In attempts to accommodate the growing population and influx of people for better employment opportunities, many Indian cities are now growing vertically. As a result, which floor to buy a flat on has become one of the most pressing questions for prospective home buyers. Should you go for accessible lower floors or enjoy scenic views from the top floors? The answer is not always straightforward but can significantly impact your living experience.
So are you a home buyer contemplating which floor will be the best for you in a high-rise residential project? Here are some factors you should consider before making that choice:
Because of the perceived higher quality of life on top floors, many builders charge – anywhere between 15% and 25% – extra for flats on higher floors. The FRC is determined by the builder or the construction company and takes into account the overall construction costs, interests, and overheads. So if you want to live on higher floors, you will need to adjust your budget accordingly.
Lower floors are usually considered comparatively unsafe as they are easier for criminals and other anti-social elements to break into than upper floors. But if you are set on choosing a lower floor, be sure to verify the security arrangements in and around your high-rise complex.
Additionally, lower levels also offer less privacy, especially if the building is near a busy road. So if you want to enjoy a quiet and peaceful home, higher floors may be better suited for you.
Fire safety can be an issue for occupants on higher floors. An occupancy certificate from the local authorities can help you determine whether the building has received clearance from the fire department and meets the necessary safety criteria.
Ideally, high-rise buildings must offer at least two lifts and staircases so people can rely on another lift in case one fails. The number of lifts and backup systems becomes crucial when you consider your family members – especially elders and small children. In a case where both lifts fail, you have to rely on staircases and must consider whether they would be convenient to use and easy to access.
In many cases, builders deviate from the construction plans on the top floor, which can get you in trouble down the line. So if your heart is set on the top floor, make sure that the construction adheres to the approved plans and has all the necessary clearances.
You may experience spotty mobile network coverage as you go up in a high-rise building. Broadband facilities may also be unavailable on higher floors. So make sure you have adequate network coverage in the flat if you choose a higher floor.
Lower floors are generally cooler than top floors and require less energy – especially during summers when you must run AC units or coolers to keep your house cool. You need to keep the electricity costs in mind when choosing the floor, especially if your city experiences long and harsh summers.
The most obvious advantage of top floors is the vantage point and views you can experience from your windows or balconies. So if the high-rise is near a scenic place and you want to enjoy the view, go for the top floors.
Apart from the view, higher floors also have better natural light and ventilation, making your home feel light and airy. You will also be away from street-level disturbances if you opt for top floors rather than ground or lower floors.
If you are buying a flat as an investment, lower floors may fetch better rental returns. But make sure to understand how the climate affects renters’ choices. For example, renters in Mumbai or Bangalore prefer upper floors – away from the noises of the street, whereas renters in Delhi – NCR and Chennai prefer lower floors.
Still confused about what floor to choose? Squarea expert team can help you find the right luxury home for you. Get in touch with us today to find the home that fits your lifestyle.
For more details on this subject, please email hello@squarea.io
2024 delivered a record-breaking year in terms of absorption and sustainable supply. Leasing volumes hit historic highs, green-certified spaces gained overwhelming tenant preference, and development activity concentrated in markets with infrastructure depth and regulatory readiness. Additionally, it also laid down a blueprint for what investors must now focus on, in 2025. But to assess where commercial real estate is headed in 2025, it is essential to begin with the underlying patterns that defined the last calendar year.
India’s office market achieved its highest-ever gross absorption in 2024, recording 79 million sq. ft. of leasing activity, a 16% year-on-year increase (CBRE Q4 2024). This expansion was led by Global Capability Centres, BFSI institutions, and technology majors, each demonstrating a preference for Grade-A and future-ready commercial assets.
What set this leasing cycle apart was not just the volume, but the structure of the demand. Key trends included:
These shifts in leasing behaviour highlight more than market momentum, they indicate a set of qualitative filters now shaping both occupier and investor decisions. For 2025, recognising these benchmarks is essential to understanding where capital is consolidating and why certain assets are outperforming.
India’s commercial office sectors performance is being driven by a multitude of factors. As capital becomes more discerning, three critical filters have emerged at the centre of commercial real estate decision-making: sustainability, grade relevance, and micro-market precision.
In Q4 2024, over 50% of new office completions were green-certified, with 80–85% of future pipeline expected to follow this trend (CBRE Q4 2024, ET Realty). Furthermore, more than 70% of leasing activity took place in green-certified buildings, underscoring ESG compliance as a central occupier requirement.
