NRI home buying surges, buoyed by roots and solid returns

Kaumi GazetteLife & Style24 May, 20258.2K Views

From serene hill stations to the bustling cities and opulent locales of metro areas, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) are more and more buying properties, not solely as a strategic funding but in addition as a way of staying related with their cultural roots. Developers are getting enquiries from the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, the Middle East, and even Australia. NRIs accounted for roughly 15%–25% of investments in newly launched residential tasks throughout India’s high seven cities — Delhi-NCR, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata — in 2024, Shekhar G. Patel, president of CREDAI, factors out.

Women within the purchaser’s seat

“Cities such as Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai continue to attract interest, backed by infrastructure growth and favourable policy frameworks. At the same time, Tier 2 and 3 cities like Ahmedabad, Kochi, Indore, and Lucknow, are witnessing growing traction among NRIs due to better affordability and rapid urbanisation,” he provides.

“With the Indian economy projected to grow at 6.5% in FY 2025–26, the overall environment remains favourable for long-term investment.”SHALIN RAINA Managing director, residential providers, Cushman & Wakefield

Over the previous two years, one other fascinating pattern that has emerged in India’s actual property sector is the rise within the variety of NRI girls who’re entering into the function of unbiased property patrons. As girls are begining to earn extra overseas, many are investing in properties again home and taking a eager curiosity in retaining the following era carefully related to their households in India.

Traditionally, actual property investments, amongst NRIs, have been dominated by males, usually in joint partnership with spouses. The profile of NRI home patrons has additionally modified. Earlier, the market was dominated by techies, salaried professionals, and established enterprise entrepreneurs. Now this phase is witnessing a shift with youthful patrons, within the age group of 35 to 45, changing into a serious power out there. They are spending anyplace between ₹3 crore and ₹5 crore on properties. Meanwhile, older NRIs, notably these above the age of 40, are gravitating towards luxurious properties with budgets beginning at ₹5 crore. Some patrons are even keen to speculate upwards of ₹25 crore on premium properties.

In 2024, NRIs accounted for 12% of purchases for Bengaluru-based Brigade Group. This elevated to 16% in 2025, fuelled by a choice for contemporary properties that includes well-designed structure, luxurious facilities, and proximity to workspaces. For instance, the agency’s Gateway venture in Hyderabad noticed 35% of its patrons from the NRI class, reflecting the demand for high-end residing areas. “NRIs tend to favour homes where the layouts and architectural styles reflect those in the West, Dubai, or Singapore. They show a preference for contemporary aesthetics and brand-conscious selections,” says Viswa Prathap Desu, COO Residential, Brigade Group.

“At Brigade, we have noticed particular interest in the South Indian cities of Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mysuru,” he provides.

Meanwhile, the Hiranandani Group has additionally skilled a notable enhance in demand from NRI homebuyers for its township tasks positioned in Powai, Thane and Panvel throughout the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and Oragadam in Chennai.

NRI home buying surges, buoyed by roots and solid returns

“Cities such as Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai continue to attract interest, backed by infrastructure growth and favourable policy frameworks”SHEKHAR G. PATELL President of CREDAI

Additionally, extra reasonably priced funding choices, resembling plotted developments, have gained reputation amongst NRI homebuyers on the Oragadam venture in Chennai. Niranjan Hiranandani, chairman and managing director of Hiranandani Communities, says, “For NRI buyers, the preferred investment range for apartments in the Panvel project is between ₹1 crore and ₹2 crore, while in Powai, the ticket size starts at ₹3 crore.” Hiranandani provides that NRIs are likely to favor branded tasks with built-in residing and holistic facilities, self-sustaining ecosystems, excessive leases, skilled concierge providers to keep up properties, assured leases by builders, and higher ROIs to shortlist their investments.

According to statistics shared by DLF Home Developers, through the monetary 12 months (FY) 2023,the firmgenerated$240 million in gross sales from NRI buyers, representing roughly 14% of complete gross sales. In FY 2024, NRI contributions to DLF’s residential phase amounted to round$408 million.And thismomentum continued in FY 2025, with NRI gross sales reaching roughly$421 million. Aakash Ohri, jointmanaging director and chief enterprise officer, DLF Home Developers Ltd,says: “Recent venture launches additional spotlight this traction — NRI patrons accounted for 25% of gross sales in DLF Privana South (round$216.1 million), 27.8% in DLF Privana West (roughly$180 million), and for The Dahlias, round 14% thus far.

NRI home buying surges, buoyed by roots and solid returns

“NRIs tend to favour homes designed with layouts and architectural styles that reect residential styles of the West, Dubai, or Singapore. They show a preference for contemporary aesthetics and brand-conscious selections”VISWA PRATHAP DESUCOO Residential, Brigade Group

Gurugram rising as winner

Looking on the growing demand for properties from the NRI fraternity, DLF Home Developers Ltdis now getting ready to enter markets like Mumbai and Goa.

Ohrinotes that among the many six main metropolitan cities, not less than 4 are at the moment witnessing record-high demand from NRIs, notably within the luxurious phase. “Notably, Gurugram has emerged as the youngest city with the highest demand and price realisations to date.”He provides, “The NCR region now boasts a high concentration of wealth from ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs), business families, industrialists, and NRIs.” Ravi Aggarwal, co-founderandmanaging director, Signature Global (India) Ltd.,has one other commentary. “According to recent World Bank findings, India received 14.3%of all global remittances in 2024 — the highest ever for any country in a single year. Nearly 7% of these remittances are invested in land, property, and securities. This growing interest in Indian real estate is driven by increasing confidence in the country’s economy and strong government backing for infrastructure development and the sector’s immense growth potential in leading cities,” he says. For Signature Global, Southern Peripheral Road and Dwarka Expressway in Gurugram have witnessed vital curiosity from NRIs. “Our premium projects, Titanium SPR in Sector 71 and Deluxe DXP in Sector 37D, Gurugram, are strategically located in these two key corridors,” he says.

Crisil House in Powai.

Crisil House in Powai.
| Photo Credit:
SHASHI ASHIWAL

Resilience throughout volatility

With its potential for secure returns and capital appreciation, property funding provides a way of safety and monetary development, making it a beautiful choice for NRIs in search of to safeguard and develop their wealth in occasions of volatility. “With the Indian economy projected to grow at 6.5% in FY 2025–26, the overall environment remains favourable for long-term investments. Continued implementation of RERA framework has helped maintain transparency and accountability, offering NRIs added confidence in project delivery,” says Shalin Raina, managing director, residential providers, Cushman & Wakefield.

He additional explains that one other key driver of this momentum is the notable value appreciation — property values in key city markets have risen by 20-30% over the previous three years, making actual property a high-return asset. “In addition to this, the flexible payment plans offered by developers, especially in northern India, make the investment more attractive,” he says.

A view of the eastern seaboard of Mumbai

A view of the jap seaboard of Mumbai
| Photo Credit:
Istock

According to an NRI who has finalised a home in Mumbai, the depreciation of the rupee helped him make his selection. “My wife and I live in the U.S., but we frequently travel to India for work. Eventually, we decided to buy a house. The home we bought was valued at ₹7 crore. We have also planned to retire in India. This helped me diversify my portfolio — and I felt it would fetch me a good return on investment,” he says.

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