Seventh Pay Commission and its impact on the real estate sector

The Union Cabinet’s implementation of much-awaited Seventh Pay Commission has given public sector employees and pensioners a big occasion to celebrate. The Central Government Employees will receive a hike of about 23.5% in their salaries. This increment in the earnings of the Government employees is bound to have a positive impact on the Indian real estate sector. The hike in the House Rent Allowance (HRA) is expected to increase the residential demand further.

Mentioned below are the highlights of the Seventh Pay Commission that will boost the real estate sector:

1. Higher purchasing power - The starting salary slag of Government employees is pushed from INR 7000 to INR18000. The topmost salary slag will be INR 2.25 Lakh per month. As per experts, the hike in the salary will increase the purchasing power of the employees, thus tempting them to invest in residential properties.
2. Increased loan eligibility - The rise in salaries will increase the loan eligibility as well as the repaying potential of the people. The high amount of loans will encourage people to invest more in properties.
3. Growth in economic development - Employees of some Central Government departments have already started getting the revised salary as per the Seventh Pay Commission. It means that in these departments the six month arrear will also be distributed during the current financial year itself. Receiving a larger amount together will also encourage individuals to make an investment in the residential sector. The increased investment in real estate sector means growth in the economic development of the country. It is obvious that rapid economic growth always works wonders for real estate sector.
4. Increment in gratuity- The earlier gratuity of INR 10 Lakh has been increased to INR 20 Lakh, and the HRA (Housing Rent Allowance) has been raised from a mere 7.5 Lakh to 25 Lakh. The increment in HRA is bound to bring more money in the real estate sector.
5. Benefits to Pensioners - Pensioners being a major chunk of beneficiaries of the Seventh Pay Commission will now have more funds at their disposal to invest. They can invest in a dream home that is away from the hustle bustle of the city.
6. Higher demand for affordable houses - The substantial hike in salaries of middle-class people might result in more demand for affordable residential properties. This is mainly because more middle-class people will have access to a significantly increased lump sum amount.

The sale of residential properties is expected to increase gradually by the end of this year. The implementation of the RERA bill will also encourage the buyers to invest in the realty sector. Also, the new launches in various areas will give the buyer more options to choose from.

A report by Neelkanth Mishra, Prateek Singh, and Ravi Shankar of Credit Suisse suggests that the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission will have a huge impact on the properties in small towns as compared to the ones in the main cities. This is mainly because more than 80% of the Central Government employees are located in tier II and III cities.

As per the experts, now is the right time to invest in the real estate sector. The expected surge in the realty sector in the coming times might just bring you the wonderful stroke of luck you need. The development of properties in Devanhalli town in Bengaluru makes it a great option for investment.

The experts also believe that along with the housing sector, the transportation sector too will receive a boost. It is seen that people with more disposal incomes tend to spend more on things like food and transportation.



This is a guest post by Pooja Shet