Many Telugu people in the U.S. initially enter the country as software professionals. Over time, a few of them grow significantly, especially by stepping into the IT consultancy business, which has proven to be highly lucrative — some even accumulating wealth in the hundreds of crores.
Naturally, their next move has been to invest their earnings into fields they’re passionate about in the U.S., such as cinema, restaurants, and real estate.
However, this growth story is now facing serious setbacks.
The first major blow is to the consultancy business itself. With the job market slowing down and U.S. immigration policies becoming stricter, the enthusiasm among Indians — particularly Telugus — looking to migrate has waned. As a result, consultancy firms are facing a dip in demand and revenue.
Following this, there has been a massive 50–70% decline in real estate activity. Buying, selling, and investing in property has slowed significantly among Telugu communities, especially in previously booming areas.
The cinema business is also seeing a downturn. Traditional investors are now hesitant, fearing losses, as their primary audience — international students — are struggling to find part-time jobs and thus have less disposable income to spend on entertainment.
Even the restaurant business, once a stable fallback, has been hit hard. However, restaurant-cum-grocery stores, a newer hybrid concept, are still managing to survive — for now.
The outlook remains uncertain. Many are warning community members to proceed with caution. As it stands, the American real estate honeymoon is either over — or entering a long pause — for the Telugu diaspora.
