11Investment · 1 MIN READ

Why Listing Prices Mislead Buyers

Listing prices are asking prices, not transaction prices. Here is how the gap forms and what to measure instead.

Last updated 10 May 2026Methodology ↗Editorial content. Any figures referenced are indicative computed estimates.

A listing price is what a seller hopes to receive. A transaction price is what a buyer actually paid. The two are rarely the same, and in a slow quarter the gap widens — yet most price trackers quote the former because it is easier to scrape.

The asking-price gap

When demand softens, sellers tend to hold their headline number and negotiate in private. Published listings therefore stay high while real closings drift lower. A buyer reading only listing data sees a market that looks firmer than it is.

What the Propvidhi Index measures

The Propvidhi Index is designed around closed transactions rather than asking prices. Pre-launch figures shown on the site are indicative computed estimates, clearly labelled as such, with a methodology link and a last-updated date on every data page.

How to read a micro-market

  • Compare the median price per carpet-area square foot, not super built-up area.
  • Look at quarter-on-quarter movement alongside year-on-year.
  • Treat any single quarter as a signal, not a verdict.

The goal is not a number that flatters the market. It is a number a buyer can act on with confidence.