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Real Estate 101 – A to Z about the Lock-In Period in a Leasing Contract

Commercial properties such as office buildings or warehouses can be observed as excellent investments. This is because they deliver high yields, are reliable, and escalate over time. It is well-known that location affects the value of a property. If it’s a commercial property with a high degree of accessibility, it is natural for the asset to make a high rent. An important but usually ignored part of CRE investments is generally the lease and lock-in periods. 

What is a lock-in period? 

Lock-in periods belong to a part of the lease contract. The significant bit is – while landlords are tied by the lease duration, lessees are bound by the lock-in period. If a property has a lease term of 9 years and a lock-in period of 3 years, the tenant needs to continue staying in the space for 3 years or pay the rent for the lock-in period if they choose to shift basis. 

Why is a lock-in period significant? 

A clause with the lock-in period in leasing agreement India is extremely important because it makes sure your returns are steady and guards your investment against struggling. Even if the lessee decides to abort the ship or the market conditions go bad for some reason (a pandemic, for instance), a decent lock-in period can be a saving grace in this scenario. It gives you more time to look for a new tenant or wait for the market to bounce back while still providing you with a return on your investment. 

So, what’s a ‘good’ lock-in period? 

In commercial real estate, the lock-in period in leasing can change from 3 years to anything like 9 years. That’s a substantial range and it generally comes down to the kind of asset and tenant in question. For instance: Firms that are into manufacturing need an industrial space that they can personalize to the last bit. They seek out longer lock-in durations (occasionally 15 years or more), since their work floor is regarded as the most stable portion of their business. 

White-collar companies require offices. They need desks, chairs, and some computers, and their necessities are met. This is why these companies want lock-in periods that are on the shorter end of the spectrum (lesser than 5 years). When it comes to warehousing, the lock-in periods typically tend to remain within 5-9 years. 

When you’re deciding to invest in commercial real estate, do keep in mind the type of property and the lock-in period it has, irrespective of the tenant. If the period is too less (e.g. lesser than 3 years), the tenant might not consider sticking around. If you’re not able to renegotiate for a longer lock-in with the tenant, it is best not to go for the property.

On the other hand, if the lock-in is too long, you have to pay the rent that’s lower compared to the market average, which is still fine as long as you are making stable returns. Several other intricate details need to be taken into consideration when you’re deciding to invest in a commercial space in India. 

CRE Matrix is a leading company that offers real estate data analytics India. It offers elaborate details about the leasing status of numerous businesses across the industry. You can take a look at what their leasing agreement entails including the lock-in period clauses of those contracts. 

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.

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4 Things You Need to Know Before Signing a Contract for Leasing Commercial Space

Signing a lease is a significant milestone for a new business owner. Whether you’re launching a store or shifting to a new office space or leasing out facilities for production. At some point, you’re most likely going to have to set aside some space for your business. 

Once you have zeroed in on the space, signing the agreement often feels like the final step before you can shift in and concentrate on running your business. But similar to the majority of other legal agreements, a business lease is a vital piece of document that needs thorough research. 

The fine print in a commercial lease is extremely imperative. There are two basic steps that need to be followed prior to signing a lease: 1) Conduct a thorough search and 2) Need to know of general statutes that are included in business leases. 

Once the basic pricing and term structures have been established, it’s time to understand some of the less-obvious details. Here are a couple of things a business owner needs to be aware of before signing a leasing contract India:

Transfer Structure: Determine how your lease will get transferred if you wish to leave the space or your business shuts down. Typically, there are two structures for transferring a lease: assignment of the lease and subletting. 

Assignment of the lease refers to the fact that the complete lease is reassigned to a new tenant. Subletting happens when an existing tenant keeps their name on the lease but is given payment from the new tenant and then pays that money to the landlord. 

In both scenarios, you generally have to specify prior written consent before transferring the lease in the leasing agreement.

Personal Exposure: In a few cases, you may be needed to sign personal guarantees when you are leasing commercial space India. These contracts mean you’re personally on the hook for features of the lease even if your business defaults. Get legal counsel to negotiate this part of your agreement. If possible, you would only want your entity or legal business to take on the gamble when you’re signing a business lease. 

