Housing Sales Rise in January–September 2026 as Premium Homes Drive Growth: JLL Report

India’s residential real estate market returned to growth during the first nine months of 2026, with housing sales across seven major cities increasing 6 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to 2,14,562 units. According to JLL India’s Real Estate Intelligence Service (REIS) data, the recovery was driven primarily by premium housing, even as demand for homes priced below Rs 1 crore weakened.

The growth marks a turnaround from the 12 per cent decline in housing sales recorded during January–September 2025. However, the improvement has not been uniform across markets or price categories, highlighting a growing divide between premium and affordable housing.

Chennai, Bengaluru Lead Housing Sales Growth

Chennai recorded the highest year-on-year growth in housing sales during January–September 2026, at 22 per cent. Bengaluru followed with an 18 per cent increase, while Hyderabad registered 16 per cent growth. Delhi-NCR recorded an 8 per cent rise, whereas Kolkata’s sales remained unchanged.

Mumbai and Pune were the only two markets to report declines during the nine-month period, with sales falling one per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.

Bengaluru recorded 54,225 housing sales, the highest among the seven markets, followed by Mumbai at 42,112 units and Pune at 35,153 units. Delhi-NCR recorded 30,242 units, while Hyderabad registered 29,112. Chennai and Kolkata reported 13,094 and 10,624 units, respectively.

Together, these figures underline the continued importance of established residential markets, even as growth rates vary significantly between cities.

Premium Housing Accounts For 72 Per Cent Of Sales

The strongest trend in the report was the shift towards higher-priced homes. Properties priced at Rs 1 crore and above recorded 23 per cent year-on-year growth, accounting for 72 per cent of total housing sales during January–September 2026, compared with 62 per cent in the corresponding period last year.

The Rs 1.5 crore– Rs 3 crore segment emerged as the fastest-growing category, registering a 54 per cent increase in sales to 79,320 units. Its share of total sales rose from 25 per cent to 37 per cent.

In contrast, sales of homes priced below Rs 1 crore declined 23 per cent to 59,566 units. Within this category, sales of homes priced below Rs 50 lakh fell by 36 per cent, while the Rs 50 lakh– Rs 1 crore segment contracted by 18 per cent.

The figures suggest that buyers are increasingly prioritising larger homes, better specifications and amenities, while affordability pressures continue to weigh on the mass housing segment.

JLL expects premium housing to remain a key driver of residential market activity through the remainder of 2026. Demand for homes priced between Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 3 crore is likely to remain strong, encouraging developers to focus on higher-value projects.