Get Your House In Order

The Indian equity investor is being celebrated. While scores of experts are openly crediting retail systematic investment plans (SIPs) with keeping the Indian market story intact, a few acknowledge them indirectly while blaming their enthusiasm for the foreign institutional investor (FII) outflow from India.

The confidence is backed by numbers. I see equity investors around me—some stable and disciplined, some panicky and unsure. Given the current volatility, every now and then, someone or the other walks up to me to ask a question or two or to simply seek assurance. I am not a professional advisor, but being in the news business, I am updated on the market chatter and what experts suggest. I know deep down that a lot of them just listen out to me to weigh my opinions against several others they seek from other sources, digital and otherwise.

Some even come back to me to tell me what they did and didn’t. One older gentleman, who had talked to me at length about equity investing and its risks, told me in March-April that he was glad he didn’t invest in the markets and instead chose safe instruments for investments and real estate for wealth creation. During experiences like these, I get a bird’s-eye view on how people, especially first-generation investors, view and navigate risk, how difficult it is for them to test uncertain waters and why real estate remains a favourite investment in India.

The drawdowns in the market have had little effect on the real estate sector with institutional investment remaining robust, according to a report by consulting firm JLL. The firm’s Residential Dynamics Report Q1 2026, issued on June 15, shows residential sales rose 8 per cent annually, with a significant pivot toward high-end residential properties in the premium and luxury segments. Meanwhile, there is significant rise in property prices across major Indian urban markets, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi-NCR, says the report.

On the surface, it seems this new growth is being driven by high net-worth individuals, with premium property being in focus. But the retail mass affluent investors are bound to gravitate towards an asset, which has been among the most trusted since generations. It is this segment that needs to ask some hard questions before buying real estate.

The house you plan to live in, on one level, is the fulfilment of the most basic needs: roti, kapdaa aur makaan. On another, it goes far ahead of that political rhetoric which has become dated in the Indian context. It is a place where you would want to save a wall to mark the growth of your children over the years. The last thing you would want is that wall or any other corner, etched with its own specific memories, going up in flames or getting damaged. That is why it’s important for you to check each aspect before buying—not just vaastu, title deeds and agreements, but also no-objection certificates on basic safety protocols. The recent fire incidents in some of the metros’ high-rises are but a reminder for you to become proactive as an existing or prospective homebuyer.