Holdover Rent: It essentially refers to a rent increase when the tenant continues to stay even after the lease has ended. For leasing office space Mumbai, a number of agreements, have a clause where it’s stated that, in these scenarios, businesses are accountable for up to 250% of their standard rent payment on a monthly basis. So, if you stay beyond your allotted time, it could cost you a lot of money. 

Non-disturbance Agreement: In numerous cases, if the landlord is not able to pay the mortgage on the property, the business will still be evicted, even if their making all of your payments, With a non-disturbance agreement, if this happens, you will be allowed to stay and continue paying whatever entity has seized control of the building from your landlord. 

In a nutshell, these are the five things you need to be aware of before you sign a lease agreement. Check out CRE Matrix, a leading real estate data analytics company India, which allows you to take a sneak peek at the lease agreement status and other details of numerous businesses across the country. 

Visit CRE Matrix for more such exciting analysis and details on real estate.

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Significant Clauses in Commercial Lease that Tenants Need to Know

When you sign on to a commercial property on lease, a contract for the same needs to be carefully executed and planned. There is generally a massive rental outgo in commercial establishments and therefore, the premises to be taken on rent needs to be completely checked. The rental agreement becomes a vital part of your business and the conditions therein will affect your work and operations, as long as you are on those premises. 

Let’s look at some of the important clauses in a commercial lease India that a lessee should be aware of:

Competitor Clause: It’s imperative that you try to get a competitor clause in the leasing contract. This clause will prevent the landlord from renting out space in the same building, in which you are shifting, to your competitor. This can work out to be extremely useful, especially if you’re a retailer. 

Concessions in Rent: You need to find out if the landlord can offer specific relaxations, such as waiving the rent for the initial one or two months of the lease duration. Landlords can be flexible if the premises have been available for quite some time. Other relaxations can comprise sharing of renovation expenses or a paint job for the premises that will be paid for by the landlord. 

Gross Rent Lease or Net Rent Lease: There needs to be sufficient clarity between your landlord and you, about the elements other than the rent, such as maintenance fees, property tax, insurance, and expenditures towards common areas.When it is about the gross rental deed, you will be responsible for paying the rent and other relevant expenses. In a net lease deed, you will only be entrusted with the task of paying the base rent. 

Lease Termination Conditions: This is a significant clause in commercial lease. Inspect the conditions, under which the landlord can end the lease, as they can often be tight. One needs to plan for circumstances where the building is sold by the landlord, while the lease term has not finished. 

Lease Renewal Clause: Lease tenure of one or two years will offer you the flexibility, especially if you own a small business, to move out for expansion or to better premises when needed. Nevertheless, there needs to be a clause to renew the agreement, after the initial one or two years, at the same rent or a hike that has been agreed upon mutually. When you take a commercial space on rent, your leasing agreement needs to have a proposed escalation in rentals in writing, in case you opt to renew the contract. 

Security Deposit and its Return 

There will be a set sum that you would have to deposit with the landlord as security. This security deposit will be equivalent to two or three months’ rent. You need to try and negotiate the amount you have to keep as the security deposit. If you find that there are numerous vacant establishments in that neighborhood or if the landlord is not corporate, there is more scope for negotiation to work. Tenants need to also inspect the conditions relating to the return of the security deposit. 

In a nutshell, these are a couple of the significant clauses in a commercial lease every tenant should be aware of. 

CRE Matrix will give you all the leasing data including clauses across businesses and sectors. 

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.

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Real Estate 101 – All About Commercial Property Leasing in India

The real estate industry is regarded as one of the most universally recognized sectors. It contains four sub-sectors including housing, hospitability, retail, and commercial. The evolution of this industry is accompanied by the development in the corporate setting and the need for office space as well as urban and semi-urban accommodations. 

In India, the real estate sector is considered to be the second-highest employment generator, following the agriculture industry. It is anticipated that this sector will gain more non-resident Indian (NRI) investment, both long term as well as short term. Bengaluru is believed to be the most preferred property destination for NRIs currently. 

While there is a high demand for purchasing commercial properties, there is a rise in leasing commercial lease India as well following the reduction in the severity of the pandemic. 

