The third edition of NLHDA Kantipur Real Estate Expo 2013 slated to be held from May 2-5 is expected to give a boost to the country’s overall real estate sector which has remained in the doldrums for the past four years. Briefing the press on Tues-day, the organisers Nepal Land and Housing Developers’ Association and Kantipur Publications said the event had been planned with a motive to give momentum to the sector.

“The real estate sector has been struggling for the past four years. It is high time that we did something to make it vibrant,” said coordinator of the expo Om Rajbhandary. “This expo will work to revive confidence among property buyers.” Rajbhandary added that the real estate sector was a big contributor to the domestic job market, and by boosting it the country can achieve healthy development of the national economy itself.  

The organisers also said that the expo would inform visitors about planned urbanization and its benefits. According to a rough calculation, urbanization is increasing by 6 percent annually in the country. According to this figure, the capital city itself requires around 40,000 new houses annually. “If you go by this rough calculation, there isn’t any alternative to building apartments. All the stakeholders should realize this in time, and we will try to do this through the expo,” said Rajbhandary. All the developed urbanized countries in the world have apartments, he added.

The four-day-long expo to be held at Exhibition Hall at Bhrikuti Mandap, will feature over 60 stalls from 80 exhibitors. Of the total, 16 stalls will feature real estate properties. “These 16 developers account for over 80 percent of the realty property developers in the country,” said Rajbhandary. Most of the developers will be promoting apartments and houses in the price range of Rs 2 million to Rs 7 million. The rest of the stalls will showcase electronic goods, furniture and furnishing items, glass, pipes, paints, carpets, sanitary ware and automobiles, among others. 

What makes this expo a must-visit event is the organisers’ assurance of offering “unbelievable price”. Property buyers during the expo period will get an opportunity to own their desired homes at prices they have been hoping for since a long time ago, said NLHDA.

During the expo period, visitors can also visit the property location through the exhibitors themselves. Likewise, Property Clinic, which will have a team of engineers, lawyers and financial advisors, among others, will offer consultant service to visitors.

Kantipur Chief Marketing Officer Mahesh Swar said the company partnered with the NLHDA to brink back the realty sector to its former vitality. “Real estate has a direct relationship with the common people. Along with the NLHDA, we are hopeful of making this sector vibrant once again.”

source: the himalayan times,1 may 2013