MMR Sees Surge in Demand for Larger Apartments, ANAROCK Reports

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is witnessing a growing trend towards larger apartments, aligning with a national shift in buyer preferences towards bigger homes, as per the latest data released by ANAROCK Research.

Developers across India’s top seven housing markets have been steadily launching larger units over the past six years, driven by strong demand for spacious homes with added rooms and upgraded layouts.

“Large 3 to 4BHKs and homes with added study rooms have now become mainstream in many of the top 7 cities, and the highly motivated buyers of such units remain unfazed by the higher price tags,” said Anuj Puri, Chairman - ANAROCK Group. “This trend either flies squarely in the face of rumours around a cooling residential market or defines where the demand actually exists. Luxury housing is firmly in the driver's seat.”

While MMR continues to have the smallest average apartment sizes among major Indian cities, the region has still recorded a notable increase in unit sizes over the past two years. Average flat sizes in MMR rose by 12% from around 810 sq ft in 2023 to 904 sq ft in 2025, reversing earlier trends of shrinking unit sizes. In the last one year alone, average home sizes in the region grew by 5%.

Nationally, the average home size across the top seven cities increased sharply by 17% in the last two years—from about 1,420 sq ft in 2023 to approximately 1,656 sq ft in 2025. The year 2024 recorded an average flat size of 1,540 sq ft, marking an 8% growth in just one year.

Puri said changing buyer expectations, especially in the post-pandemic period, are reshaping housing demand across the country. “Luxury residential real estate is now less about shelter or investment and more about high-flying lifestyle and social signalling. It has become a definitive expression of personal success and social mobility. Even ‘regular home’ buyers are coming to the market with expectations of bigger spaces, superior layouts, and upgraded living standards. Beyond doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting psychological imprint on the entire market.”

Comparative data between pre- and post-COVID periods shows a sharp increase in average home sizes, with a 45% jump across the top seven cities—from about 1,140 sq ft in 2019 to roughly 1,656 sq ft in 2025.

Despite the growing appetite for larger homes, MMR’s average apartment size of 904 sq ft in 2025 remains the lowest among the top seven cities, reflecting the region’s high land costs and dense urban fabric. However, the steady rise in unit sizes signals a gradual shift in developer offerings and buyer preferences, particularly in peripheral suburbs and emerging micro-markets within the metropolitan region.