What is Commercial Leasing?

A commercial leasing India is essentially a lease that is utilized for a commercial property where a company would conduct its business. These leases comprise an array of unique terms, including tasks connected to the upkeep of the property. 

Unlike residential leases which are quite easy to comprehend, a commercial lease can be a little more complicated as it comes with numerous terms and conditions. Moreover, commercial property on lease is notonly given out to people but also to entities like the sole proprietorship, corporates, or HUF. 

Kinds of Leasing Structures in India

On a broad level, there are roughly two main types of leases in India:

Financial Lease

It refers to a long-term duration lease. It encompasses the capital outlay in addition to the required rate of return on funds for the duration of the lease. In this case, the lessor plans to cover the expenses of the capital of the property and also wants to acquire some required rate of return. This financial lease cannot be canceled and the lessee has to make several payments in order to use the property. 

In this case, the property rights continue to stay with the owner during the lease period. However, when the lease is about to expire, the tenant party is provided the choice to buy said property by paying the residual money. The amount is generally estimated at 10% of the value of the property or less. 

This kind of lease can be observed as a loan. The lessee will keep paying the lease rent and pay the remaining amount in the end to own the property.

Operating Lease 

When it comes to operating lease, the legal ownership of the property remains in the hands of the owner of the property. The owner only spreads the right to use his property for economic uses or business purposes for a pre-defined duration of time. 

Once the duration of the lease is coming to an end, it can be determined whether to lengthen the lease and continue to allow the usage of the property to the lessor or terminate the contract. In this case, the ownership always lies with the true owner throughout its run. 

If you wish to look for commercial properties for rent, you can take the help of India’s best real estate data analytics company – CRE Matrix – that allows stakeholders across different industries to view significant leasing data of various companies. 

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A Comprehensive Guide to the Leasing Process in India

Singing a lease is a significant step for any new business owner. Whether you’re inaugurating a store, shifting to new office space, or renting out your facilities, leasing comes into the picture. The universe of commercial real estate India can be complicated, and it can sometimes even take years to find your perfect space. 

Once you have found that space, signing the agreement would be the next step before you can move in and focus on running your company. But, like most legal contracts, a business lease is a significant document that needs some research. 

Let’s look into the steps that are involved in the leasing process in India: 

Lease Selection: 

You have to zero in on the commercial property you wish to conduct your business. The leasing process begins when the lessee agrees to enter into a leasing agreement with the lessor. After gathering information and conducting thorough research, the lessee goes to the leasing company or broker (lessor) and a lease contract is roughly negotiated and finalized between them. 

Title Ownership Validation: 

As a business owner, you need to make sure that you have all the details and the information pertaining to the ownership of the property. This is why access to the title deep is absolutely essential to validate the lease. Check to verify there is no sub-rent of any other form of lease linked to the property before getting into a contract with the landlord of the commercial property. 

Income Tax & Mortgage Verification:

It is absolutely recommended to check the income tax background of the landlord to investigate if there are any remaining disputes or illegal proceedings. If there is any ambiguity, you could get into serious trouble later and there will be financial consequences. 

Lease Contract: 

One of the most significant parts of the leasing process is the lease agreement. Both the lessor and the lessee need to sign a contractual agreement where they list the details, terms, and conditions of the contract. The duration of the lease agreement will be cited. For instance: A typical commercial lease agreement can last from 3 to 5 years. It could either be a full pay-out lease or nominal rentals may have to be paid. 

Lease Period: 

Generally, the regular lease rental is usually paid by the lessee. While this depends on the agreement, usually the tenant is the one who is entrusted with the responsibility of properly maintaining the commercial space. At the end of the lease period, the lessee has the right to either renew the lease or terminate it. If the property is up for sale, they can even try buying it. 

Once you have gone through the leasing process, you can move in as per the commencement date and begin running your business on said property. 

If you’re looking for a commercial property to lease, CRE Matrix can help you by offering you an extensive line-up of properties all over India along with their lease data. 

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.

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Real Estate Leasing 101 – Passing Rent vs. Market Rent

When rentals for a particular asset, micro-market or city are analyzed, traditional platforms talk about the quoted rents. However, quoted rents can significantly vary as these are not the “transacted” rents and can include a lot of irrational premiums.

