The world’s rich, first of all, are on the move. The Sotheby’s International Realty’s (SIR) report cites a Henley & Partners report that anticipates 135,000 high-net-worth individuals migrating to new countries in 2025, up from 128,000 in 2024. The biggest beneficiary seems to be the United Arab Emirates, which welcomed a record-breaking 6,700 new high-net-worth residents in 2024, with more set to follow.
The world’s high-end housing market is poised to settle into a comfortable rhythm, according to Sotheby’s International Realty’s 2025 Luxury Outlook report.
“I don’t think we’re predicting real estate to decrease in value in 2025, but the rate of appreciation might be slowing,” says Bradley Nelson, the company’s chief marketing officer, who spearheaded the report. “After we did this survey of our top agents on a global basis, doing more interviews than we can count, these sales folks on the front line say it feels like a more stable market, with more balanced conditions,” albeit with strong currents beneath the placid surface.
