Kerala

Property shows are here to stay

With the countdown to yet another property expo having already begun, one can be rest assured of the fact that property shows are here to stay. Being the commercial capital of the state it’s perhaps the privilege of Kochi to play the role of a host to property pageants in quick succession. It’s not only the apex bodies of builders alone are organising such expos but individual builders are also putting up property shows frequently.

What prompts the builders to organise such events at frequent intervals? “The property shows are organised with two aims in mind. Firstly, it brings about better awareness among the public and secondly, it collectively showcases the crop currently available for sale before the discerning customers”, remarks a leading Kochi based builder.

Anumod Menon of Manjooran Housing also shares this view. Says he,” From the client’s perspective, it’s very important to know what’s available in the market and the precise range of products. And through property shows, exposure to both the builder and buyer is provided in equal measure”.

Most of the builders are of the opinion that the property shows definitely opens up more business channels. The ongoing trends in design, interiors and several other aspects also get displayed during the property shows. Earlier such expos were held only in major towns. But with the presence of more players, more projects and more importantly, the expectation of generating more business, the smaller towns in the state are also becoming the venue for property shows. “For builders every property show is an opportunity to spread product awareness which ultimately benefits the customers in their decision making through easy comparison”, reveals K.Lava, a senior builder in Kochi.

Since property expos have been consistently generating good revenue many have converted it into an annual event. The property show organised by Kerala Builders Forum (KBF) is one such expo that’s been here for several years and it has turned out to be a regular annual event in Kochi. The show organised by Kerala Builders Forum is, perhaps, the biggest show of its kind in Kerala and is more or less organised during July and December as it marks the period when most NRIs from Middle East reach Kerala shores for their vacation. Many of such expos are organised during weekends which makes it even more convenient for many to attend such events.

“In the earlier editions we received an excellent response both in terms of spot sales and follow up sales and this year too we are hoping to hit it big” says George E George of Infra Housing who is currently the chairman of Kerala Builders Forum. And, prompted by the success, KBF has been organising property shows in both in India and Middle East countries twice a year.

For, Middle East countries are much potential target zone of customers for most builders. Each property show also comes with unusual offers such as waiver of processing fee for home loans, attractive price discounts for on-the-spot deals and freebies in various formats such as furnishing, air-conditioning or car parking for free. This apart, builders also offer substantial price discounts on a square feet basis.

Apartments and villas from across the state with varied options that can suit every budget and taste are offered by the professional builders in such expos and the participating home financing companies, which are often part and parcel of all property shows, surface with special offers too. The relatively new phenomenon of property shows can be viewed as an aftermath of stiff competition in the market. The realty scene in Kochi is going places these days and is also getting crowded with numerous players and their projects. And property shows are just one of the several strategic moves taken by the builders to reach out to their prospective customers more effectively.

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