MUMBAI, Sept. 3 -- Property sales in Mumbai have taken a hit. Registration data available with Maharashtra's Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps (IGRCS) shows that the realty market is down by 11.33% month on month (July and August) and 3.51% compared to last August. Real-estate pundits are of the view that there could be a further fall in sales if India does not manage to get the US tariffs rolled back. Donald Trump has levied a 50% tariff and 1% penalty on several Indian goods and services, which is anticipated to have an adverse impact on the Indian economy, including a potential increase in unemployment levels. The tariffs came into effect from August 27. The IGRCS statistics show that in August 2025, 11,230 property sale documents were registered as compared to 12,579 in July, an 11.33% month-on-month dip. In terms of revenue, this works out to Rs 1,000.46 crore in August as against Rs.1,123.03 crore in July. When the figures are compared year on year, in August 2024, 11,632 sale agreements were registered with the government, with the state coffers bagging Rs.1,061.65 crore. This is 5.76% revenue less than this year despite the Maharashtra government increasing ready reckoner rates across the state from April 1, 2025. The granular details of the registrations show that 80% of all registrations in August 2025 were of residential properties. Meanwhile, the suburban markets continued to anchor sales momentum, with the western and central suburbs together comprising 86% of the August registrations. The western suburbs led with 54%, while the central suburbs contributed 32%. South Mumbai was 1% up from last August's figure of 6% while Central Mumbai slipped from 11% to 7% this year. The mounting trade tensions between India and the United States after the imposition of the 50% tariff, if not negotiated into moderation, will massively impact many critical, yet vulnerable sectors that drive India's affordable housing segment. "The category of homes priced at Rs.45 lakh or less was already gravely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and is still struggling to find any semblance of firm ground. Trump's mercenary tariffs will snuff out even the dimmest ray of hope for this segment," said Dr Prashant Thakur, executive director, Research & Advisory, ANAROCK Group. A builder told HT that what his community feared, apart from a fall in sales, was default in payment and cancelled bookings if there was a rise in unemployment levels. "We will have to be innovative in our marketing strategy as well as sensitively consider such cancellations on a case-to-case basis by providing some flexibility in payment plans," he said....