Affordable Housing Demand Shrinks to 20% in H1 2023, MMR, Pune Drive Sales

Affordable Housing Demand Shrinks to 20% in H1 2023, MMR, Pune Drive Sales
 

 

  • Of approx. 2.29 lakh units sold across the top 7 cities in H1 2023, affordable housing (priced <INR 40 lakh) comprised a mere 20% share, or approx. 46,650 units
  • Back in H1 2022, of total 1.84 lakh units sold, 31% or approx. 57,060 units were in the affordable segment
  • This year, MMR & Pune saw maximum affordable housing among the top 7 cities, followed by NCR
  • Of total affordable homes sold in H1 2023 across the top 7 cities, MMR comprised a 37% share, Pune – 21% share & NCR – 19% share; Hyderabad sold the least (<720) affordable housing units – a meagre 2% share
  • Total new supply share in the affordable housing category across top 7 cities also declined from 23% in H1 2022 to 18% in H1 2023
  • Besides the pandemic-induced dip in demand from this buyer class, affordable housing growth was depressed by high cost of land, deficient support infrastructure, and non-use of modern low-cost construction techniques

While the Indian luxury homes segment is firing on all cylinders, affordable housing continues to languish due to pandemic-induced demand changes and various other factors. Both supply and demand for affordable housing is shrinking, finds latest ANAROCK Research data.

 
Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Group
, says, “The total sales share of this erstwhile poster-boy segment is down to approx. 20% in H1 2023, against 31% in the corresponding period in 2022. Of approx. 2.29 lakh units sold across the top 7 cities in H1 2023, just 20% or approx. 46,650 units were affordable homes. Back in H1 2022, of approx. 1.84 lakh units sold, over 31% or approx. 57,060 units were in the affordable category.”

 

Cities

H1 2023

H1 2022

Total Units Sold

2,28,860

1,84,000

Affordable Units Sold

46,650

57,060

Affordable % Share

20%

31%

Source: ANAROCK Research

 

Among the top 7 cities, MMR and Pune saw the maximum affordable housing sales with 37% (approx. 17,470 units) and 21% (approx. 9,700 units) shares, respectively. NCR was close behind with approx. 8,680 affordable homes sold in H1 2023, comprising a 19% share of all affordable homes sold in the top 7 cities in H1 2023.

 

At approx. 720 units, Hyderabad saw the least number of affordable homes sold in H1 2023 – a minuscule 2% share of the total affordable housing sales in the top 7 cities.

 

Cities

Affordable Homes Sold in H1 2023

Affordable Homes Sold in H1 2022

NCR

8,680

14,150

MMR

17,470

17,650

Bangalore

3,270

3,990

Pune

9,700

11,240

Hyderabad

720

1,460

Chennai

1,820

3,170

Kolkata

4,990

5,400

Total

46,650

57,060

Source: ANAROCK Research

 

“It isn’t just that the pandemic derailed the growth of this once highly-hyped segment – other factors posed challenges to both buyers and developers of this category,” says Puri. “For instance, with land deals soaring across the country, the cost of this basic input for all real estate has spiralled in tandem. It is becoming increasingly unviable for developers to buy land at higher prices to build low-margin mass housing. Other input costs have also risen inexorably in the last few years. Launching affordable housing projects has become singularly unattractive, especially since the monetization potential of low-budget homes has also reduced due to shrinking demand for them.”

 

Lack of sound support infrastructure in the distant suburbs and the conspicuous absence of contemporary low-cost construction techniques are additional challenges for this segment.

 

As for affordable housing buyers, a majority are seen postponing purchase decisions due to rising real estate prices over the last one year. The lower demand also reflects in the new supply of affordable housing as developers have turned their focus on mid-range, premium and luxury projects which are in significantly higher demand.

 

Affordable Housing – New Supply Dynamics

 

ANAROCK Research data indicates that the total new supply share in the affordable category across the top 7 cities has declined from 23% in H1 2022 to 18% in H1 2023.

 

Of approx. 2,12,180 units launched in H1 2023, just 39,220 were in the affordable housing category. In H1 2022, of approx. 1,71,290 units launched, approx. 38,820 were in this category.

 

Cities

H1 2023

H1 2022

Total Units Launched

2,12,180

1,71,290

Affordable Units Launched

39,220

38,820

Affordable % Share

18%

23%

Source: ANAROCK Research

 

In terms of new supply across the top 7 cities, MMR, Pune and NCR saw the maximum new affordable housing supply in H1 2023, collectively accounting for 87% of all affordable supply share.

 

Cities

New Affordable Supply in H1 2023

New Affordable Supply in H1 2022

NCR

4,810

7,990

MMR

23,965

13,480

Bangalore

1,245

5,210

Pune

5,200

7,900

Hyderabad

685

1,220

Chennai

2,055

320

Kolkata

1,260

2,700

Total

39,220

38,820

Source: ANAROCK Research

 

  • MMR saw new affordable housing supply of approx. 23,965 units in H1 2023, against 13,480 units in H1 2022 – a 78% increase in the period.
  • Pune saw approx. 5,200 new affordable units launched in H1 2023, down by 34% from approx. 7,990 units launched in the year ago period.
  • NCR saw its new affordable housing supply drop by 40% in the period – from approx. 7,990 units in H1 2022 to approx. 4,810 units in H1 2023.

 

Pavita Jones