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Nearly half of non-resident Indians (NRIs) who own property in India are planning to diversify their real estate holdings, reflecting a broader shift from emotional ownership to strategic global wealth management, according to the inaugural Remittor Annual NRI Wealth Report 2026.
The report, published by Vancouver-based cross-border wealth transfer platform Remittor, suggests that Indian properties acquired during the peak investment cycle between 2010 and 2019 are increasingly being viewed as financial assets rather than long-term family anchors. It is based on proprietary data from about 150 NRI client engagements, primarily in Canada and the United States, and is intended to identify emerging behavioral trends rather than represent the broader NRI population.
According to the report, nearly 46% of respondents are seeking to sell their properties immediately, while another 26% plan to do so within six months, indicating a strong liquidity preference. The findings point to a growing tendency among overseas Indians to rebalance their portfolios as they settle permanently abroad and reassess their financial priorities.
“Properties acquired during India’s major NRI investment wave are now entering a liquidity phase as owners evaluate them against mortgages abroad, retirement planning, education expenses, portfolio diversification goals and evolving tax obligations,” said Sanu Nair, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Remittor.
He said the trend does not indicate distress selling but reflects a more deliberate approach to wealth allocation.
“For many NRIs, buying property in India was never just a real estate investment. It represented a fallback plan, a retirement option, a family asset and a connection to home. As migration matures into long-term settlement, these assets are increasingly being repositioned within broader global wealth portfolios,” Nair said.
Residential properties dominate the sales pipeline, accounting for nearly 89% of assets being considered for sale. More than 60% of these properties were acquired between 2010 and 2019, underscoring that investments made during India’s strongest phase of NRI real estate activity are now reaching a stage where owners are reassessing their financial role. Apartments alone account for over 63% of residential assets entering the resale market.
The report shows that Maharashtra accounts for the largest share of NRI properties entering the market, followed by Delhi-NCR, Kerala, Gujarat and Karnataka. These regions attracted substantial overseas investment during India’s rapid urban expansion because of improving infrastructure, strong housing demand and expectations of long-term capital appreciation.
While some owners are capitalizing on appreciation in markets such as Bengaluru, Gurugram and Noida, others are exiting regions experiencing slower price growth and weaker demand, particularly parts of Kerala. The report says property sales are increasingly being driven by portfolio optimization rather than local market conditions alone.
Another key finding is that more than half of respondents intend to repatriate sale proceeds overseas, highlighting the growing importance of cross-border financial planning. However, many still plan to retain a portion of their wealth in India for family obligations, inheritance planning and domestic investments, reflecting a dual capital allocation strategy.
The report also identifies several challenges faced by overseas sellers, including gaps between seller expectations and professional property valuations. Many NRIs continue to base pricing on historical purchase values or anticipated infrastructure-led appreciation rather than current market transactions, resulting in longer selling cycles. Properties priced closer to prevailing market values tend to attract stronger buyer interest and faster sales, it said.
Regulatory and compliance issues remain another major hurdle. More than half of respondents reported difficulties accessing Indian income tax portals, delaying tax compliance, refund claims and repatriation of sale proceeds. Cross-border documentation requirements and differing regulatory procedures across states continue to complicate transactions for overseas owners.
The report further notes that global migration patterns are reshaping financial behavior. As more Indians acquire permanent residency or citizenship abroad, particularly in Canada, they are increasingly aligning their assets with their country of residence. The study describes this as a transition “from ownership to liquidity, from geography to portfolio, and from passive holding to active capital allocation.”
Remittor said it intends to publish the report annually to track long-term changes in NRI property ownership, capital movement and cross-border wealth management, providing policymakers, financial institutions and researchers with insights into the evolving financial priorities of the global Indian diaspora.
