Kolkata home registrations rebound 50% in July after election-led slowdown
Times of India | 29 August 2026
Kolkata: Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) witnessed a sharp rebound in home registrations in July 2026 after two slack months, as registration activity recovered from the temporary dip seen during the state election period. According to Knight Frank India, 5,516 apartments were registered in July 2026, recording an 18% year-on-year rise over 4,662 registrations in July 2025 and a strong 50% month-on-month increase from 3,669 registrations in June 2026.
The recovery comes after May and June saw softer market activity, with registrations falling 3% month-on-month in May and 21% in June. Sales transactions and registrations had moderated during the poll period, but July’s numbers indicate that housing demand in the city has remained resilient and that the slowdown was temporary. Between Jan and July 2026, a total of 31,723 apartments were registered in KMA. While this was below the exceptionally strong levels seen in the same period last year, volumes remained healthy by historical standards.
Knight Frank India CMD Shishir Baijal said, “The recovery in registrations during July reinforces that moderation witnessed earlier this year reflected a temporary pause in market activity rather than any weakening of housing demand.”
Beyond the recovery in volumes, the data pointed to a more meaningful structural trend. The share of apartments exceeding 1,000 sq ft has risen from 4% to 11% over the past year, while homes below 500 sq ft have declined from 54% to 30% of total registrations.
“This suggests that Kolkata’s residential market is gradually moving beyond entry-level housing. Such an evolution in demand may support a healthier and more balanced residential market over the coming years,” Baijal added.
Mid-sized apartments continued to dominate buyer preference. Homes sized 501-1,000 sq ft accounted for 59% of registrations in July 2026, up from 42% a year earlier. Registrations of apartments above 1,000 sq ft nearly tripled year-on-year to 609 units, while homes below 500 sq ft declined to 1,678 units.
South Kolkata remained the largest contributor with a 40% share of total registrations, led by locations such as Sonarpur, Thakurpukur, Behala and Kasba. North Kolkata accounted for 33%, up from 26% in July 2025. Together, the south and north zones contributed nearly 75% of total registrations. Dum Dum, Barasat, Sonarpur, Thakurpukur and Behala were among the top-performing locations in July.