Current homebuyers who are waiting for the right moment are not alone. According to a new study by the consulting firm Colliers, a significant number of potential home buyers intend to make a purchase within the next two years. However, before purchasing, they have become more meticulous in evaluating parameters such as cost, location, transport accessibility, and overall property quality.
In the Colliers Homebuying Sentiment Survey 2026, approximately 1800 people from more than 30 established and developing housing markets participated. The survey showed that about half of potential buyers are ready to buy within two years. Among the main concerns of buyers are housing affordability, employment stability, and property delivery timelines.
The study found that 50% of potential buyers are interested in purchasing a home within the next two years. Despite economic uncertainty, 54% of respondents believe that external factors, such as global instability, will have a relatively small impact on the Indian real estate market.
The desire to acquire housing remains strong, especially among those planning to use the home for personal residence. About 51% of respondents stated that they want to buy a house for personal use. Dr. Gautam Kanodia, founder of KREEVA and Kanodia Group, noted that buyer interest is sustained, but they are spending more time determining an adequate price for the property. According to him, about half of the buyers planning to purchase in the next two years form an important basis of demand, especially due to the large number of end-users.
Despite the desire to buy housing, price and affordability remain serious issues for buyers. About 31% of respondents cited the cost of the property and the ability to pay for it as their main problem, followed by issues related to job and income stability. Affordability is the most important factor for buyers, followed by the size and layout of the house, social infrastructure, and transport accessibility.
Approximately 75–80% of respondents considered the size and layout of the house, as well as social infrastructure and transport accessibility, important when making a purchase decision. This means that buyers are now looking not just for a house, but also assessing how well the property meets their daily needs and what the surrounding area is like in terms of infrastructure and amenities.
62% of potential buyers participating in the survey preferred apartments with two and three bedrooms, although buyer preferences vary across different cities. In markets such as Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, there is higher demand for larger homes, while Mumbai maintains steady demand for compact and functional homes.
Regarding prices, about 46% of buyers prefer properties in the price range of 50 lakhs to 1.5 crore. Meanwhile, the demand for more expensive properties in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, and Hyderabad remains relatively high. A key finding of the survey is that buyers prefer ready or near-ready housing; over 60% of respondents chose move-in ready or soon-to-be-completed properties over projects that are under construction or recently launched.
The reason for this is that in a ready or nearly ready home, the buyer gains greater clarity regarding the actual condition of the property, the development of the surroundings, and the date of key handover. According to Dr. Gautam Kanodia, buyers are now considering not only the house itself but also the environment, transport accessibility, project quality, and the practicality of the home considering daily needs. He believes that the growing popularity of ready or nearly ready housing indicates that buyers want to clearly understand what they are acquiring and when they can move in.
The survey also revealed differences in buyer preferences based on age. About half of buyers under 30 are willing to take risks associated with under-construction projects, which may be linked to the possibility of acquiring property at a relatively low price in early stages. At the same time, only 36% of buyers over 30 were willing to take construction risks.
This indicates that younger buyers are more willing to take construction-related risks for a lower initial cost, whereas older buyers are more focused on reliability and prompt acquisition of housing.
Buyers are also paying more attention to the amenities provided with the home. The most sought-after amenities are security systems and guarding in gated communities, followed by green open spaces, common areas, and recreation zones. Among buyers under 30, there is increased demand for fitness and wellness amenities; the priority level of these amenities in this age group is about twice as high as the average across all respondents.