The interesting thing about India’s real estate market in 2026 is not simply that demand remains strong. It is where that demand is coming from, and what buyers and occupiers are willing to pay for.

Residential sales across the top seven cities rose 8% year-on-year to 70,631 units in Q1 2026, while homes priced at Rs 1 crore and above accounted for 71% of sales, compared with 59% a year earlier, according to JLL.

Arjun Gehlot, Director, Ambience Group, said, “Homebuyers are looking at the residence as a long-term lifestyle decision. Space, planning, location and the quality of the surrounding environment are becoming more important in the purchase conversation. The willingness to allocate a higher budget is also visible in the continued demand for luxury housing, particularly in established urban markets where buyers already understand the value of the location.”

Commercial real estate is seeing its own expansion. CBRE recorded 45.5 million sq ft of office absorption in H1 2026, the highest half-year figure recorded, with GCCs accounting for about 43% of leasing.