Riding the wave: Real Estate IPOs raise Rs 40,000 crore since 2021

Real estate players are increasingly turning to public markets to raise capital, as reflected in the surge of Initial Public Offerings (IPO) in recent years. According to data from Colliers India, since 2021, around 30 IPOs have collectively raised close to Rs 40,000 crore into India’s real estate sector.

Heightened activity in the equity markets has continued into 2025 too as the year has already seen 92 IPOs. The realty sector continues to leverage equity markets, with seven IPOs raising a cumulative Rs 7,600 crore in CY2025 to date.

Out of the total seven realty IPOs in 2025 so far, some of the key real estate listings on the exchange include the IPO of Smartworks Coworking Spaces, Sri Lotus Developers IPO and the IPO of managed office spaces firm IndiQube. Knowledge Realty Trust (KRT), which is India’s largest REIT, is also preparing to float Rs 4,800 crore issue in August 2025.

The data showed that in 2024 alone, India witnessed close to 160 fresh public issuances across sectors. The real estate sector saw nine IPOs in 2024, raising nearly Rs 13,800 crore- almost double the amount raised in the previous year.

Market observers said that real estate IPOs are expanding majorly into newer categories such as flex spaces, with leading operators scaling their portfolios across cities and fast tracking their public listing plans.

Moreover, the introduction of REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) and SM-REIT (Small and Medium REIT) offerings is democratizing real estate ownership for the retail investor. In the near to mid-term, several real estate companies, including REITs, SM-REITs, hospitality players, residential developers, flex space operators among others are lining up for their IPOs with the SEBI.

Vimal Nadar, National Director and Head of Research, Colliers India, said that real estate players are increasingly tapping public markets to fuel their expansion and strengthen balance sheets, signaling growing investor confidence in the sector.

“The strong momentum seen in 2024 has carried into 2025, with seven real estate IPOs, raising more than Rs 76 billion (Rs 7,600 crore) till July. Moreover, the diverse listings across segments such as flex spaces, hospitality, office, residential, and the anticipated upswing in SM REIT and REIT activity is promising for the entire real estate sector. Indian real estate continues to draw strength from long-term stability and growing investor confidence, making it less vulnerable to global uncertainties,” he said.

He said the outlook remains particularly positive for residential and commercial real estate, led by strong end-user demand, favourable demographics, rising disposable income, and relatively lower interest rates.

Market observers, However, cautioned that real estate developers and investors must remain careful of potential risks, including interest rate fluctuations, urban land acquisition bottlenecks, and global economic headwinds that could moderate real estate growth.