Coldwell Banker: Global Interest in U.S. Luxury Housing Market Doubles in 2026 as Wealthy Buyers Bet on American Homes

Drawing on luxury home sales data, insights from global wealth and real estate research firms, and a survey of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Property Specialists, the report shows that affluent buyers are expanding their real estate portfolios, making more all-cash purchases, and seeking larger, one-of-a-kind properties that offer privacy, land and long-term value. Compared to other global housing markets, the U.S. is also attracting outsized attention from luxury buyers, particularly international shoppers eyeing markets like California and New York.

"Today's luxury home shopper is discerning, focused on both their emotional wants and their long-term wealth building," said Mary Lee Blaylock, President of Coldwell Banker Affiliates. "Both domestic and international buyers are eyeing U.S. properties as they focus on the geographic diversification of their real estate holdings. These buyers are focused on purchasing unique properties that help them build a legacy through their expansive footprints and locations that carry long-term value."

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Program Mid-Year Report: Top Emerging Luxury Real Estate Trends for 2026

Trend #1: Buyers want large, unique homes and "landmaxxing"

Affluent buyers are increasingly eyeing properties that give them a larger physical footprint, with searches for unique homes and land topping their wishlists. Some even take this concept of "landmaxxing" one step further: they're purchasing adjacent properties with eyes for increased privacy, land assemblage, multigenerational living and view preservation.

• Searches for unique properties—estates, châteaux, castles, historic properties, branded residences, and private islands—rose 146% year-over-year.
  
  
  
  
• Searches for land rose 97% year-over-year.
  
  
  
  
• Location remains a top priority for home purchase. Nearly 40% of surveyed Luxury Property Specialists say buyers will trade property conditions for the right location, signaling appetite for well-located fixers as turnkey inventory stays constrained. As affluent buyers prioritize privacy, lifestyle flexibility and space, luxury single-family home sales rose 2.8% year-over-year, while attached properties (condos, townhomes, etc) slid 3.8%.

"A luxury home can be built almost anywhere, but land is finite," Blaylock said. "Features like waterfront acreage, historic estates, or expansive ranches are in high demand, but they require space to maintain and build. Affluent buyers are purchasing properties with that in mind."

Trend #2: The U.S. has become a magnet for luxury real estate inquiries 

The U.S. is seeing a massive increase in interest from global buyers, including from those inside the U.S.  California and New York rank among the most sought-after markets for international investors outside of the U.S. seeking long-term stores of wealth.

• Global Luxury property searches for U.S. real estate from luxury shoppers jumped 100% in the first five months of 2026*.
  
  
  
  
• California had the greatest share of international buyer inquiries among U.S. states, followed by New York and Florida. But New York had the greatest growth in international buyer inquiries.

Trend #3: Luxury buyers are moving their financial assets into real estate

The affluent are pouring more money into luxury homes. The top 10% of the single-family home sector in 120 U.S. markets shows a $3.7 billion increase in total real estate dollar volume for 2026 YOY. Of that, $2.2 billion, nearly 60% of the entire luxury market's growth, was driven by the ultra-exclusive top 1% to 5% segment, representing a 7.8% increase YOY.

• More than 4 in 5 (82.3%) of Luxury Property Specialists say clients are maintaining or increasing their real estate holdings, up from 69% of specialists who said the same a year ago.
  
  
  
  
• More than three-quarters (78%) of Luxury Property Specialists say they're confident about the health of the market, up from 59% who said the same last year.
  
  
  
  
• Nearly half (49%) of Luxury Property Specialists say their clients are more likely to view luxury real estate as a safe-haven asset than they were a year ago. 

Trend #4: A widening liquidity line is splitting the luxury market.

While the broader housing market continues to face headwinds, the luxury sector remains resilient but increasingly divided. Ultra-high-net-worth buyers, insulated by cash and liquidity, are accelerating their real estate activity, particularly for single-family homes and unique properties, while buyers just below that threshold are pulling back, perhaps waiting for rate or economic clarity before committing.

• Almost two-thirds (63%) of Luxury Property Specialists say there is an increase in all-cash purchases among their luxury clients, up from 51% who said the same thing a year ago.
  
  
  
  
• More than a quarter (25.5%) of Luxury Property Specialists identified the wealth divide as an active trend in their markets, up from 20.4% who said the same one year ago.
  
  
  
  
• In May 2026, the top 5% of all luxury transactions accounted for nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of total dollar volume of homes sold in the single-family sector.
  
  
  
  
• The top 1–5% bracket alone captured 42.8% of single-family dollar volume and 42.7% of attached properties, with both segments securing larger market shares than in 2025. This lopsided spending power is evident in the median sold price: the top 5% rose 8%, and the top 1% climbed 6.5%, while the top 10% trailed at 4.7% YOY.

Trend #5: "Shadow Inventory" permeates luxury market

While luxury home inventory levels have declined year over year, a wave of latent supply could be waiting in the wings. The affluent tend to be more insulated; there are plenty of luxury home sellers waiting for rate clarity and greater economic certainty before they decide to list. Once clarity arrives, most Coldwell Banker Luxury Property Specialists expect to see an uptick in inventory.

• Nearly 60% of Luxury Property Specialists expect inventory to increase slightly in the second half of 2026 as seller confidence builds.
  
  
  
  
• The market could be reaching a crucial tipping point, as the number of homeowners with mortgage rates above 6% inches closer to equaling those holding ultra-low rates around 3%, according to data cited in the Mid-Year Report from NAR.

The full Mid-Year Report is available here.

* Based on a Coldwell Banker analysis of proprietary data from JamesEdition, a global luxury marketplace

Methodology

The Coldwell Banker Global Luxury^® program collaborated with Luxury Property Specialists (through the means of a survey), the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, JamesEdition B.V., National Association of REALTORS^® and Barton Consulting LLC to provide insights into wealth, real estate, property investment, luxury spending preferences and emerging trends. For The Mid-Year Report 2026, the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing analyzed the data for the top 10% of 120 U.S. markets. Data contained is from January 1, 2024 to May 31, 2026 and has been computed by the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing's data research partner and shared with Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® based on information attained both privately and publicly. The Top 10% is defined as a property in the Top 10% of any given market. JamesEdition data examines buyer inquiry patterns on JamesEdition's global luxury residential listings, comparing activity from January 1 through May 10, 2026 against January 1 through May 10, 2025 (JamesEdition, May 2026). The report also references JamesEdition data from January 1 through to October 15, 2025 against January 1 through to October 15, 2024 (JamesEdition, Nov 2025) 

For more information on how data was collected and defined, please refer to the full methodology in the Mid-Year Report.

About Coldwell Banker Global Luxury^® program  

The Coldwell Banker Global Luxury^® program legacy traces its roots to 1933 and has been a world leader in luxury real estate since. The Luxury Property Specialists are an exclusive group within the Coldwell Banker^® system, making up under ten percent of independent sales associates affiliated with the brand worldwide. As reported by affiliates of the U.S. Coldwell Banker franchise system for 2025, Coldwell Banker affiliated agents conducted 47,807 transaction sides of homes priced at $1 million or more in 2025. This equates to $260 million in daily luxury sales with an average sales price of $2 million in this category. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo are registered marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker Global Luxury is a program within Coldwell Banker, which is a part of Compass International Holdings (NYSE: COMP), a global real estate services company with a presence in every major U.S. city and in approximately 120 countries and territories.

Media Contact: 

Andrea Gillespie

Coldwell Banker

Andrea.Gillespie@cbexchange.com 

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SOURCE Coldwell Banker Global Luxury