The most appropriate measures of rentals for any asset or region are two – Market rents and Passing rents. Average annual rent could be a confusing term for many, which is why it is important to understand the difference between market rent and passing rent.

What does passing rent mean in real estate?

Passing rent of an asset is the weighted average rent which all tenants in that asset are paying today, irrespective of when their tenancy started in the asset. When landlords or brokers are looking for fair rental value, it is important to look at passing rentals.

What does market rent mean in real estate?

Market rent of an asset is the weighted average rent which all tenants in that asset are paying today, for only those tenants which either signed a new lease or a renewal lease in the current year. It does not include the weighted average rentals of any tenant whose lease would have commenced earlier than the current year. Market rent estimate is often not calculated in the way it should be. One way to do it is to bifurcate it into passing and market rentals.

Take a look at the passing vs. market rent for Gurgaon from 2017 upto 2022, documents accessed through CRE Matrix.

Passing Rent vs. Market Rent – Gurgaon

The average passing rent for Gurgaon in 2017 was Rs. 74.3 per Sq.ft in a month as opposed to the market rent that was Rs. 79.3 per Sq.ft on a monthly basis. The trend for the average passing rent to be lower than the market rent continued in 2018, 2019 and 2020 as well. In this case, the market had shifted towards the landlords as new tenants would have to pay more rent according to the rates charged by the market.

The pandemic had a serious impact on the average passing rent and the market rent. In 2021, the average passing rent was Rs. 90.4 while the market rent was only Rs. 81.6. In 2022, so far the average passing rent is Rs. 93 per sq.ft in a month in Gurgaon as opposed to the market rent being Rs. 81.9 Rs per sq.ft per month. In this scenario, the market had titled towards the tenants as voluntary exits puts pressure on the landlords. Hence, as rentals declined a bit, the market rentals had gone below passing rents in some regions.

CRE Matrix has analyzed lakhs of rental documents across India and has assessed the market rent and passing rent for these commercial premises. CRE Matrix is the country’s most preferred authentic analytics platform that lets stakeholders from various sectors evaluate the passing vs. market rent and so much more.

For more CRE industry insights and data research do contact us.

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10 Factors to Consider before Purchasing Commercial Property in India

With the rising growth of the country’s population, the demand for commercial real estate India has also substantially increased. This is why investing in commercial properties can assist you to yield high returns on investment. Buying commercial real estate is not as complicated as it might look. 

You need to consider some of these commercial property tips before finalizing them for purchase: 

Market Research

When you start the process to buy a commercial property in Pune, you need to spend some time analyzing the trends of the market well in order to acquire a profit. Before you purchase a property, it is vital to assess the scope of the future development in the locality. When you invest in a project in a developing area, it is more lucrative as it provides you high returns on investment as compared to purchasing a property in a well-developed area. 

Assess the Location

Location is a significant factor that needs to be factored into while you buy commercial property Bengaluru. The location needs to be accessible from other locations with a robust infrastructure. If you purchase a property in a premium location, it is sure to guarantee high returns on your investment. 

Types of Commercial Properties 

Commercial real estate comprises industrial complexes, retail shops, big apartment buildings, office buildings, and many more. When you have decided to dabble into commercial property buying, you need to determine the kind of real estate you would want to deal with. 

Evaluate the Layout Plan 

The layout has a chief impact on operational efficiency. Ensure that the project has been given all the approvals from the concerned authority so that you don’t end up making any incorrect investment decisions. 

Lease Structure 

This lease is a long-term contract between the owner of the commercial space and the occupier. While assessing an investment, the tenant needs to comprehend the lease structure and the risk involved in the investment. 

Pick the Appropriate Builder 

While you invest in a commercial property, ensure that you choose a well-respected building with a proven track record of successfully completed projects. You need to cross-check and verify the credibility of the builder before you finalize and zero in on a commercial property. 

Recognize the Element of Risk

Prior to purchasing any commercial property, you need to keep in mind all the possible risk factors. Monitor the market trends, the geographical location, and the building’s history to assess the risk involved in purchasing the commercial property. 

