How ₹20 lakh became ₹1 crore in real estate: Finfluencer explains the investor playbook

A ₹20 lakh investment in an under-construction flat in Hyderabad could have turned into ₹1 crore over four years, according to personal finance influencer Sharan Hegde.

“This isn’t a clickbait ad. It’s an actual deal that early buyers in a project I visited just exited from,” Hegde wrote on LinkedIn, after visiting a real estate development in the city.

Hegde’s visit was to meet Ajitesh Korupolu, founder of ASBL—a Hyderabad-based developer with ₹6,000 crore in sales and over 10,000 homes under construction. His goal: to understand how real estate investors in India are achieving multi-fold returns, and how everyday buyers can learn from them.

His key takeaway: while real estate is often considered slow-moving, strategic early-stage investments can deliver strong returns. He outlined five crucial factors: timing, leverage, avoiding ready-to-move-in traps, assessing builder credibility, and recognizing Hyderabad’s unique growth trajectory.

“Timing beats location,” Hegde emphasized, noting how flats bought at the excavation stage in the project he visited appreciated from ₹1.2 crore to ₹2.2 crore by completion—doubling in four years.

Central to this strategy is the Construction-Linked Payment Plan (CLP). Unlike traditional lump-sum payments, CLPs tie installments to construction progress. Buyers pay in phases—foundation, each floor, final finishing—spreading out payments over time.

For investors, this structure provides two key advantages: manageable cash flow and lower financial risk. Banks release loan disbursements in sync with project milestones, and EMIs start small, increasing only as construction advances. This alignment means investors don’t overcommit upfront while capturing appreciation as the project nears completion.

However, Hegde cautioned that not every project guarantees such returns. “Risk isn’t in the property. It’s in the builder,” he said, urging thorough due diligence on developers’ past projects, financing stability, and execution track record.

He also warned against assuming ready-to-move-in flats are safer bets. “Capital is locked, returns are capped, rental yields are 2–3%,” he noted.

Hyderabad’s rapid growth—driven by tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Apple establishing major campuses—has fueled strong housing demand, making it a hotspot for such investments.

“Real estate isn’t slow money if you play it like the pros,” Hegde concluded, framing real estate as a high-upside, timed-risk opportunity for informed investors.