The Bombay High Court has instructed MahaRERA to bring back hybrid hearings within four weeks, allowing parties to choose between physical and virtual appearances. This order came in response to a public petition that raised issues of stalled execution proceedings, missing timelines, and lack of urgent case listings. The court noted that denying physical hearings despite available infrastructure was unjustified and a violation of fair access to justice. It also directed MahaRERA to update its circular and procedures to include timestamped orders, clear scheduling, and greater transparency through published contact and hearing details. A compliance report is expected in the coming weeks.Read more

Over 300 housing units built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Lucknow's Basant Kunj scheme were allotted to eligible applicants during a lottery process that began last Thursday. This marks a significant step towards providing affordable housing in the city, with the draw continuing for various reserved categories over the weekend. The 1,000-unit project, for which applications were invited in 2021, aims to provide compact yet well-equipped homes at an accessible cost to urban poor families, aligning with the broader goal of 'Housing for All' in Uttar Pradesh and nationwide.Read more

The average 30-year mortgage rate in the U.S. has marginally dropped to 6.74% from 6.75%, while the 15-year rate has eased to 5.87%. Despite this decline, the relief for homebuyers remains limited as home prices continue to stay elevated around USD 435,300. New single-family home sales rose just 0.6%, falling short of expectations, while inventory levels touched their highest since 2007. Many buyers now rely on mortgage rate buydowns, builder incentives, or family support to afford homes, while sellers remain reluctant to list due to lower rates they had locked in during previous years.Read more

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested six individuals in two major real estate fraud cases in the NCR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Promoters of Universal Buildwell-Raman, Varun, and Vikram Puri-were apprehended for allegedly siphoning over INR 1,000 crore from homebuyers with false project promises. In a separate case, Sandeep Yadav and Arvind Walia of Ramprastha Group were arrested for an INR 1,100 crore fraud involving 2,000+ homebuyers across delayed projects like Ramprastha City. Funds were allegedly diverted instead of being used for construction. The ED has also attached assets worth INR 681.54 crore and continues its crackdown on real estate-linked financial crimes.Read more

The Odisha High Court has nullified several land deals in Baniapat Khuntapada and Keonjhar, citing illegal exclusion of rightful heirs and serious procedural lapses. Justice S. K. Panigrahi ruled the 2011-2014 transactions-conducted by two brothers without their sisters' consent-as a "carefully engineered arrangement" to deny joint inheritors. The Keonjhar collector has been ordered to investigate and take disciplinary action against involved revenue officials. The NHAI must halt compensation payouts and recover any disbursed funds tied to the now-invalid land deals. The court also flagged suspicious transactions involving a BPL cardholder, reinforcing its stance against land fraud and official misconduct.Read more

DLF Ltd has sold all 416 units in Phase 1 of its luxury project, The Westpark, in Andheri West, Mumbai, generating INR 2,300 crore in just days. Developed under the SRA scheme with Trident Realty, the project marks DLF's re-entry into Mumbai after a decade-long hiatus. DLF holds a 51% stake in the special purpose vehicle, with a combined investment of INR 900 crore. This successful launch, alongside strong performance in Gurugram, has helped DLF surpass 50% of its FY2024-25 sales target. The firm recorded all-time high sales of INR 21,223 crore last fiscal and aims for INR 20,000-22,000 crore this year.Read more

The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP-RERA) has successfully recovered a total of INR 1,410 crore for homebuyers, acting on 5,700 recovery certificates. A significant portion of this, INR 861 crore, was recovered between August 2023 and July 15, 2025. This achievement is attributed to increased pressure on defaulting builders and monthly reviews with District Magistrates. Beyond direct recoveries, UP-RERA has also facilitated mutual settlements worth INR 500 crore and resolved claims amounting to INR 3,320 crore through conciliation, collectively discharging or settling claims from over 15,000 allottee-complainants and enhancing confidence in the real estate sector.Read more

Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has launched a block-level property mapping and numbering initiative to streamline property identification and strengthen property tax collection. Each neighbourhood will be segmented into blocks of roughly 100 houses, with each ward hosting several blocks. A GIS survey is set to begin shortly, covering thousands of houses citywide. Previous attempts led to numbering of over 12,000 properties, and municipal records for new areas will be digitized by next year. This effort forms part of a broader smart-city upgrade involving traffic, water, sewer, energy systems and an enhanced command centre.Read more

