Price range, ready-to-move or under construction, 1, 2, or 3BHK — Check here for what homebuyers prefer

Demand for housing in India is “resilient”, with sales buoyant throughout 2026, data from Colliers' latest report, titled 'Homebuying Sentiment Survey 2026: Decoding India's Evolving Buyer Preferences' showed.

The report indicated that while homebuyers are becoming increasingly price-sensitive and selective, “their willingness to purchase remains largely intact, supported by long-term homeownership aspirations and confidence in the residential market”.

It also pointed to the upcoming festive season as holding immense potential to add further momentum to housing sales across major residential markets of the country. The study drew insights from around 1,800 respondents across 30+ established and emerging residential markets in India, it added.

“India’s residential market remains fundamentally end-user driven, but the path from purchase intent to actual conversion is becoming increasingly nuanced. Prospective homebuyers are becoming more price-sensitive, risk-averse and selective in purchase decisions. In this environment, housing sales are likely to depend on three closely linked levers: price-value alignment, financing flexibility and product-market fit,” said Ravi Shankar Singh, MD, Residential Transaction Services at Colliers India.

The report said that 31% of prospective buyers cite affordability and pricing as major concerns, followed by apprehensions around job security and income visibility, indicating that purchase decisions are increasingly being shaped by both price-value alignment and broader confidence on income levels.

In fact, affordability tops the list of considerations, followed closely by unit size and layout, and social infrastructure and overall connectivity — highlighting growing need to focus on right-sized apartment units in localities with high livability quotient.

It added that younger homebuyers (under 30 years) show higher preference for fitness and wellness amenities, with prioritisation levels nearly double the overall average.

The study found that around 51% of respondents plan to purchase a house for self-use, underscoring the continued dominance of end-user demand.