Established in 1971, Narains Group are a Leading Luxury Properties Brokerage company based in Mumbai, India. Since its inception, their focus has been on Lifestyle and Luxury Homes in Mumbai & Class A – Commercial Properties across India. With the perfect combination of highly experienced and qualified Principals and a young, professional, and dynamic team has helped deliver the best solutions for our client’s diverse requirements.
With the largest, filtered and select ready-to-move-in Luxury Homes & Properties, Narains Luxury Properties India Pvt Ltd (NLPI) is one of the best firms in India to begin your search to buy, sell your high value property or for Corporate rentals.
“We are delighted to represent the largest number of ocean and waterfront properties for sale by owners in the city of Mumbai We only deal in resale properties and buildings with Occupation Certificate across India and ready-to-move-in properties across Singapore, London, Mauritius, and Phuket,” informs Chetan D. Narain, the President and CEO of NLPI.
A Legacy Rooted in Eloquence
Renowned for its unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and a client-centric approach, NLPI specializes in delivering luxury spaces that epitomize sophistication and exclusivity.
At the heart of NLPI’s success lies a deep understanding of market trends and a relentless drive to exceed client expectations. By seamlessly integrating sustainable practices with unparalleled luxury, the company continues to set new benchmarks in the real estate brokerage industry. “Our Luxury Portfolio reflects an exceptional range of projects, each a testament to NLPI’s dedication to quality and attention to detail,” adds Chetan, who is a World-Renowned Luxury Real Estate Legend.
In his own words, “I had the pleasure of assisting Urban Land Institute (ULI) during their study tour to India (Feb – 2007) and helped organize a seminar on Infrastructure held in Mumbai.” In April 2007, he was invited by ULI to Shanghai for their ‘World Cities Forum‘. He had the opportunity to address the members and visitors about opportunities and current scenarios in India on the real estate development and infrastructure front. And he is a member to date.
Chetan’s other accolades include
- Served as the President of IIRE (India Institute of Real Estate), 2001 – 2007.
- Luxury Properties Consultant & Realtor (International NAR Member), from 2001 till date.
- Eminent Member – RICS (Royal Institute of Charters and Surveyors – UK) Since 2010.
- Appointed as Ambassador by RICS India for the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa in 2023.
- Invited as a speaker at the National Association of Realtors USA on the topic ‘Methods of Valuation for Residential and Commercial Properties.’
- From 2004 to 2006, he served on the Executive Committee of the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations (ICREA-worldproperties.com).
- From 2005 to 2009, he wrote a fortnightly column (2005-2009) for “Times Property,” the Economic Times, leading business magazines, and other dailies as a Real Estate Industry Leader and Expert in Mumbai, India.
Shaping a Vision into Reality
Established as ‘Narains’ in 1971 by Chetan’s father, they are now a third-generation firm and a group of companies, says Chetan. Reflecting on his legacy, he adds, “My father, Devendra Narain, worked as a sales manager at Kamdar Interiors at Churchgate, Mumbai, in the late 1960s. Mr Maker of ‘Maker & Maker’ (Cuffe Parade and Nariman Point fame) recognized my father’s suave personality and talent as a good fit for Marketing and Sales of Luxury Properties and asked him to consider joining their firm. With blessings from the Kamdar family, he migrated to the Real Estate business. After sincere, honest, and a lot of hard work put in with them for almost seven years, he sought Mr Maker’s blessings to venture into the Real Estate Brokerage business.”
Chetan started part-time work with his father during his summer holidays during the college days and eventually full-time in 1989. While most people assume he had a ready platform and brand that was recognized by then, the journey from humble beginnings to modest achievements in his 35 years in the Luxury Properties Business had its share of ups and downs. Chetan says, “I admire my father for letting me pave my own way into the business and grow it from, as they say, a Mom & Pop firm to a brand which is now a synonym with Luxury Properties.”
