India, Oct. 29 -- The real estate sector must broaden its buyer base beyond affluent households and focus on first-time homebuyers to sustain growth, industry leaders said at the 22nd edition of CII Realty 2026 in New Delhi on October 28. They called for a revision of the affordable housing definition, better access to home loans and more effective funding mechanisms to address stalled projects.

"The largest untapped pool in Indian real estate is not the top of the market; it is the first home and the first home loan," said Ashwinder R Singh, conference co-chairman, chairman of the CII Northern Region Committee on Real Estate, and vice-chairman and CEO of BCD Group.

Singh said the industry continued to focus on a relatively small pool o...