Investors who closely track mutual funds, equities and fixed income are now applying the same scrutiny to property. For years, real estate in India operated largely on informal trust, built on reputation, personal references and word of mouth, even when large sums were at stake. That approach no longer aligns with how today’s investors think.
In other asset classes, investors are accustomed to data, disclosures and clear accountability, tracking performance on dashboards and questioning assumptions. As real estate becomes more formalised, particularly in the post-RERA era, these expectations are increasingly shaping how property investments are evaluated.
Change started with investors
The most important shift in Indian real estate over the past decade has been behavioural rather than technological. Investors who closely track mutual funds, equities and fixed-income instruments are now applying the same level of scrutiny to property. They want to know:
- What data supports the investment case?
- How risks are governed and monitored?
- What happens when assumptions fail?
- Who is accountable when outcomes diverge from projections?
Regulation set the floor, not the ceiling
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) marked the point at which opacity in Indian real estate was no longer tolerated. By mandating project registration, public disclosure of approvals and timelines, escrow mechanisms and formal grievance redressal, RERA reshaped what investors could reasonably expect before committing capital.
Transparency has moved beyond availability to usability
Today’s investors are not short of data; they are short of usable data. While RERA portals offer access to approvals, timelines and developer disclosures, interpreting this information still requires effort and context. As a result, investors increasingly expect:
- Standardised data formats
- Clear audit trails
- Regular performance updates
- Visibility into governance and compliance status
Discipline is no longer a legal concept
Post-RERA, discipline is not defined solely by regulatory compliance. It is increasingly judged by how platforms behave across the investment lifecycle.
Investors now evaluate platforms on:
- How assets are vetted before listing
- Whether assumptions are conservative or promotional
- How risks are communicated
- How reporting is maintained after capital is deployed
This kind of discipline is not mandated by law. It is market-enforced.
Technology platforms are being judged differently
Technology-led property platforms are no longer evaluated on access alone. Accessibility is assumed. What differentiates platforms today is how effectively they convert regulatory disclosures and asset data into decision-grade information. Investors increasingly expect:
- Traceable ownership records
- Transparent transaction histories
- Ongoing visibility into asset status
- Clear documentation of governance processes
Trust is becoming quantifiable
Trust in real estate used to be reputational. Today, it is increasingly measurable.
Metrics such as:
- Project registration penetration
- Complaint resolution rates
- Enforcement recoveries
- Transparency rankings
…all contribute to how investors assess risk and credibility. As these metrics become more visible, trust shifts from perception to evidence.
From compliance to credibility
Regulation brought real estate into the formal economy. Investor expectations are now pushing it toward institutional credibility.
This transition mirrors what has already occurred in other asset classes: disclosure was followed by standardisation, which was followed by accountability. Real estate is now moving through the same sequence.
Platforms that recognise this are investing in governance infrastructure, data integrity, and disciplined reporting, not because regulation demands it, but because investors do.
The new benchmark for property platforms
Property investing today is not about eliminating risk. It is about understanding, governing, and tracking it.
Investors expect:
- Data they can interrogate
- Governance they can verify
- Discipline they can rely on
RERA created the foundation for these expectations. Technology platforms are now being judged on how well they build upon it.
In a market where capital is increasingly informed and mobile, the defining question for property platforms is no longer “Are we compliant?” but “Are we credible?”
That distinction is shaping the future of real estate investing in India.