Lodha Developers Ltd is set to roll out residential projects worth INR 17,000 crore over the next three quarters, strengthening its launch pipeline to INR 25,000 crore for FY26 following recent land acquisitions. The company has already introduced INR 8,000 crore worth of housing units in the first quarter and remains confident of achieving its INR 21,000 crore pre-sales target for the fiscal year. Executive Director (Finance) Sushil Kumar Modi linked the sustained post-pandemic demand to India's economic momentum, tax relief, and reduced home loan interest rates.Read more

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has revived its long-delayed Sector 53 residential scheme, offering 372 flats, including HIG, MIG, and EWS units across nine acres. Despite strong demand-7,468 applicants for 372 units-the scheme stalled due to pricing concerns after a 30-40% cost hike following collector rate revisions. Three-bedroom flats now cost INR 2.29 crore, up from INR 1.65 crore. CHB refunded INR 7.5 crore in deposits earlier this year but is now moving toward final approvals, with launch expected in about a month. Meanwhile, CHB is planning a new 1,700-unit housing project in Sector 54, with development planning expected to conclude within six months.Read more

China's outstanding property loans rose to a two-year high in June, signaling intensified efforts by the government to support the struggling real estate sector. The overall loan book reached 53.33 trillion yuan, with development loans increasing slightly, while mortgage loans remained subdued. Despite this lending push, the housing market continued to show signs of weakness, with new home prices falling at the sharpest rate in eight months. The rise in loans comes at a time when Beijing is taking multiple steps to stabilize the market, including letting local governments purchase unsold homes and land from financially stressed developers.Read more

Odisha's Housing and Urban Development Department launched a streamlined initiative to accelerate implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act. Following a high-level review chaired by the Chief Secretary, key departments including Revenue & Disaster Management, Town Planning, General Administration, and ORERA have been instructed to report on progress. Priorities include developing digital tools, integrating land-record portals, deploying enforcement squads, and filling vacant operations roles. These targeted measures build on reforms introduced earlier in July aimed at strengthening monitoring, improving inter-departmental coordination, and protecting homebuyers from illegal developments.Read more

The Gujarat government has scrapped the INR 200 fee for ownership certificates, or 'sanads,' under the SVAMITVA scheme, making them free for rural property holders. This move will benefit about 25 lakh villagers, with the state allocating INR 50 crore to fund the initiative. Along with the property card, beneficiaries will now receive the sanad at no cost. The SVAMITVA scheme, launched nationwide in 2021, uses drone surveys to map rural land and issue legal ownership documents. The initiative aims to cut property disputes and promote access to credit and government benefits.Read more

Uttar Pradesh recently raised its stamp duty waiver for properties registered in women's names from INR 10 lakh to INR 1 crore, increasing the maximum discount from INR 10,000 to INR 1 lakh. This change is expected to make middle-class women more financially independent and enhance their status in society. It also aligns with earlier national-level proposals to support women's property rights. Alongside this, the state cleared several other initiatives, including allocating land for an IR-detector research centre creating new jobs and boosting defence tech.Read more

UK home sellers made unusually deep price cuts this summer, marking the steepest fall for July since records began over 20 years ago. Average asking prices dropped by 1.2%, with sellers reducing expectations by nearly GBP 4,600 in an effort to stand out in a crowded market. London and higher-end properties took the biggest hit. However, buyer activity remained strong, helped by falling mortgage rates and better wage growth. Although some momentum from earlier tax incentives has faded, overall market sentiment continues to show resilience despite economic uncertainty and rising supply pressures.Read more

The Chandigarh Administration has served a notice to former BJP MP Kirron Kher, seeking INR 12.76 lakh in unpaid rent for a government-allocated residence in Sector 7. Issued by the Assistant Rent Controller, the demand includes accumulated licence fees and interest charges. Kher, however, has contested the basis of the charges, stating she became aware of the dues through media reports. Her office has requested a clarification on the rent calculations, alleging that they contradict established House Allotment Committee rules.Read more