2 weeks Ago By The Hans India
Bengaluru ; India’s luxury homebuyers are evolving. While location, design, and amenities still matter, there’s a growing expectation that a home should support a healthier, more active lifestyle. This shift is quietly changing what “premium living” really means, and sports infrastructure is at the centre of it.
Across metros, from Mumbai to Hyderabad, Delhi NCR to Bengaluru, developers are seeing more buyers' questions about access to sports facilities—not just clubhouses or gyms, but walkable, usable spaces to play, train, or unwind. The change reflects a deeper reality: staying active has moved from a preference to a priority. The Gap in Public Access India has no shortage of stadiums and big sports facilities, but for most people, using them regularly is far from easy.
In cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, a lot of these venues are either off-limits to the public, reserved for pro athletes, or just not maintained well enough to be inviting. Some are overcrowded; others are hard to reach. Either way, they’re not built into daily life.
Only a few publicly accessible facilities stand out. The Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad, for instance, has become a community fitness zone in the early hours. In Navi Mumbai, the CIDCO-built sports complex in Kharghar allows structured access to various sports.
But examples like these are the exception, not the norm. For the average luxury homebuyer, the idea of driving 20–30 minutes to find an open, safe, well-maintained space for fitness or sport simply doesn’t align with their lifestyle. As a result, the market is seeing growing interest in homes where sports infrastructure is built into the community.
A Lifestyle-Driven Shift Knight Frank’s 2024 Wealth Report ranked Mumbai in the top 10 globally for luxury housing price growth. Meanwhile, JLL reported that over 50% of homes sold in India in 2024 were priced above ₹1 crore—a clear signal that high-net-worth buyers are active and increasingly lifestyle-driven. Today’s affluent buyer is younger, health-conscious, and has limited time but prefers active lifestyles.
They like privacy, access, wellness, and properties that enable active living without the hassle of finding it elsewhere. A Case in Point: Marvel Fria Marvel Fria in Pune is one such example of this shift in action. It doesn’t just offer a sports corner—it plans around integrated, daily-use zones: a full basketball court, multi-sport turf ground, jogging trail, squash court, spa, open-air gym areas, dedicated play spaces and more.
Importantly, these aren’t tucked away—they’re central to the layout, encouraging everyday use for individuals, families, and children alike. What makes it relevant is how it meets multiple needs at once: fitness, safety, ease of access, and family-centric design. For many buyers, this isn’t a perk—it’s peace of mind.
Final Word: What This Really Signals India’s cities are getting taller, denser, and harder to navigate. Public infrastructure just isn’t keeping up with what people now expect, especially when it comes to living well. That’s where private communities are stepping in.
Sports infrastructure, in particular, is quietly becoming a real differentiator. Buyers today want homes that support balance, movement, and connection—especially within well-planned ecosystems like Marvel Fria. A stadium or sports park only adds value when it actually fits into how people live, not just how cities are mapped out.
To me, this is part of a bigger shift in how we define luxury. It’s no longer just about the four walls—it’s about everything around them. When that “everything” includes smart recreation, real accessibility, and long-term liveability, demand doesn’t just spike—it stays.
And that’s the kind of value today’s market respects.(Author Vishwajeet Jhavar, is MD and CEO of Marvel Realtors).
