Source: Conde Nast (https://bit.ly/346ZFWY)

An idyllic secluded villa in Goa’s quaint Salvador do Mundo with expansive gardens and soulful design tenets was on sale for Rs16 crore in November. In just a week, it was snapped by a wealthy home-seeker. This was not an exception. Over the last two years, Goa’s languid charms have burst upon India’s high net worth individuals (HNIs), who are now swooping in for homes that deliver luxury, status and all creature comforts one can ask for.

Villas in Goa: What’s on offer

The options will blow the mind: a villa with a helipad, access to a personal jetty, beautiful international architecture, forensic analysis of the sun, wind and temperature to address heat, wind and light, customised floor plans, elevators, catering, manicured gardens, masterchefs, housekeeping, gardens, gazebos, open bars, valets, plunge pools, lap pools, masseurs, after-sales service, concierge and to top it all–a view tres spectaculaire. All this tropical bliss starting Rs5 crore going up to a whopping Rs50 crore for the fully bespoke ones.

Everyone expected the pandemic to soften the market, but in Goa, things went the other way.

“Dream villas have gone through the roof as their demand has skyrocketed, especially after COVID as many families decided to reset lives. People have realised their need for quality and calm. Homes with sea views, exclusivity in private pools and expansive gardens, lifts and the best of amenities and services are what homeowners seek,” says Dr Joseph Britto.

Money is not a criteria; location and luxury are. Beachline areas like Parra, Guirim, Assagao, Siolim, Vagator and quiet interiors—Aldona, Moira, Nachinola and Succour—are popular. “[The buyers] want to be tucked away, perched in cool, calm and quiet surrounds or a traditional Goa village. I have clients from Kolkata who have bought the most expensive properties. Many prefer the Assagao for its recreation and eateries. It helps that the village panchayat has ensured that eco-friendliness is not compromised. Chapora, Anjuna, Morjim, Arambol, Ashwem and Mandrem are in demand too,” says Noel Goodwin.

Unoriginal template designs are passé. “Low rise-low density homes with local character facades, modern functionality in quiet, green village settings yet not far from the hustle are preferred. The eclectic buyer wants ceiling heights, good fenestration ratios, open to sky sundecks/terraces or long-deep verandas/balconies or sizeable gardens for al fresco dining. Much to the dismay of green building advocates like me, private pools are the norm so I wouldn’t call them differentiating or striking anymore. Developers take cognisance of what a buyer expects, and private pools are one of them,” explains Manchanda.

Manchanda avers that post-pandemic, Goa has seen a transformation in residential real estate from “I want” to “I need”. CREDAI, the real estate body, pegged the rise in property prices this year at 10-15%, though local realtors say this is a conservative estimate.