Many demand and supply side parameters related to the social, economic, financial, and real estate sectors were evaluated as part of an extensive examination of these cities.
India is rapidly becoming the third-largest economy in the world, and emerging cities are expected to be crucial to the country’s economic development. In addition to its eight megacities, India is predicted to have almost 100 cities with a population of one million or more by 2050. Important factors like tourism, digitization, infrastructure development, and changes in the office landscape will propel the next wave of urban growth in these locations.
In its most recent report, “Equitable Growth and Emerging Real Estate Hotspots,” Colliers identified and assessed over 100 emerging cities, keeping the previous variables as its main considerations, to levy their real estate attractiveness and growth potential over the next five to six years.
Numerous social, economic, financial, and supply-side parameters unique to the real estate industry were evaluated as part of an extensive examination of these cities. To determine the relative importance and impact of these parameters on different real estate segments in the respective cities, including office, residential, warehousing, retail, hospitality, and alternatives (data centers, senior living, second homes, etc.), Colliers conducted a comprehensive assessment while developing an objective framework that included the previously mentioned factors.
Out of the 100+ cities where real estate development is expected to strengthen in the medium to long term, this detailed analysis helped identify 30 cities that have the potential to expand rapidly. Amazingly, in 17 of these 30 high-potential cities, faster real estate development across three or more asset classes is predicted. The distribution of these 17 high-impact emerging real estate hotspots across the nation’s Northern, Southern, Western, Eastern, and Central regions demonstrates equitable growth.
“Affordable real estate, skilled labor, better infrastructure, and government initiatives are propelling smaller towns to become dynamic contributors to India’s economy. The real estate industry is expected to grow to a projected $1 trillion by 2030 and possibly $5 trillion by 2050, accounting for 14-16% of the GDP. The retail, hospitality, commercial, residential, and industrial segments are all predicted to experience significant growth. Other asset classes, like senior housing, data centers, and second homes, are also expected to see a lot of activity in these newly developed real estate hotspots.” CEO of Colliers India Badal Yagnik stated.
Infrastructure development will continue to be a major driving force behind real estate growth in India. Growth centers will disperse and expand outside Tier 1 cities due to improved connectivity and increased manufacturing activity caused by flagship infrastructure projects under PM GatiShakti and the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). This will lead to significant economic growth in smaller towns, causing a rise in the rise and warehousing real estate markets. Furthermore, there will be a growing demand for storage space in developing hotspots along infrastructure corridors as factories and MSMEs thrive in a supportive setting. Colliers’ analysis utilized several supply-side and demand-side factors, such as the proximity to important infrastructure projects, the concentration of warehouses and MSME registrations in the designated locations, the allocation of infrastructure throughout the city, etc., to evaluate the overall impact of infrastructure on real estate.
The technology sector and changing work models will drive demand for offices and homes in emerging cities.
Companies are embracing the hub-and-spoke model and opening satellite offices in smaller towns due to the growing popularity of hybrid working. Through a thorough analysis that included several factors, such as the start-up ecosystem and current state of technology, the availability of skilled labor, planned and actual infrastructure upgrades, and the locations’ proximity to well-established office markets, Colliers was able to identify the high-impact locations. Among other places, Coimbatore, Indore, and Kochi were identified as having a lot of potential as satellite office markets.
Smaller cities are poised for a revolutionary boom in the office and residential markets as tech giants and creative start-ups take advantage of their highly skilled talent pools of emerging hubs. The combination of office rental arbitrage and the generally 20-30% lower and more reasonably priced housing market in these areas results in a win-win situation for employers and employees. Leading real estate developers’ interest is expected to surge in response to this surge in demand, bringing in a flood of superior supply to these markets. Furthermore, the growth of flexible spaces in these energetic centers will effectively close the gap between supply and demand for high-end office space, ushering in a new phase of expansion and opportunity, according to Vimal Nadar, Senior Director & Head of Research at Colliers India.
Higher digital adoption to encourage the expansion of data centers in smaller towns
Real estate activity in smaller towns is expected to increase significantly due to increased digitization, especially in the data center and warehousing sectors. The expansion of e-commerce will make it easier for online retailers to expand, resulting in the construction of distribution hubs, warehouses, and fulfillment centers in key locations. The growth of data centers and smart infrastructure in these developing cities will also be fueled by the increase in data consumption, leading to these towns’ allure as real estate investment destinations.
Colliers examined the effects of digitization on real estate and the following factors: population, GDP per capita, online shopping inclination, adoption, digital payments, presence of leading retail brands, etc. Cities like Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Nagpur, Patna, Surat, and Visakhapatnam were highly recommended on the list of places where real estate activity is predicted to increase due to digitization.
Temple towns will grow as a result of spiritual tourism
Supported by infrastructure advancements and government policy, spiritual tourism is expected to play a major role in the growth of various Indian temple towns. Long-term organized real estate players may be drawn to these spiritual locations by infrastructure upgrades and enhanced connectivity, particularly in the hotel and retail sectors, thanks to new airports, flagship trains, and better roads.
Finding high-impact sites for spiritual tourism required analyzing several factors, such as approved allotments under different government initiatives, yearly visitor traffic at major pilgrimage sites, future real estate developer plans, and land price growth. With growth spurred by spiritual tourism, Amritsar, Ayodhya, Dwarka, Puri, Shirdi, Tirupati, and Varanasi have emerged as cities to watch out for.