Homebuyers Losing Liveable Space as Loading Surges in Major Cities
A recent report by Anarock Property Consultants reveals that homebuyers in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Bengaluru are getting less liveable space and more common areas due to a significant increase in loading percentages.
Real EstateReraResidential PropertiesLoadingCarpet AreaReal Estate MumbaiJun 09, 2025
Loading is the difference between the super-built-up area and carpet area in a residential property. Higher loading means buyers get less liveable space and pay more for common areas like elevators, lobbies, staircases, clubhouses, and more.
Loading has gone up steadily in residential properties in top cities in the last couple of years, according to the study. Among the top seven cities, Bengaluru saw the highest percentile jump in average loading over the last seven years – from 30% in 2019 to 41% in Q1 2025. The jump coincides with the increasingly higher saturation of modern amenities that developers now include to cater to the modern lifestyle in the IT hub of Bengaluru, said the report.
MMR continues to see the highest loading among the top 7 cities with 43% in Q1 2025. The region has seen the average loading percentage grow steadily over the years – from 33% in 2019 to 39% in 2022 to 43% in Q1, 2025. Chennai, on the other hand, has the least average loading rise in Q1 2025 with 36%, aligning with a city-specific demand profile where homebuyers prefer to pay more for usable space within their homes rather than for common areas. In 2019, Chennai’s average loading percentage was 30% like Bengaluru. It gradually rose to 32% in 2022 and further to 36% in Q1 2025, Anarock said.
In NCR, the average loading percentage rose from 31% in 2019 to 37% in 2022, and to 41% in Q1 2025.
While Rera now requires developers to mention the total carpet area provided to homebuyers, no law currently limits the loading factor in projects. Q1 2025 readings show that 60% of the total space, within their apartment homebuyers in the top 7 cities pay for, now is liveable space, and the remaining 40% is common areas – elevators, lobbies, staircases, clubhouses, amenities, terraces, and so on. The average loading percentage was 31% back in 2019, said Prashant Thakur, Regional director & head – Research & Advisory, Anarock.
In the past, a loading of 30% or less was thought to be typical, he added. Today, higher amenity loading has become the norm across most projects, partly because homebuyers are no longer satisfied with basic amenities – they expect fitness centres, clubhouses, park-like gardens, and grand lobbies. Collectively, these features may improve comfort, community liveability, and also resale value. However, homebuyers effectively lose on actual usable space within their apartments, he said.
In most cases, buyers across cities, except in Maharashtra, are unaware of how much they pay towards the overall usable space within their apartments. Respective state Rera should ideally enforce provisions wherein each project clearly mentions how much buyers are paying for the total usable space within the apartment, and for the amenities, he said.
Developers agree that loading has to be reasonable. Sunil Pareek, executive director at Assetz Property Group said: “Grade A and responsible developers have an effecting of anywhere between 70-75%. In other words, the carpet area is around 70-75% of saleable area.” Loading beyond this seems unfair on consumers, Pareek added.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is loading in real estate?
Loading in real estate is the difference between the super-built-up area and the carpet area in a residential property. It represents the additional area that buyers pay for, which includes common areas like elevators, lobbies, staircases, and amenities.
How has loading changed in major cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru?
In major cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru, loading has increased significantly. For example, in Bengaluru, it rose from 30% in 2019 to 41% in Q1 2025, while in Mumbai, it increased from 33% in 2019 to 43% in Q1 2025.
What is the impact of higher loading on homebuyers?
Higher loading means that homebuyers get less liveable space and pay more for common areas. This can reduce the actual usable space within their apartments, affecting their living experience and potentially impacting resale value.
What is the role of RERA in regulating loading?
RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) requires developers to mention the total carpet area provided to homebuyers, but it does not currently limit the loading factor in projects. However, RERA should ideally enforce provisions to clearly state how much buyers are paying for usable space and common areas.
What is the ideal loading percentage according to developers?
According to developers like Sunil Pareek from Assetz Property Group, a reasonable loading percentage is between 70-75%. This means the carpet area should be around 70-75% of the saleable area. Loading beyond this is considered unfair on consumers.
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