Whenever our team is doing well in a certain sport, we all want to be a part of the action, either by participating or observing it closely. With the Sensex hovering around the magical 20k mark, some of us are happy to be a part of it; while others plan to make sure that they don’t miss the next upturn in stock prices. Similarly, as the prospects of a real estate boom in and around Delhi becomes clearer, the stark contrast between the US and Indian real estate markets in general becomes more evident than ever.

While the real estate investment environment resembles a horror movie for the US investor, the scenario appears to be quite different in India. Thankfully, despite talks of increasing consumerism and disposable income, Delhiites still remain a credit conservative lot, with the savings rate remaining fairly high compared to other countries.

Now comes the question… what sparks off the belief that real estate is set to go through an exponential increase? Apart from the much talked about population factor that is definitely going to ask for more houses, the mass exodus of people from other parts of the country to the national capital is a big active real estate boom driver for the forthcoming years. The most heartening part for real estate developers is the dominance of young professionals in the service and industry sectors on the lookout for posh residential facilities.

Currently, the information technology sector is the largest driver of commercial real estate prices. At the same time, the financial services sector and multiplexes are not lagging far behind, with their growth being fueled by the rising income levels in the city. And… before we finish, don’t forget the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi.