Australian co eyes space in realty market

BANGALORE: Australian real estate consultancy major LJ Hooker (LJH), which recently entered India with its real estate franchisee business, is now looking to tap the emerging demand for professional property management, particularly in the residential segment in the country.

With homebuyers��� budgets expanding, investing in state-ofthe-art amenities and designer internal fit-outs are the order of the day. LJH���s new venture in India will provide professional maintenance and upkeep of these assets upon project completion.

Project management or letting management provides services like regular property inspections, endof-year financial reporting, tenant sourcing and lease preparation among others. The venture is part of LJH���s project marketing division.

���We believe there is a huge void to be occupied. Domestic and NRI buyers are investing heavily in homes here. In a bull market, a majority of the investments made turn profitable.

Worries about maximising returns crop up only when the market softens. Quality maintenance protects the value of the property considerably during a market slowdown,��� said Alexander Moore, director-CEO, LJH India Project Marketing.

The company is in talks with leading developers across India in a bid to tap their customers and prospective buyers. That apart, the expanding franchisee network will help rope in clients, Mr Moore said.