Longevity Is The New Luxury: Sotheby’s 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook (report)

Sotheby’s International Realty 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook reveals longevity as the breakout trend in luxury real estate, as record wealth and Millennial homebuyers continue to fuel demand. 

I am pleased to introduce the 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook℠ report by Sotheby’s International Realty.

The report reveals a fundamental force reshaping global luxury real estate: the rise of longevity-driven living. Wellness infrastructure and health-centered design are playing an important role in purchase decisions, as ultra-high-net-worth buyers increasingly seek long-term property investments that allow them to age in place. A trend that, combined with unprecedented wealth accumulation and a new generation of Millennial buyers, is transforming the global luxury real estate market. I’ve touched on this trend back in March 2025. I wrote about high-rise living being transformed by a wellness revolution, where luxury meets holistic well-being.  (click the blue link to read the story)

Key findings featured in the report include:

• My foreward on the Atlanta high-end luxury residential market.
• Longevity is the new luxury. The global longevity market is projected to grow from US$5.3 trillion in 2023 to US$8 trillion by 2030, according to UBS Global Wealth Management. Wellness real estate has more than doubled in size in five years and is projected to surpass US$1.1 trillion by 2029. Nearly 38% of real estate professionals working in the US$10 million-and-above segment report that aging in place has become a growing factor for homebuyers.
• Luxury real estate continues to outperform the general housing market. While the broader housing market has been sluggish, the upper end has continued to show signs of strength, boosted by the stock market, technology, and crypto.
• Record wealth is fueling demand. The net worth of the top 1% of Americans reached US$54 trillion by Q3 2025, according to the Federal Reserve, while the S&P 500 rose approximately 80% from early 2023 through 2025. Nearly 40% of the world’s millionaires reside in the United States, and researchers anticipate five million new millionaires globally by 2029.
• The luxury homebuyer pool is growing. More than half (55%) of real estate professionals surveyed who specialize in US$10 million-and-above properties reported an increase in luxury homebuyers over the past 12 months, with average price increases of 5%.

• Millennials continue to reshape the market. 66% of real estate professionals surveyed reported an increase in Millennial homebuyers. This number rose to 73% among those working in the US$5 million-and-above segment. The increase is driven by earned wealth and accelerating intergenerational wealth transfers.
• Lifestyle is driving real estate decisions. 62% of real estate professionals surveyed cited lifestyle as an increasingly important factor for homebuyers, ranking above taxes (60%), economic stability (53%), and political stability (49%).
• Global cities remain resilient. Markets such as New York City, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Milan continue to see steady activity at the top end of the property market, supported by sustained interest in prime properties.
• Tax policy is influencing luxury home purchase decisions at every level. The expansion of State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions from US$10,000 to US$40,000 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is anticipated to increase purchases of high-end residences in states with high property tax rates.

You can view the report online by clicking the link below.

“CLICK HERE” to read the 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook report.