Pune-based Gera Developments forays into USA realty market with two premium residential projects in San Francisco

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 9 (ANI/Hunk Golden and Media): Gera Developments, with a track record of over 50 years, one of the pioneers of the real estate industry and the award-winning creators of premium residential and commercial projects including the innovative ChildCentric® Homes in Pune and Goa has expanded its footprint internationally with the completion of construction of two mixed-use condominium projects in San Francisco, California and the launch of sales.
Gera Developments through its wholly-owned U.S.A. subsidiary, Outdo Inc. has invested in project SPVs that are developing these projects. Outdo Inc owns a 50 per cent stake in each project.Both projects are located in the South of Market district in the immediate proximity of many technology companies including the headquarters for public companies Twitter Inc., Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and Square Inc.
The first project is called 1288 Howard. Situated on Howard Street in San Francisco the project has 129 residential units comprising of studios, one- and two-bedroom flats, artist-style lofts and townhouses. The project also offers expansive street-level commercial and restaurant spaces spread over an area of 13,000 square feet. The second project, Le Centre is located at 42 Otis Street, San Francisco consists of 24 residential studios along with commercial space spanning over 3500 square feet.
Rohit Gera, Managing Director, Gera Developments said, "It is a matter of great pride for us to be amongst the very few Indian real estate developers expanding internationally especially by establishing a presence in California. We are proud to announce the completion and launch of sales of our two very prestigious projects during our 50th year celebrations. This truly demonstrates our brand philosophy to constantly "Outdo" ourselves for our customers. We have learned a lot from the experience of developing projects in the most advanced market in the world. Whether it is the importance of taking all decisions or achieving full financial closure before commencement of the project. These learnings will all help us improve and outdo in our performance in the Indian market too. We are confident that 1288 Howard Street and Le Centre will become landmarks in their micro-markets."
Nikhil Gera, President, Outdo Inc. said, "Our strong reputation and legacy, financial credibility and consistent sales growth coupled a high degree of customer centricity enabled us to look beyond India, our home turf. We have already started getting very positive customer feedback and response for these 2 projects and are confident of selling out these two projects per our targeted timelines. The total top line for these projects is approximately USD 150 million or Rs 1150 Crores, we anticipate achieving an average sales price of $1350 per square foot or Rs 1 lac per square foot and above. The experience of developing these two projects in San Francisco, with high end specifications and finishes will certainly enhance our ability to refine our upcoming projects in India as the market evolves. Examples of specifications not customary in India include 10-year construction defect warranties, acoustic dampening flooring, US leading California building energy efficiency standards, dual pane windows, EV chargers and car share programs. As we look ahead to 2022, we expect to continue expanding in California - a key growth market for us."
Nikhil Gera resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and further stated that Outdo Inc has already commenced work on two other properties in San Francisco Bay Area that are in the design and approvals phase.
It's noteworthy that construction for both projects commenced shortly before the pandemic and continued throughout the pandemic because residential construction was treated as an essential service by the city of San Francisco. Therefore COVID lock downs did not stop or delay construction work. Also, the regulations for selling condominiums in California do not permit the sale and collection of construction progress payments during construction, like in India. Therefore, sales can only take place after the completion of construction. Consequently, all banks require projects to have 100% final closure prior to the start of construction.
The San Francisco condominium market has been soft during the pandemic, with people preferring living in single family homes, but is expected to pick up as employees return to offices. Further, the local venture economy continues to be very strong as evidenced by 95 San Francisco Bay Area company initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2021 that raised billions of dollars. This massive creation of wealth continues to drive demand for homes.
Gera, a reputed brand for 50 years, one of the pioneers of the real estate business in Pune, is recognized as the creators of premium residential and commercial projects in Pune and Goa and has its global presence through developments in California, USA.
Gera prides itself on providing long-term enjoyment to customers by having a distinct 'customer-first approach. The philosophy of Gera is "Let's Outdo," which rests on the trinity of innovation, transparency, and enhancing customer experience. It is at the heart of Gera's effort to infuse innovation and transparency in real estate and home building, with an unwavering focus on meeting the shifting lifestyle dynamics of their customers while upholding the premium living experience. Accordingly, there are many 'firsts' that stand to Gera's credit.
The company introduced a 5-Year Warranty on Real Estate consisting of Preventive Maintenance & Repairs and provision of Insurance of buildings way back in 2004 for the first time in India. RERA mandated the same only in 2017. And GDPL has now introduced India's first & only 7-year warranty in real estate.
It has designed and launched the pathbreaking concept, the award-winning ChildCentric® Homes, which has revolutionised the real estate sector for both the developer and the home buyer. Other revolutionary and highly successful product lines have been IntelliplexesTM, SkyVillasTM, and The Imperium series. In its 50th Year, the company has launched yet another first-of-its-kind industry initiative - Gera's Home Equity Power by providing financial flexibility to customers to withdraw funds from their prior payments to meet financial emergencies.
These products are matched by the services of the GeraWorld® Mobile App, which brings speed, convenience, and transparency to the buyer and enhances the customer experience. Gera has also recently launched the Club Outdo initiative, a tech-driven loyalty and referral program that provides multiple benefits, offers, and community engagement opportunities to existing and new customers.
The company emphasizes delivering value-added experiences to customers and is driven by trust, quality, customer first, and innovation. The projects are designed around the evolving needs of their customers. The company has won several national and international awards on both the product and service front. GDPL also continues to be certified as 'India's Great Mid-Size Workplaces' by the Great Places to Work (GPTW) Institute for the fourth straight year in a row. GDPL has also ranked #18 on the list of Best Small and Medium Companies to Work for in Asia in 2021.
Gera envisions bringing out the best of real estate in India. As it redefines new standards of service orientation, product innovation, real estate marketing, and brand building, it is consistently generating fresh value for its stakeholders and raising the bar for the industry.
Please visit www.gera.in for more information on the company.
For further details on the projects and images: www.1288Howard.com and www.lecentresf.com
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Sonia Kulkarni | Hunk Golden and Media
9820184099 |sonia.kulkarni@hunkgolden.in
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