This transition not only reflects a regulatory obligation, but also a core strategic priority for global tenants. Corporate sustainability goals and green-certified infrastructure is now non-negotiable. Developers are adjusting accordingly, embedding compliance, energy efficiency, and smart design from the outset.
India’s commercial leasing landscape in 2024 was dominated by the surge in demand for Grade-A office assets. Gross leasing activity across the top six cities reached 47 million sq. ft. by Q3, representing a 23% year-on-year increase, and by year-end, Grade-A absorption was projected to cross 60 million sq. ft., the highest in India’s history (Economic Times).
But even within the Grade-A category, a deeper shift is underway. The market is now favouring “relevant-grade” buildings, assets that go beyond minimum classification standards to deliver digital integration, ESG compliance, wellness infrastructure, and future-proof layouts.
Alongside sustainability and grade, micro-market selection is emerging as a third determinant of asset performance. Institutional capital is not spreading widely, it is going deep, favouring established corridors with infrastructure depth, high occupier density, and regulatory clarity.
This targeted deployment is most evident in Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. These cities accounted for 67% of India’s total new office completions in 2024, contributing to a cumulative 52.3 million sq. ft. of new supply (CBRE Q4 2024). Within these cities, select submarkets have consistently absorbed the bulk of institutional leasing activity due to their alignment with occupier priorities, operational resilience, and compliance infrastructure.
Among these, Pune, and more specifically, Kharadi NX, has evolved from a promising node to a strategic investment destination, setting a new institutional standard in micro-market performance.
With robust infrastructure, a strong tenant base, and high-grade development activity, Pune ranked among the top three cities for leasing and new completions in 2024. Within this landscape, Kharadi NX has also transitioned from a growth node to a fully institutionalised commercial corridor. It now offers the core fundamentals that investors seek: connectivity, tenant concentration, and scalable asset formats designed for long-hold performance.
Key drivers fuelling Kharadi NX’s ascent include:
One of the key developments include Omicron Business Landmarks, a project that exemplifies the market’s direction. It features high-efficiency office formats, integrated ESG infrastructure, and strategic connectivity, making it well-positioned to attract long-term, high-value tenants.
And we at SQUAREA, specialise in identifying such institutional-grade commercial assets across India’s most resilient and performance-led markets. Whether your objective is income yield or long-hold appreciation, our expert team will align your strategy with developments that meet international benchmarks and domestic regulatory confidence. Write to us at hello@squarea.io or call +91 90 9641 9641 to capitalise on this opportunity strategically!
In today’s commercial real estate environment, return on investment is defined by more than just rental yield. It reflects a deeper calculus, one that accounts for asset grade, lease structure, tenant quality, and long-term resilience. As institutional capital becomes more selective and compliance benchmarks tighten, high-end commercial spaces have emerged as the most credible vehicles for durable, risk-mitigated growth.
For investors seeking stable income, long-term value preservation, and institutional-grade performance, high-end commercial real estate has become a core component of performance-led portfolios. As the fundamentals of ROI become more layered, it is essential to break down the individual factors that shape returns in high-end commercial assets.
The ROI of a commercial property is a product of several interlinked variables. Some of the core indicators include:
According to Business Standard, commercial office assets in India offer yields of 5-7%, significantly outperforming residential properties, which hover around 3%. This spread forms the baseline of return, but in high-end office spaces, ROI is built on much more than yield. The next layer of ROI is influenced by the quality and grade of the asset, and this is where ‘relevant-grade’ commercial spaces emerge as clear outperformers.
Over the last few years, a new benchmark has come to define premium commercial assets, relevant-grade. These are not just modern offices, they are future-ready spaces that exceed standard Grade-A specifications on every front. According to JLL, as of H1 2024, India’s top seven cities had approximately 465 million sq. ft of relevant-grade stock, forming 56.3% of the total Grade-A inventory. These properties command a 19.8% premium, with average rents at ₹92.4 per sq. ft/month, a clear indicator that occupiers value quality and are willing to pay for it.
Along with asset grades, the structure of tenancy and income continuity are equally decisive in realising long-term ROI.
Premium commercial spaces are defined not only by where they are or how they look, but who occupies them and under what terms. In high-grade assets, tenants are typically from IT, BFSI, global consulting, or GCC sectors. These organisations:
For investors, this translates into several advantages:
These factors also make relevant-grade leased assets REIT-compatible, offering greater liquidity and exit potential, an increasingly important consideration for private and institutional investors alike.
