chennai notwithstanding the perceived slowdown in the real estate sector due to high interest rates about halfadozen mega residential projects are slated for launch during the pongal festival most of them have rolled out prelaunch offers to lure buyers home buyers hesitate to book a property during the margazhi month middecember to midjanuary but over the past few years prelaunch discount offers during this period have attracted bookings industry sources forecast a steady demand and do not see a big slowdown in chennai residential deals despite high interest rates drilling hole in consumers pockets if these projects do well then it could signal the revival in sentiment said mathew joseph the head for mortgage lender housing development finance company hdfc the projects are mostly concentrated on the old mahabalipuram road and gst road for instance green tree homes has just launched its 600unit green 2001 in siruseri pacifica builders is launching its aurum a 600unit complex near padur on the omr and olympias grande a 400unit complex that will double its space when it completes is coming up in pallavaram bulk of the projects are launched on the omr and gst road where it professionals are looking to buy flats to avoid commuting long distances so the demand is always there said s ramaswamy associate director of recs group a real estate consultant there is a clear shift from the city to suburban chennai the target segment for the developers was the doubleincome middleclass tech families joseph said in chennai there has not been much of a slowdown only the sentiment has been slightly affected with no jump in prices the residential market is very sustained more project launches are expected by the yearend and next year fueling positive growth in 2012 said chitti babu md of akshaya homes and honorary secretary of confederation of real estate developers associations of india demand always existed in chennai but the interest rates could affect buying capacity said kalpana murthy associate director of residential services cushman wakefield however with speculation that guideline values for property registration would be revised anytime now buyers might rush to seal deals she said