Why Gated Plots Are Emerging as the Smartest Second-Home Investment in 2025

India’s second-home market is undergoing a meaningful shift. What was once viewed as a lifestyle indulgence has increasingly become part of long-term wealth planning. According to Knight Frank’s India Real Estate H1 2024 report, demand for second homes rose sharply in key leisure corridors, fuelled by a deeper preference for space, nature, and low-density living among urban families. Supporting this sentiment, the FICCI–ANAROCK Homebuyer Sentiment Survey H1 2024 indicates that while apartments remain the dominant choice nationally, plots are steadily gaining traction, especially in certain major cities where 20–30% of buyers now show a preference for land over built homes, attracted by flexibility, privacy and long-term asset appreciation.

This behavioural shift is even more pronounced in leisure-driven micro-markets such as Alibaug, Lonavala, Goa, Nandi Hills and Karjat, where plotted developments have seen a rise in enquiries over the past two years. Buyers today want the freedom to build at their own pace — but with the reassurance of clear titles, infrastructure, and a credible developer ecosystem.

Unlike ready villas, which come with fixed layouts and higher upkeep costs, gated plotted communities offer a balanced hybrid — developer-provided infrastructure and legally clear land parcels, combined with the buyer’s freedom to plan, design and construct at their own pace. This mix of flexibility and reassurance is drawing both end-users and investors into the segment, making plots one of the most compelling second-home investment avenues of the year.

A case in point: A new gated plotted development in Karjat by Sugee Group in partnership with Purnasya Real Estate and ACE Dealmakers

One of the notable projects reflecting this shift is a second-home plotted development taking shape in Karjat through a three-way collaboration between Sugee Group, ACE Dealmakers Ltd., and Purnasya Real Estate (a newly launched vertical under Purnasya). The model is a synergy of complementary strengths: ACE Dealmakers contributes development-ready land with clear title, Sugee Group brings its 35-year legacy of on-time delivery, trust and transparency, and Purnasya Real Estate leads the strategic go-to-market approach and revenue management with deep consumer insight.

“Second-home buyers today want more than just scenic living — they’re thinking long-term wealth,” says Charmie Kanabar, Founder of Purnasya. “A gated plotted community gives them the flexibility to build at their own pace, but with the assurance of clean titles, prepared infrastructure and a credible development ecosystem. For investors, that combination is extremely powerful: the asset is secure, the holding cost is low, and the value appreciation in fast-growing corridors tends to outperform many traditional second-home formats.”

“For us, this initiative started with a land parcel that held strong potential,” say Manish Jhunjhunwala and Punit Wadhwa, Directors at ACE Dealmakers Ltd. “By collaborating with Sugee and Purnasya, we were able to shape it into an investment-ready proposition — one that balances end-user appeal with long-term value. The gated-plotted format gives buyers a future-proof asset: stable, scalable, and backed by partners who ensure transparency and development discipline.”

Karjat’s appeal in this context feels particularly timely. Positioned under two hours from Mumbai and Pune, the region has emerged as one of Maharashtra’s most active second-home destinations. Improved connectivity, expanding infrastructure corridors and a growing preference for low-density living have made it a natural choice for buyers seeking both lifestyle and long-term asset appreciation. MahaRERA’s Q4 2024 dashboard also recorded a noticeable rise in project approvals across peripheral districts — a data trend that closely mirrors increasing demand in these belts.

This rising preference for plots is not a temporary trend created by pandemic-era behaviour. It marks a structural shift in the way upwardly mobile families think about wealth creation and lifestyle flexibility. Plots offer more favourable entry points than villas, greater customisation, stronger appreciation in growing corridors, and better liquidity when compared to constructed second homes. For developers, plotted projects reduce construction risk and allow for swifter delivery of core infrastructure. Several major real-estate players have introduced plotted or low-density formats over the last two years, signalling the industry’s confidence in this model.

Gated plotted communities represent far more than land transactions. They reflect a growing desire for autonomy, aspiration and long-term security. With credible partnerships emerging — such as the Sugee–ACE–Purnasya collaboration in Karjat — the model is being refined to address the needs of a more informed, discerning and investment-focused audience.

If recent data and consumer sentiment are indicators, 2025 is poised to be the year when plots move from a niche second-home curiosity to a mainstream investment choice. And as gated plotted communities continue to blend infrastructure readiness with personal creative freedom, they are well on their way to defining the next chapter of India’s second-home story.