Zak India Property Expo 2007 - April 26 to 29

Prospective homeowners will find most of what they need at one spot next week. Zak India Property Expo 2007, being held at the Chennai Trade Centre from April 26 to 29, will be accompanied by partner exhibitions, BuildTech and InteriorExterior Expo. "For a person who wants to build a house, he needs the latest technology in building materials, he needs the property... and then at the end of the process, he needs accessories for the interiors," said Syed Zakir Ahmed, chairman and managing director of Zak Trade Fairs and Exhibitions. Thirty developers will showcase 300 properties in Chennai and other cities, with prices ranging from Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 20,000 per square foot for commercial projects and Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 7,000 for residential projects. Mr. Ahmed expects 1.45 lakh people to visit the exhibitions, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and have a single entry ticket costing Rs. 30. A legal advice booth, with independent advisers, will help visitors understand the jargon of the construction world and offer advice on legal documents. "People get confused... What is plinth area and what is carpet area? We don't want anyone to get cheated," he said. G.R.K. Reddy, managing director of MARG Constructions, one of the sponsors, feels that townships can be one of the buzzwords at the fair, which is being held during a boom phase in Chennai's property market. "Real estate prices are on a high because there is less supply and more demand. But houses take time to build. A lot of townships are coming up... In 18-24 months, 30,000 to 40,000 homes are coming up [in these townships], and they will meet the demand. Prices will go down."