What is the work-from-home impact on residential demand?

Work-from-home (WFH) as a mainstream work model, accelerated by COVID-19, has had a significant and lasting influence on residential real estate demand in India.

Key Demand Shifts

• Space requirement: Average demanded apartment size increased from 1,000–1,200 sq. ft. to 1,400–1,800 sq. ft. post-COVID.
• Home office: Dedicated study room or flexible bedroom-office configuration became a standard buyer request.
• Peripheral location acceptance: Buyers willing to live in peripheral or suburban zones (Navi Mumbai, Noida Expressway, Sarjapur Road) if commute was occasional.
• Tier-2 city appeal: Cities like Nashik, Coimbatore, Indore, and Kochi attracted remote workers seeking better quality of life.

Peripheral and Tier-2 Real Estate Boom

• Bengaluru: Whitefield, Sarjapur, and Electronic City experienced sales surge.
• Mumbai: Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Kalyan-Dombivli saw record launches.
• Hyderabad: Outer Ring Road periphery became one of India's fastest-growing markets.
• Tier-2 boom: Pune's Hinjawadi and Wakad, Coimbatore's Singanallur, Kochi's Kakkanad attracted WFH buyers.

Work-from-home fundamentally redrew the residential demand map in India making space, location flexibility, and wellness amenities the new purchase drivers. Even as WFO (work from office) has returned, the preference for larger homes and peripheral locations has persisted.