October 17, 2024: Real estate consulting firm CBRE South Asia announced the findings of its report, ‘India Market Monitor Q3 2024 – Residential’. According to the report, India’s luxury housing segment (units priced at Rs 4 crore and above) witnessed significant growth in sales, showing an approximate 37.8% YoY increase during the Jan-Sep’24 period. Total sales of luxury units during the Jan-Sep’24 period stood at approximately 12,625 compared to around 9,160 units during the same period last year.
Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Hyderabad emerged as prominent markets, accounting for nearly 90% of the total luxury housing sales across the top seven cities. Further, Pune recorded a noteworthy increase in luxury sales activity, with 810 unit sales in the same period. In terms of quantum luxury residential unit sales, Delhi-NCR topped with sales of approximately 5,855 units, a 72% YoY increase, followed by Mumbai at around 3,820 units, recording 18% YoY growth.
| City | Total luxury unit sales | |
| 9M’24 | 9M’23 | |
| Delhi-NCR | 5,855 | 3,410 |
| Mumbai | 3,820 | 3,250 |
| Pune | 810 | 330 |
| Bangalore | 35 | 240 |
| Kolkata | 380 | 240 |
| Hyderabad | 1,540 | 1,560 |
| Chennai | 185 | 130 |
| Total | 12,630 | 9,165 |
A similar trend prevailed during the Jul-Sep’24 quarter in the luxury housing segment across the top cities, registering an 82% YoY increase in sales. The quarter witnessed total sales of approximately 4,360 luxury housing units compared to around 2,390 units during the same quarter last year. During the quarter, cities including Delhi-NCR and Mumbai predominated housing sales, collectively accounting for about 90% of total sales. Moreover, Kolkata saw a notable 1.6-fold increase in luxury residential sales.
| City | Total luxury unit sales | |
| Q3 2024 | Q3 2023 | |
| NCR | 2,590 | 480 |
| Mumbai | 1,280 | 1,040 |
| Banagalore | 50 | 90 |
| Pune | 12 | 27 |
| Chennai | 150 | 75 |
| Hyderabad | 200 | 630 |
| Kolkata | 80 | 50 |
| Total | 4,360 | 2,390 |
The surge in demand for luxury housing has been primarily attributable to a growing preference among affluent buyers for enhanced amenities and more spacious living areas that complement their multifaceted lifestyles. Moreover, the increasing aspirational class has significantly contributed to the increased demand for luxury properties. Furthermore, the rise in NRI and astute domestic investors in the Indian real estate market has considerably fueled the heightened demand for luxury residences.
This trend aligns with the shift in buyer preferences towards high-end units launched by leading developers, as evidenced by the substantial market share of tier-I developers. This shift is anticipated to persist, reflecting the evolving expectations of contemporary homebuyers who are now more discerning and informed regarding developer reputation, execution capability, and financial stability.
Overall residential sector sales during Jan-Sep’24
The residential sector maintained a strong performance in absolute numbers, with over 2,25,000 units sold during this period. The steady demand has encouraged developers to introduce new projects and additional phases, adding approximately 2,15,000 units to the market. Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore collectively represented 64% of total sales between January and September 2024. Boosted by strong market dominance, Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad collectively accounted for 64% of the cumulative unit launches from Jan-Sep’24. The share of mid-range projects in total sales for the first nine months of 2024 was about 44%, followed by high-end and affordable projects.
In the Jul-Sep’24 quarter, sales exceeded approximately 68,400 units, accompanied by over 62,000 new unit launches. The cumulative share of apartment launches for Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad stood at 65%. Similarly, the total share of sales for the same quarter attributed to Pune, Mumbai, and Bangalore is also 65%. Mumbai topped the sales, holding a 32% share, followed by Pune with 18%, Bangalore with 15%, and Delhi-NCR with 12%.
Anshuman Magazine, chairman and CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, said, ” India’s luxury housing market is witnessing significant growth, reflected in an increase in sales. Following strong performance in the first half of 2024 and the seasonal boost during festivals, we expect sales and new launches to exceed 3,00,000 units for the second consecutive year. However, elevated capital values in an uncertain global economy may lead buyers to adopt a cautious approach. Property prices will likely be influenced by unsold inventory, project quality, and infrastructure access. We also foresee heightened demand in the high-end and premium segments, with traditional mid-range markets like Noida, Bangalore, Pune, and Chennai increasingly gravitating towards luxury developments. As the market shifts from bungalows to modern apartments and penthouses, the premiumisation of amenities will be a key differentiator in luxury projects.”
Residential sector outlook
Given the strong performance in H1 2024 and the sector’s tendency to peak during the festive season, the report forecasted both sales and new launches of residential units to remain elevated. However, high capital values amidst an uncertain global economic scenario may lead homebuyers to take a wait-and-watch approach to purchasing decisions.
In addition, as erstwhile price points realign, the report predicted the high-end/premium categories (Rs 1 to 2 crore and Rs 2 to 4 crore, respectively) to witness strong demand. Additionally, the traditional mid-end segment-dominated markets such as Noida, Bangalore, Pune, and Chennai are expected to continue gravitating increasingly towards high-end developments.
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