Value Assessment 

Examine the value of similar properties in the proximity and amass information on the types of rents that other properties have so that you can negotiate well with the seller. In order to make a good commercial deal, negotiation is significant. 

Evaluate the Rental Earnings Post Tax and Insurance 

Assess the earnings that you will make after you pay for the tax and insurance to understand how much you can earn on a yearly basis after subtracting all these expenses. It will help you to understand what your investment will look like in the future. 

Quality of Tenant 

A good-quality tenant can help to considerably increase the value of a commercial property. Good tenants pay rents on time, pay higher deposits, stay longer, and help boost the value of the property. 

At CRE Matrix, you will be able to look at a number of commercial properties and the comparables in the market that can help you make a decision. 

Visit CRE Matrix for more such exciting analysis and details on real estate.

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Checklist before Leasing Commercial Property in India

When you lease a commercial space, it is not the same process as renting a residential home. Be it the monthly payments or the security amount and the tenure, commercial leasing in India differs significantly from residential renting. CRE Matrix is a real estate data analytics firm that lets stakeholders take a look at the many commercial spaces that have been leased and compare it with others in the market. 

When you’re leasing commercial property, do keep in mind that residential rentals are lesser as compared to commercial ones. Moreover, commercial leases are for a longer time period that can range up to five years or more. However, residential rentals are typically for 11 months. While in both the scenarios, the tenant or the lessee rents a property and pays monthly rentals, you will find that the terms and conditions are quite different. Therefore, the relevant question here is how one should go about leasing a commercial property in India. 

Pointers to Consider before Leasing Commercial Properties 

Property Ownership: The first step includes inspecting if the project is legally owned by the lessor and has a clear title.Moreover, you need to check if there is a ‘no rent or sublet’ connected to the property before signing the leasing agreement. Make sure you also look for the Occupancy Certificate (OC) and the Power of Attorney (PoA). 

Rent Agreement: The next step is to examine whether the leasing agreement is suitable for you or not.Make sure that all the terms and conditions that were discussed verbally are laid out in the contract.Every single significant detail such as lease duration, security deposit, etc. needs to be declared in the agreement. Furthermore, the lease agreement needs to be duly signed by all the parties. 

Mortgage & Taxes: In the subsequent step, you need to authenticate the income tax status of the lessor. When you look at a commercial property for lease, make sure to confirm if there are any dues unpaid or legal encumbrances. Moreover, it is important to verify the category of the property under the Income Tax Act. It is critical to know whether it is a commercial or residential property according to the Development Control Regulations. The penalty could be levied in case you operate commercial procedures in a residential space. 

Agents: It is vital to carry out background checks on property agents and dealers before you appoint them. Take to the preceding clients about their work experience with the broker, the duration is taken to close the deal, and the charges levied. If the agents are apprehensive about letting you contact their ex-clients, it clearly suggests that they are hiding something. Therefore, it would be wise to avoid such types of agents. 

To sum up, this is the checklist that needs to be followed before you look at leasing some of the best commercial properties India. 

CRE Matrix is a premier real estate data analytics company India that allows stakeholders across various industries to compare commercial leasing data with other companies in the market.

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.

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Should You Purchase or Lease Commercial Space in India?

If you’re planning to move from your existing property and conduct your business in a new space, you may be plagued with the dilemma of whether to purchase or rent out the new place. The estimated development, income, and legal needs of your business ought to be considered when you take this decision.

Buying a property will help you in saving on the rental charges over a timespan and also gain from any rise in property prices but the initial financial need will be a lot more when compared to renting a unit.

When you look at the best commercial properties India, take the time out to compare the benefits of leasing a commercial space vs. buying a property: 

Advantages of leasing a commercial space

Cash Flow: If you look at it completely from the outlook of cash flow, acquiring commercial space for rent is better when compared to buying it. If you’re relatively new to doing business then you might want to opt for leasing space as opposed to purchasing it. In the case of rental, your initial monetary outgo will be restricted to the security deposit and the first month’s rent. When it comes to purchasing, you will have to pay the entire price of the property, or at least, the down payment needed for a loan, which is usually quite high. 

