Q3 2024 attracted USD 1.1 Bn inflows, 45% higher over Q3 2023. Office segment drove over half of the investments in Q3 2024, followed by residential with 33% share. Domestic investments accounted for 44% of the total investments during the quarter. Chennai & Mumbai cumulatively attracted 57% of the inflows in Q3 2024. Sustained confidence in Indian economy continued to drive institutional investments into the real estate sector, reaching USD 4.7 billion during the first three quarters of 2024, almost at par with the corresponding period in 2023. Following significant inflows in the first two quarters, Q3 2024 too registered healthy investment inflow of about USD 1.1 billion, reflecting a 45% YoY growth.
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In a report titled, ‘Fortifying India’s I&L landscape with a new manufacturing growth formula’, property consultant CBRE claims that the manufacturing sector’s growth has significantly contributed to warehousing demand. The share of sectors catering to the manufacturing space, including engineering & manufacturing, electronics & electricals and auto & ancillary sectors, within the total warehousing demand across major cities, has increased substantially, growing from 15% in 2019 to 24% in 2023 and 25% in H1 2024. The total leasing for warehousing from these manufacturing-related sectors stood at 4.1 mn. sq. ft. in H1 2024.
Strong leasing activity in the first three quarters of 2024 has pushed Grade A office space demand to 46.7 million sq ft across the top six cities of the country. Building on the momentum in first half of the year, Q3 2024 saw space take-up to the tune of 17.3 million sq ft, a 31% year-over-year (YoY) growth. Bengaluru and Hyderabad accounted for over half of the leasing activity during this period. Bengaluru registered its highest ever leasing in any quarter at 6.3 million sq ft, continuing its dominance in the office market. Pune, notably, with 2.6 million sq ft of leasing activity, recorded 2.6X times space take-up compared to Q3 2023.
The report further observed that growing interest in under-construction (UC) properties has resulted in a capital appreciation of 11% QoQ across the tracked cities, with significant growth seen in Thane (19.5% QoQ), Gurugram (17.3% QoQ) and Noida (14.5% QoQ). Additionally, the report indicated that demand for 3BHK units continues to dominate, accounting for 50% or more of total demand in most cities, except for Chennai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane, where 2BHK units remain the preferred choice.
This long-term growth in real estate is underpinned by six salient growth levers which includes, rapid urbanization, infrastructure development, digitalization, demographic shifts, sustainability and investment diversification; all of which will form the bedrock for a quantum leap in Indian real estate by 2047. These long-term growth ingredients will be pivotal in the expansion of Indian real estate – from under a trillion currently, to potentially a USD 10 trillion market by 2047, accounting for a 14-20% share in the country’s GDP.
The office sector was the most sought after in terms of investment activity in APAC in the first half of 2024, followed by industrial sector. In India too, investments in industrial & warehousing and office assets remained strong in the first half of the year. Investments in Industrial assets especially, were 5X times, compared to same period last year. Amidst rising demand for superior quality Grade A assets and evolving supply-chain models, global investor confidence in the sector is improving significantly.
Engineering & manufacturing and BFSI occupiers to cumulatively account for ~40% of demand during 2025-27. Repositioning of GCCs as knowledge & innovation hubs will drive ~40% of annual office space demand. Bengaluru dominates demand across most sectors; Hyderabad, Chennai & Pune to gain ground. BFSI occupiers to prefer premium developments, while engineering & manufacturing occupiers are likely to remain cost conscious while expanding real estate.
This strategic growth is expected to be driven by a focus on innovation as these companies seek to enhance their technological capabilities and market presence. Moreover, emerging technologies are projected to generate approximately 4.7 million tech jobs over the next five years across diverse sectors, including manufacturing, retail, education, finance, and insurance. This surge in job creation underscores the growing importance of technology across industries and highlights the need for a skilled workforce to meet the evolving demands of the digital economy.
Average housing prices surged 12% YoY; Delhi NCR saw highest YoY growth. Delhi NCR & Bengaluru saw highest quarterly price rise at 16% & 8% respectively. Unsold inventory continued to drop sequentially amid robust demand. Pune saw the highest dip in unsold inventory followed by Ahmedabad and Chennai. Positive home buyer sentiment and steady demand have kept the momentum strong in residential market across major Indian cities. Average housing prices across the top eight Indian cities witnessed a 3% QoQ growth in Q2 2024. Interestingly, quarterly price movements at India level have been almost similar at about 3% for the last four quarters.
Bengaluru and Mumbai saw the highest leasing in green-certified buildings, accounting for over 50% share in Q2 2024. About 80% of Technology as well as Engineering & Manufacturing firms prefer taking up spaces in green-certified buildings. Majority of the upcoming supply in various construction stages is expected to be green-certified, expanding green office stock to over 600 mn sq ft in next 2-3 years.