From 1989 to almost 1999, as a firm, they did all and sundry to keep their turnover and net profits to match their expenses. Somewhere, Chetan had this feeling that they were not optimizing their talents & resources for bigger and better work. Abir, his son, was born on 22nd August 1999. “I took a two-month break and was home to spend quality time with my wife and him.” During that time, Chetan decided to focus completely on ready-to-move-in Luxury Properties with an Occupation Certificate. There was a huge void of professional property consultants who just specialized in luxury properties at that time. “And perhaps to date, we have managed to carve our brand and claim that space.”
The Most Crucial Breakthroughs
Every great enterprise has its turning points. Those defining moments that elevated NLPI to a leading position in the luxury real estate industry came in 1998, when it was approached by the very first Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Portal IndiaProperties which was started by Naresh Malkani from Washington DC, USA. Naresh’s mother was a Real Estate broker in Pune, and he, in DC, shares Chetan.
“We already had an up-and-running website since 1996, and I love technology which can used to streamline business. In fact, our very first computer was bought in 1991. An XT machine, it was called. We also bought a database software in 1992 to manage the huge city-wide inventory of Residential and Commercial Properties.” Anyways, after drifting in those memories for a minute, Chetan says his personal growth story started via MLS, and Naresh guided him and his team to get an education and certification from the National Association of Realtors, USA. “I jumped at the idea since I always had this unknown manifestation of educating myself and being a certified professional since the very beginning in 1989,” he recalls.
Naresh perhaps spotted the spark in Chetan and his enthusiasm for it and requested that he form an institute via a bilateral agreement with NAR, USA. Eventually it became a reality, and Chetan found himself on the board of directors of the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations by 2002. All these events led to his exposure to International Markets and helped him form strong relationships with professionals from almost 40 countries.
Passionately Qualitative
On a personal note, Chetan always ensures a balance between personal and professional fulfilment. “Quality over Quantity fuels me. I have always been a keen observer and have an eye for detail. I believe God is in the details; look at the creation of the creator; isn’t everything just perfect? What humankind has done to Mother Earth, is on us.”
As for passion, Chetan is again driven by the highest quality standards, aesthetics, greenery and plantations, environment-friendly materials, clean contemporary elevation, and designs when it comes to representing properties. As for clients or prospects, over the years, he has become more and more selective about who he wishes to work with.
He reminisces, “My father always says, work time work – pray time to pray – play time play. I live by that! My father, in his younger days, was an athletic swimmer and an avid squash player till the age of 52. My grandfather played tennis till the age of 74. I guess that got passed down in the genes.” Chetan is an athletic swimmer who plays every sport possible: basketball, cricket, football, squash, badminton, and, eventually, tennis.
Abir C Narain is the Executive Director of NLPI and also a member of the Young Leaders Group (YLG) with Urban Land Institute. His passion lies in Scuba Diving. He’s completed his PADI Dive Master Course in Mauritius, in December 2021 & hopes to own a Dive Centre in Mauritius some-day in the future. He’s a dedicated fitness enthusiast and excelled every sport he picked up, be it Cricket, Basketball, Baseball, Tennis and Snooker. He’s an ex Jamnabai School student from Mumbai & a Commerce Graduate. He’s an active member of the Young Leaders Group (YLG) of Urban Land Institute (ULI) since 2022. He is actively involved in Luxury Segment in India & Internationally.
Suhani Narain (Chetan’s niece) has an MSc in Real Estate Economics and Finance from the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE). She is actively involved alongside Sanjeet Narain (Chetan’s younger brother) in the Corporate Commercial Properties Business, Nationwide in India.
As the President and CEO, Chetan’s mantra is ‘Stay in your lane. “I don’t allow myself or my team to get distracted or attracted to locations and properties where we are unable to service or deliver.” At the same time, he loves to empower his team members once he knows they are ready and understand NLPI’s work culture and philosophy.
