India’s housing market may be entering a more confident phase, and the earliest signs are not coming from registration offices but from search engines.
Recent research by eXp India tracked how Indians have been searching online for property-related terms. Instead of focusing only on prices or transaction volumes, the study analysed Google Search Trends data to understand how buyer and seller interest has shifted over time.
The comparison covered two periods: July 2025 to January 2026 and the preceding six months. The idea was simple. If more people are searching for ways to buy or sell homes, it often signals early intent before deals are finalised.
Seller Confidence on the Rise
One of the clearest findings was a steady increase in seller-side interest. Searches for “real estate agency” rose by 43.4 percent over the last six months.
This suggests that more homeowners and investors are considering bringing properties to market. Sellers typically test the waters before listing. They look up agencies, compare services, and assess potential pricing. A rise in such searches usually reflects growing confidence that market conditions are favourable.
Sellers tend to act when they believe demand is strong and pricing is stable. The data hints that many property owners feel conditions are supportive enough to explore a sale.
Buyers Begin Their Search Again
Buyer interest has risen even more sharply. Searches for “buy property” increased by 58.5 percent during the same period.
This points to households returning to the early stages of their home-buying journey. Some may be first-time buyers evaluating affordability. Others could be upgraders seeking larger homes or investors assessing returns in key cities.
Search behaviour does not immediately translate into transactions. But it does reflect curiosity turning into intent. Buyers usually research budgets, loan options, and localities long before they visit a project site. When searches rise steadily over several months, it often signals stronger activity ahead.
Why Search Data Matters
In property markets, sentiment often moves before official numbers do. Prices and transaction volumes are lag indicators. Search behaviour is an early indicator.
People begin researching when they sense opportunity or stability. If both buyers and sellers are searching more frequently, it suggests balanced engagement across the market. In many cycles, one side moves before the other. This time, both appear to be stepping forward together.
According to Sam Chopra, President of eXp India, such forward-looking signals are valuable for agents and industry stakeholders. Understanding shifts in search patterns helps brokerages prepare for rising enquiries and potential transaction growth.
A Market Finding Its Footing
India’s residential sector has navigated a mixed economic environment in recent months. Interest rates, inflation, and global uncertainties have influenced decisions. Yet demand has remained resilient, particularly in cities driven by employment growth and infrastructure development.
The synchronised rise in buyer and seller searches indicates improving sentiment. Homeowners appear more willing to list. Buyers seem more confident exploring purchases. This balance is often necessary for steady transaction growth.
There is also a psychological factor at play. Housing decisions are closely tied to perceptions of job stability and income growth. When more people begin actively researching property, it suggests that concerns may be easing.
Digital Behaviour Mirrors Real Intent
The home-buying journey in India now begins online. Buyers compare projects, calculate loan eligibility, and study price trends digitally before stepping into a sales office. Sellers research agency reputations and market conditions before committing.
This shift means online data increasingly reflects real-world behaviour. Rising searches for buying and selling terms can signal stronger pipelines for agents in the months ahead.
Urban markets are likely to lead this momentum, but digital searches capture activity across smaller cities as well. Property remains a core aspiration in India, and improving engagement signals that interest is broad-based.
What Comes Next
Whether this surge in online interest converts into higher transaction volumes will depend on multiple factors. Lending rates, new project launches, and broader economic stability will shape outcomes.
For now, the signs point to a market that is warming up rather than slowing down. Buyers are exploring options. Sellers are evaluating opportunities. Agents are preparing for increased engagement.
In real estate, confidence rarely announces itself loudly. It builds gradually, often visible first in the quiet patterns of online searches. At the moment, those patterns suggest that India’s housing market is regaining momentum.
