Despite inflation edging higher in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war and surging oil prices, the RBI has again decided to keep the repo rates unchanged at 4% and reverse repo rate at 3.35%. This is the eleventh consecutive time that the RBI maintained status quo amid the current uncertainties and the global economy also seeing a sharp rise in inflation.
The real estate industry had been gearing up for an increase in the repo rates, and the fact that this has not happened is obviously positive for home loan borrowers. Developers' input costs have been inflating steeply and a hike in property prices is not more or less inevitable. Moreover, the acquisition cost in Maharashtra has gone up by 1% on account of the metro cess applicable from this month. To this sombre backdrop, increased home loan lending rates would have been a considerable setback.
Homebuyers have a continued opportunity to avail of decadal low home loan interest rates. The overall cost of living has increased significantly since the Ukraine debacle began playing out, and the RBI has taken a proactive and necessary step to maintain relative housing affordability in the country.