Delivering Distinctions
Luxury often lies in the details. What differentiates NLPI from its competitors is delivering unparalleled client experiences, says Chetan. “Placing the client’s needs is at the core of our business,” he adds. They like to understand clients’ pulse and current market inventory and unify them to deliver an exceptional experience. “Our passion is to provide spaces and landmarks that align with our client’s preferences and requirements. If we didn’t hear you right, we’d be doing it all wrong. It could be a corporate office requirement in Mumbai, New Delhi, or GIFT City, or a home requirement close to school or university for kids, or they need to have a green and open view or sea view in Mumbai. The primary need is to have the right property that fits all the criteria and expectations. This is the reason we love to “listen” and strive to deliver on those expectations.”
In an industry defined by exclusivity, some strategies helped NLPI maintain its edge in the ultra-luxury real estate space, says Chetan. They ensure thorough insights on specific potential properties with previews done, as well as photos and video walkthroughs (wherever possible). Their connections with sellers/landlords, trust, ethics, and transparency make it easier and more convenient for the clients to get their desired spaces. “A word of caution here: Finding your ideal property is like finding your Dream Man or Woman. An exact match is usually a challenge,” he reveals. However, NLPI yearns to get to a win-win situation for its clients and the team, as Chetan believes in offering holistic and personalized services and has a desire to adapt its approach to align with client requirements and unique tastes.
He states, “Our Philosophy of ‘Promise to deliver, deliver more than you promise’ ranges across topographies, market trends and customer segments. With the utmost care and diligence, we ensure that we deliver landmark spaces by deploying the best practices and to our client’s satisfaction at the first instant.”
Winging the Global Winds
Expanding into international markets is no small feat. More than chance, it was Abir & Chetan’s acumen that worked in NLPI’s favour. Two years ago, Chetan was requested (more like summoned) by one of the biggest stockbroker friends in Mumbai to come to meet with a dear friend of his at The Chambers at Taj, Colaba. Chetan recalls, “I was just about to leave for office and decided to change my plans to go see them. Enroute, I learnt more about the gentleman I was about to meet and his prestigious project in Phuket called ‘Royal Phuket Marina.’ In brief, the meeting went extremely well, and I was already scheduled to be in Phuket with my wife for her birthday. We went, we saw, and we were in awe of the Estate on the oceanfront. We then got a mandate from him to sell in India. Since Abir had done his PADI Scuba Dive Master course in Mauritius, I planned to look in to the potential of doing Luxury Homes in Mauritius.” Which we did, after extensive study tours and several meetings with the leading developers & the Economic Development Board of Mauritius.
In early September 2024, NLPI was approached by the Perennial Group from Singapore to Market its prestigious and marquee upcoming project, Skywaters Residences.
“After a few Zoom meetings, after having done extensive homework on us and scanning other firms in the country, they wanted us to take up Exclusive Marketing and Sales rights for India and the Middle East. Alongside, we had developers from London, UK, who wanted us to do the same, and we eventually chose to work with two of them who have Marquee waterfront projects,” shares Chetan.
A Fascinating Future Full of Unlimited Possibilities
Thus, over the next decade, both Nationally and Internationally, aligned to his aspirations, Chetan’s focus is on large land deals in India for Land – Plots for Development, Convention Centres, Hotels, Universities, Schools, Private Office or Residential Buildings, Ready to move in Luxury Homes upwards of ₹40 crores, Posh Offices on Sale and Rent.
Chetan’s younger brother Sanjeet Narain, his daughter Suhani (23), and their team focus only on Corporate Offices and Commercial Properties, while Abir (25) and the fabulous team of associates focus largely on Luxury Homes across India and select locations across the Globe.
“As for International, we wish to tread carefully and take up Locations and Projects that appeal to us, but more importantly, the ones we can actually sell and deliver,” divulges Chetan.
With his extensive experience in luxury real estate, Chetan believes certain trends will shape the future of the industry. “I dislike glass façade residential buildings. An apartment or your home should look and feel like one from inside and out. I love permanent finishes on the exterior of the buildings and in the common areas like the Lobby, passages, etc. It saves the agony of painting and the mess it creates while you occupy and live there. Green and environment-friendly buildings are already and will remain a prerequisite,” he concludes.
