Realty developers see a cracker of sales in key cities this festival season

Dussehra-Diwali period bucks trend of falling demand with 10-25% sales jump

- PRACHI PISAL & SANKET KOUL

India’s housing market has remained resilient this festival season (Dussehra-Diwali period), despite global macroeconomic challenges, tech-sector layoffs, and affordability pressures, with developers reporting 10-25 per cent year-on-year (Yo-Y) rise in home sales across major cities.

This comes after 20 per cent Yo-Y decline in overall housing sales across top seven cities during the first nine months of 2025.

Developers attribute the buoyancy to policy stability, infrastructure upgrades, and a growing preference for premium, ready-to-move-in homes.

According to Anarock Research, about 102,000 housing units had been sold across the top seven cities during the festival quarter (October-December) of 2024. “We expect similar sales this year as well,” said Anuj Puri, chairperson of the Anarock group.

Festival-season sales in metros were driven by the mid-premium and luxury segments, as buyers sought larger homes, superior amenities, and reputed developers. Dhaval Ajmera, director (corporate affairs) of the Ajmera group, said the company was expecting festival demand to grow by 8-10 per cent this year.

“More consumers are upgrading to premium properties. The mid-luxury segment, particularly 2BHK and 3BHK homes priced between ₹2 crore and ₹5 crore, is seeing the highest traction,” he said.

Ajmera said modern amenities and connectivity had become decisive factors. “We're seeing sustained demand for ready-to-move-in homes and projects by reputed builders offering quality and timely delivery. Larger configurations and combination flats are becoming increasingly popular,” he added.

In Mumbai, the country’s largest housing market, activity surged during the festival period.