With eye on fitness & leisure, Chennai youngsters scout luxury homes

CHENNAI: On Friday, HR professional Vijay Kumar, 32, and his wife, Keerthi, were scouting for luxury homes priced around 5 crore at the 18th edition of Fairpro, being organized at Chennai Trade Centre. Their focus was clear: a three-bedroom house with more than 1,500sqft space, packed with recreational and fitness amenities.Chennai's homebuyer profile is undergoing a generational shift. Average age of a buyer has dropped from the mid-40s to early 30s, with young professionals prioritising lifestyle amenities. They seek larger, eco-conscious homes that offer dedicated fitness spaces and thoughtfully designed comforts. Many prospective homebuyers were at the expo, where more than 80 Credai Chennai developers are showcasing more than 500 projects. The three-day expo features 52,586 units spanning 57.2 million sqft, priced from 15 lakh to 15 crore, and is expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors. Deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inaugurated the expo on Friday."Newly employed youngsters are becoming investment-conscious. With a sizeable disposable income, they are ready to invest in ultra-luxury homes at a young age, as they have a longer time to pay EMIs. They want houses spanning between 1,500 and 2,000 sqft. In terms of amenities, they want it to be fitness-focused. We are also allotting larger spaces for fitness. Eco-friendly construction, ventilation, and connectivity are what they mainly look for," said Navin Kumar, managing director, Navin's, and treasurer of Credai.Increasingly, many are looking towards rapidly developing north Chennai micro-markets, drawn by improving infrastructure, connectivity, and long-term capital appreciation. "Multiple CMRL lines pass through north Chennai, and demand for property 300 metres to 1.5km from metro lines is increasing," he added.Vivekanand Choubey, CGM of SBI Chennai Circle, said many youngsters are keen to pick up premium properties. "Last year, home loans to the tune of 1,000 crore were sanctioned, and the conversion rate was nearly 70%. This year, we are expecting loan sanctions to the tune of 3,000 crore," he said.S Sivagurunathan, advisor, Fairpro 2026, said Chennai's real estate market is seeing steady demand, supported by infrastructure growth and expanding city limits.