Housing sales in India's top seven cities rise 3% in H1 2026; Bengaluru tops market as launches jump 9%: JLL

India's residential real estate market remained resilient in the first half of 2026, with housing sales across the country's top seven cities rising 3 per cent year-on-year to 1,38,382 units, according to a report by property consultancy JLL. Although sales moderated 4 per cent sequentially to 67,751 units in the April-June quarter, the retail consultancy attributed the decline to seasonal factors, property price recalibration and buyers taking a more measured approach to purchase decisions rather than any weakening in underlying demand.

The report also showed that developer confidence remained intact, with new housing launches increasing 9 per cent year-on-year to 1,68,507 units during H1 2026. Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune together accounted for nearly 62 per cent of total residential sales during the period, reinforcing their position as the country's largest housing markets.

Bengaluru, Chennai lead demand growth

Among individual markets, Bengaluru emerged as the strongest performer among large cities, recording 35,017 apartment sales during H1 2026, up 16 per cent from a year earlier. Chennai posted the fastest growth at 27 per cent, while Delhi NCR registered a 7 per cent increase. Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata and Pune, however, reported marginal declines in sales during the six-month period.

On the supply side, Bengaluru also led launch activity, with new project launches surging 41 per cent year-on-year to 48,748 units. Mumbai followed with an 18 per cent increase, while Delhi NCR recorded 14 per cent growth in fresh supply, reflecting sustained developer confidence in key urban markets.

Premium homes dominate buyer preference

Demand continued to shift towards higher-value homes during the period. Sales in the ₹1.5 crore-₹3 crore segment surged 58 per cent year-on-year to 51,231 units, making it the fastest-growing category. Overall, homes priced above ₹1 crore accounted for 71 per cent of total residential sales in H1 2026, compared with 62 per cent a year earlier, while the sub-₹1 crore category witnessed a sharp decline in volumes.

"The H1 2026 performance underscores the maturity of India's residential sector, with 138,382 units sold representing a solid 3% Y-o-Y growth despite temporary quarterly moderation. The fundamentals remain compelling, sustained urbanization, infrastructure development, and rising aspirations continue to drive homebuying decisions," said Siva Krishnan, Senior Managing Director (Chennai & Coimbatore) and Head of Residential Services, India, JLL.

He added that the 9 per cent increase in new launches reflects strong developer confidence and expressed optimism that sales momentum would improve in the coming quarters as buyers adapt to prevailing market conditions.

JLL said residential capital values continued to rise across all seven major cities during H1 2026, with annual price appreciation ranging between 6 per cent and 15 per cent, led by Bengaluru, supported by sustained buyer demand and elevated construction costs.