick resolution.    Disclaimer: Investment in securities market / Mutual Funds are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing. 

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  • High Dividend Mutual Funds
    Posted by Rushabh H. Mehta | Published on 02 Mar 2020

    Dividend mutual funds are a type of mutual fund that pays a regular dividend to the unitholders of the mutual fund scheme, thereby creating a regular source of income for them. The investment strategy of the fund manager is to invest in a basket of companies that have a steady flow of income and promise to pay periodic payment to the investors. Some investors prefer a regular source of passive income from their investments. Mutual fund schemes that offer a high dividend are a popular choice for such investors. The frequency of payment of dividends is decided by the fund manager and is usually fixed. Dividends can be paid daily, monthly, quarterly, six-monthly, or yearly, and the frequency of payment is mentioned beforehand. However, there is no guarantee on the rate and amount of the dividend to the investors and the payment of dividend is subject to the performance of the fund. There are 2 types of dividend mutual funds based upon the asset class that they invest in. 1. Dividend Yielding Mutual Fund (Equity) • Mutual fund schemes which invest more than 65% of their corpus in equity shares of companies • Like any other equity scheme, they have the potential for higher returns, but also carry a higher risk • Investors should invest in these schemes with an investment horizon of medium to long term 2. Dividend Yielding Mutual Fund (Debt) • Mutual fund schemes which invest more than 65% of their corpus in debt instruments of government and corporations like treasury bonds, commercial papers, etc. • These funds carry low risk and provide average returns to investors • Interest received from the various instruments is paid as a dividend to the investors• Investors should invest in these schemes with an investment horizon of short to medium term Tax treatment for dividend mutual funds Till now, dividend income received by the investor used to be recorded under the income head of “Income from other sources” and such income was tax-free in the hands of the investor. However, as per the Union Budget 2020, the DDT is now abolished for companies and mutual funds. From April’20 onwards, any dividend received above Rs 5000 will be taxed in the hands of the investor. It will be taxed as per the individual tax slabs for both equity and debt schemes. Only debt investors who fall in the lower slabs of 10% and 20% will pay lesser taxes on dividends. For all the others, the taxation would be higher going forward. Why should investors invest in high dividend mutual funds? Dividend mutual funds offer unique advantages to the investors, especially when the macroeconomic condition of the country is weak; these investments provide the reliability of income to investors. The benefits of dividend mutual funds which should be kept in mind while investing in such funds• Fund managers of dividend mutual funds invest in companies which can pay steady dividends and even if there is a slowdown in the economy, as companies do not want to send any negative signals, they avoid curtailing payment of dividends, thus making them less volatile than other funds.• Overall returns from these funds are less affected as compared to other funds as the dividends provide a hedge against market volatility.• In a low-interest rate regime, investors looking for a higher consistent income can opt for dividend mutual funds. Disadvantages of a dividend mutual fund scheme • Returns generated by dividend mutual fund schemes are lower as compared to growth schemes in case of rising markets• These funds are not suited for aggressive investors looking for higher returns from their investment• Moreover, with the abolition of Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT), investors in the higher tax-bracket will have to pay higher taxes on the dividend income. Role of dividend mutual funds in a portfolio Invest in dividend mutual funds with an investment horizon of 7 to 10 years for optimal returns. Investment in such funds should be a part of your strategic asset allocation and to lower the volatility of the overall portfolio. Aggressive investors can allocate less than 10% of their portfolio in such funds. Conservative investors, on the other hand, can allocate a higher percentage to these funds. Essential things to keep in mind while investing in dividend mutual funds • Conservative investors looking to invest in dividend funds should invest in large-cap funds, preferably of blue-chip companies that pay a higher dividend. Investing in companies with a higher proportion in mid & small-cap companies will increase the risk of the investment, thereby defeating the purpose of investment• Invest in a fund which has been in existence for some time and witnessed a few market cycles• Avoid investing in a fund with a small corpus to minimize risk as few wrong investment calls can significantly hamper returns• The expense ratio plays a vital role in determining the overall returns from a scheme. Choose funds with a lower expense ratio   CONCLUSION Investing in high dividend mutual funds is a good option if you are looking for a regular income through dividends. Consult our experts at IndiaNivesh to help you guide through the allocation of funds in these schemes as per your investment horizon and risk profile.   Disclaimer: Investment in securities market / Mutual Funds are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing. 

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