India, Jan. 31 -- Investors who closely track mutual funds, equities and fixed income are now applying the same scrutiny to property. For years, real estate in India operated largely on informal trust, built on reputation, personal references and word of mouth, even when large sums were at stake. That approach no longer aligns with how today's investors think.

In other asset classes, investors are accustomed to data, disclosures and clear accountability, tracking performance on dashboards and questioning assumptions. As real estate becomes more formalised, particularly in the post-RERA era, these expectations are increasingly shaping how property investments are evaluated.

The most important shift in Indian real estate over the past dec...