Maintenance of the Property: In numerous scenarios, the duty of maintaining the property falls on the landlord. If you don’t want to spend your time and money on periodic maintenance and wish to focus on your main business, then leasing may be a better choice. The costs connected to maintenance are lesser when it comes to Commercial space for lease India. If you buy the property, there could be expenditures related to taking care of the structural soundness of the building, apart from the day-to-day maintenance to repairs. 

Pros of Buying a Commercial Property 

Control over the Property: If you plan on revamping the property, then it’s necessary to have control over it. When you buy commercial space, it can help you to have flexible business hours or allow you to conduct your business in some other way as compared to how you were working on it initially. 

Rise in Land Value: If you wish to shift to a location where land rates are surging and property prices are heading towards an upwards trajectory, then purchasing commercial property makes more sense. The worth of a property may go higher thanks to the improving physical and social infrastructure in the region, or better demographics. 

Regardless of the reason, it would work better for you if you detect such trends early when the rates are not that high. If you buy a property in such a place, you can gain from any escalation in the value of the property, apart from saving on rental outgo. 

In a nutshell, whether you choose to lease or buy commercial space, both the options have their pros and cons. At CRE Matrix, you will be able to take a look at several commercial properties and in-depth leasing data that can help you make a decision. 

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.

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5 Ways to Apply Data Science to Commercial Real Estate in India

The commercial real estate sector in India is on its way to slowly bounce back and recovering in a post-pandemic world. The start of 2022 has unlocked many potentials and scopes of the commercial real estate industry in this country. Increasing demand for appropriate workspaces, commercial properties, and creative concepts in this industry will aid in powerful development. 

With the commercial real estate sector almost returning to its pre-Covid levels, data has become an extremely vital ‘raw material’ of the industry today. Data science has evolved into a separate study thanks to its importance in contributing to the growth of the real estate market. 

Real estate data analytics companies make use of advanced-level analytics and machine learning models to assess information that helps in making better decisions. With its assistance, you can understand consumer behavior, business strategies can be improved, promising market trends can be weighed and any predicted risks can be tactfully averted and dealt with. 

Let’s take a look at how data science can bring about major changes in the commercial real estate sector by helping professionals make well-informed decisions. 

  • Evaluating Data to Estimate Market Trends

Commercial real estate data analytics can assist in predicting property market trends and any risks that might come up in the investment. By using data that comprises a combination of various variables and predictive analysis; it can assess how consumer groups have been behaving over the years, what kind of properties are in demand, the type of leisure activities that consumers like, and how the rent charges have evolved over time. These factors play a huge role in deciding how well or poorly an investment would be able to perform. 

  • Creating the Property Price Indices 

One of the most vital applications of data for commercial real estate is to gather and leverage details connected to the adjoining local areas. Qualitative and quantitative variables play a role in influencing the pricing of commercial properties. Moreover, these elements also work to provide us with a fair idea of which areas might emerge as popular in the future. 

  • Comprehending Performance of Investments 

In the real estate sector, no two properties can be similar. Variables are different even with properties that exist in the same building, not to mention the fluctuating value of properties over time. The evolving rate of an asset, pertaining to the lifecycle and current/future infrastructure, can be traced over the years by making use of data science in this field. 

  • Recognizing & Segregating Leads 

A great way to leverage the power of data science in commercial real estate is to nurture leads. Generally, it is tough for agents to follow up on all the leads that are generated from the many online and offline marketing campaigns. Nevertheless, real estate data providers who have relevant applications and software can provide a ‘seller or buyer score’ to leads that are more likely to sell or purchase properties. This evaluation is made by assessing elements such as demographics, income changes, and buying behavior. 

  • Gauging Profitability of Investment & Construction 

If you’re planning to invest in a commercial real estate space, location intelligence is an extremely significant feature to measure whether the investment would be able to deliver the anticipated profits in the future. Data science in real estate can also prove to be useful to assess environmental conditions so as to finalize a suitable time for the commencement of the construction activities. 

CRE Matrix is India’s best real estate data analytics company that uses data science to help stakeholders across various sectors to assess and compare leasing data and more. 

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.