What’s Driving Indian Buyers To Global Real Estate? Knight Frank-IREX Report Reveals Top Reasons

A growing number of Indian investors are looking beyond the domestic market for property investments, hoping to earn rental income and benefit from rising property values. A joint survey by Knight Frank India and IREX finds that 61 per cent of respondents are considering overseas residential property for these reasons.

The UAE, Greece, Thailand, Portugal, Australia, the US, the UK, Bali in Indonesia, Canada and Malaysia are among the destinations they are considering.

The report, Keys Beyond Borders, finds that buying a home abroad is about more than having a second property. For many respondents, it is a way to spread their investments across markets, explore residency options and plan for their families’ future needs.

The findings cover the core investible market and exclude trophy and ultra-prime properties. They reflect respondents’ stated intentions, not completed purchases. The survey includes buyers as well as intermediaries responding on their behalf, and is not designed to represent all resident Indian buyers.

Shishir Baijal, International Partner, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India, said overseas residential property was becoming part of Indian buyers’ wider wealth strategies. Rental income and capital appreciation remain important, but residency options, lifestyle choices and the need to diversify investments also influence where they buy.

He said the report looks at destinations that resident Indians may consider within the Reserve Bank of India’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), which allows remittances of up to $250,000 per individual annually, subject to applicable rules. The findings do not cover the full extent of overseas property investment by Indians.

Overseas Property Takes A Bigger Place In Wealth Portfolios

Real estate accounts for an average of 45 per cent of respondents’ total wealth allocation. Domestic property makes up 32 per cent, while overseas property accounts for 13 per cent. A decade ago, the share allocated to overseas real estate was around 5 per cent.

The survey finds that 84 per cent of respondents already own property overseas. The remaining 16 per cent are considering their first purchase in an international market.

Residency and Golden Visa opportunities rank as the leading factors influencing overseas property decisions. Other considerations include portfolio diversification, protection against currency movements, business expansion, tax benefits, children’s education and lifestyle improvements.

Lavanya Anand, Event Director, IREX, said Indian buyers were increasingly looking at overseas property for its investment potential as well as the opportunities it could offer their families in terms of global mobility and lifestyle.

IREX has been connecting Indian investors with international real estate and investment migration opportunities since 2015. Anand said the report builds on the organisation’s earlier research in 2017 and examines how Indian buyers’ preferences and motivations have changed.

Overseas Property Draws A Wider Pool Of Buyers

Business owners, traders and industrialists make up 53 per cent of respondents, making them the largest group considering overseas property purchases. Corporate executives and working professionals account for 30 per cent, while first-generation entrepreneurs represent 11 per cent.

Corporate executives and working professionals accounted for just 7 per cent of respondents a decade ago. Their share has since increased to 30, showing that interest in overseas property is no longer limited to business owners and industrialists.

Most respondents are between 35 and 50 years old, with this age group accounting for 76 per cent of the survey. Many buyers in this bracket may be looking to build their wealth, provide for their children’s education or make longer-term financial plans.

Apartments Lead, With Most Budgets Below $1 Million

Most respondents are looking at properties priced between $250,000 and $1 million, with 85 per cent placing their budgets in this range.

When it comes to apartments/condominiums that's where most people would choose to buy. 69 per cent of people stated they would want to live in an apartment or condo. 26 per cent said villas/townhouses and only 4 per cent and 1 per cent said they would want to live in a penthouse and branded residence.

Size is also something people are taking into consideration, with about 3 out of 4 saying they would want to live in a home between 1,500-2,500 square feet. 49 per cent want to live in a home that's 2,000-2,500 square feet and 27 per cent want to live in a home that's 1,500-2,000 square feet.

But the budget shouldn't stop at the price of the property. Maintenance fees, local taxes and other running costs can add up over time. For those buying to rent out, the key question is how much income the property is likely to generate after these expenses are taken care of.

Remittances For Overseas Property Purchases Jump 64 Per Cent

Indians remitted $528.70 million for overseas property purchases in FY2025-26, compared with $322.82 million in the previous financial year, according to the data cited in the report. That represents a 64 per cent increase.

The rise came even as total outward remittances under the LRS fell by around 2 per cent during the year. While overall remittances declined, the amount sent specifically for property purchases increased sharply.