India’s residential real estate market continued to demonstrate resilience in the first quarter of 2026, with the top eight cities collectively recording 95,973 home sales. Despite a marginal dip compared to the same period last year, the numbers reflect stable buyer confidence and sustained demand across major urban markets.
Mumbai Metropolitan Region remained the largest contributor to overall housing sales, maintaining its position as a dominant real estate hub. Bengaluru emerged as one of the strongest-performing cities, driven by growing employment opportunities, startup expansion and rising demand from professionals seeking quality housing. Hyderabad and Chennai also recorded encouraging growth, highlighting the strength of southern India’s residential market.
A noticeable shift in buyer preference toward premium and mid-segment housing continues to shape the market. Rising construction costs, increased land prices and evolving consumer expectations have pushed developers to focus more on higher-value residential projects. Affordable housing, on the other hand, continues to face supply and pricing challenges.
Industry experts believe the market is entering a more stable and mature growth phase, supported by end-user demand rather than speculative buying. Property prices have also shown an upward trend across most major cities, reflecting healthy demand and limited inventory in select segments.
With urbanisation accelerating and homeownership remaining a strong aspiration for Indian families, the residential real estate sector is expected to maintain steady momentum in the coming quarters, particularly in cities with strong economic activity and infrastructure growth.
