Don't know what's the status of properties in south and north east but in North only viable solution is to buy land in hill station and it's for only retirement purposes.
If you have nuclear family then Delhi-NCR is out of reach for lower-middle middle class, 1 crore se neeche koi baat hi nhi karta and jeez if you look at price tag of DLF Camellias etc then you will instantly go into depression.
No wonder thousands of middle class folks exploring golden visas etc.
1 crore toh builder log aese bolte hai jaise raste pe chane bech rahe hai upar se "only" laga dete hai last me jese chawanni hai.
I have been researching for a property in Maharashtra and the same thing is happening here. Everywhere I go they start with 1 cr only.
To pay back an 80% loan on that amount i.e. 80 lakhs, it will take more than 20 years and by then we will be old.
The only way to beat this is by earning more and that is where many middle class people lack.
They are trapped in the rat race and are falling for the debt trap and are unable to get out of it.