With the fundamentals of quality and tenancy firmly aligned, the final piece of the ROI equation is timing, and 2025 stands out as a defining entry point.
India’s commercial office sector is undergoing a structural shift. ESG benchmarks, design innovation, and tenant expectations are converging to define a new era of real estate development. And 2025 presents a timely opportunity to enter high-grade commercial markets.
Here’s why:
This shift is also reflected in the nature of upcoming inventory. Projects such as the upcoming Trump World Center in Pune, a 1.6 million sq. ft branded commercial development is offering both for-sale and leased formats (TOI). It reflects the growing alignment between global investment preferences and India’s evolving commercial inventory.
With future supply increasingly focused on relevant-grade, ESG-aligned assets, investors who enter the market at this stage are well-positioned to capitalise on a cycle defined by resilient income, sustained occupier demand, and long-term value creation.
At SQUAREA, we help you align your capital with future-ready commercial assets that are graded for performance. Whether your goal is to acquire leased institutional assets, invest in premium strata offices, or explore ESG-compliant office campuses, we provide tailored investment access backed by in-depth research, location strategy, and asset due diligence.
Connect with us at hello@squarea.io or call us at +91 90 9641 9641 to unlock the ROI of high-end commercial real estate - strategically, securely, and successfully.
Across India’s top real estate markets, a new type of buyer is emerging. One who sees ultra-luxury real estate not just as a prized possession, but as a planned component of long-term wealth preservation. What was once viewed as a reward for success is now being evaluated through the lens of return potential, capital security, and generational transfer. These aren’t just homes anymore, they’re carefully selected, performance-backed assets in a well-diversified financial portfolio.
This transformation is backed by strong market data. In 2025, 55% of HNIs and UHNIs cited capital appreciation as their primary reason for investing in luxury real estate, up from 44% in 2024 (Business Standard). In other words, India’s wealthy are not just buying homes, they’re buying into long-term value.
With the appetite for capital appreciation growing stronger among HNIs and UHNIs, the shift is clear: luxury is being repurposed as strategy.
To understand why ultra-luxury homes are being repositioned as wealth preservation tools, we must start with the shift in investor intent. Gone are the days when high-end homes were acquired primarily for their aesthetic or lifestyle pull. Today’s luxury buyers, especially HNIs and UHNIs, are entering the market with sharper intent:
This mindset shift, from lifestyle acquisition to long-term asset selection, has also redefined how HNIs are leveraging their luxury homes. It’s no longer just about owning prime real estate, but about optimising its financial potential.
From Homes to Yielding Assets: Luxury as Income-Generating Real Estate
The evolving treatment of luxury homes doesn’t stop at capital preservation. When optimised correctly, ultra-luxury homes are becoming performance assets, offering attractive yields alongside emotional and lifestyle value. Especially in high-demand locations or branded developments, they’re generating sizeable returns.
This yield-driven approach is strengthening real estate’s position within diversified portfolios. For many HNIs, these properties now sit alongside equities, bonds, and alternates, not just as lifestyle holdings, but as performance-driven capital plays.
For India’s HNIs and UHNIs, the portfolio mix is evolving. Equities and private investments still play a role, but real estate is being reintroduced as a core allocation. HNIs are now allocating a larger share of their portfolio to real estate, particularly in the premium and ultra-premium segments (Financial Express).
Here’s what’s driving this shift:
This strategic reallocation of wealth into real estate is part of a wider trend. As India's market matures and buyer sophistication deepens, the ultra-luxury segment is fast becoming a must-have in modern wealth management.
From Aspirational to Essential: Why the Luxury Market Will Hold
Looking ahead, the fundamentals supporting luxury real estate remain solid. The Indian real estate sector is projected to touch $1 trillion by 2030, with residential making up a significant portion of this growth (Financial Express).
And as investment continues to mature, so will the nature of luxury real estate:
What was once a niche asset class is now on its way to becoming one of the most reliable wealth preservation tools for India’s elite.
At SQUAREA, we guide investors in identifying ultra-luxury properties that offer more than a signature address. They deliver long-term capital preservation, yield opportunities, and legacy value. Whether you're reallocating capital, entering a new market, or acquiring a family asset with future-proof potential, our advisory-led approach connects you to India’s most credible ultra-luxury real estate opportunities.
To explore how the right property can preserve and grow your wealth, reach out to us at hello@squarea.io or call +91 90 9641 9641.