Why Homeownership in India Matters More Than Ever Now! 

India is at a turning point in its housing journey. Our cities are growing fast and wide, responding to a staggering housing demand. By 2030, we’ll need over 31 million new affordable homes in urban/ semi-urban areas alone. This demand is a reflection of how fast we’re urbanising, how many people are migrating for work and how their housing aspirations have found a grounding. Of this demand, a whopping 79% will come from low-income households, especially from the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) and LIG (Lower Income Group) segments.

While many efforts have been made to make home loans easier, we don’t talk enough about what happens after someone buys a home. How does owning a home really change someone’s life? How does it impact daily routines, long-term aspirations, and the way families make decisions? That’s the question we set out to answer.

Our team conducted a mixed-methods study–280 household surveys across 10 cities, and 30 in-depth interviews in 6 cities. These weren’t new homeowners; the average respondent had owned their home for over 6 years. That gave us a rare opportunity to see not just the honeymoon phase, but the real, lived, long-term effects.

The results? Insightful, to say the least–heartnening in many ways. The following table is the lay of the land, our broadest insights from the research. We tracked responses on 5 major parameters and this is what the results show.

The biggest change people felt was in their lifestyle and wellbeing. A full 79% said life had improved after buying a home. That includes better living conditions, more peace of mind, and a feeling of stability.
But that’s not all. About 45% said they could now invest more in their children’s education. Even in areas like income growth (36%), savings (35%), and building assets (34%), many families saw a clear benefit.
Just take a look at the chart. Even the least “visible” positive changes still had around a third of people saying things got better. That’s a big deal.
It shows that homeownership isn’t just about having four walls and a roof. It changes how families think, plan, and live. It provides families a social standing, an elevated dignity in their community. It gives them the confidence to aspire higher. An effect that percolates in all the other aspects of life.

With so many people looking for affordable homes right now, we need to think beyond just selling homes. We need to understand the impact those homes have on people’s lives. If we want India’s housing story to flourish further, it has to be driven by responsible lending and a meaningful change that benefits people in the long and short term. With this research, HomeFirst has taken the first step towards that goal. As we expand the knowledge about the home loan product in this segment, we are paving the way in the industry towards just lending. The affordable housing industry needs to look at homeownership not only as a transaction, but as a transformation.

To read the full report click here.