The trending real estate buying habits of the super rich have ushered a new term into our vernacular: “Landmaxxing.”
Coldwell Banker’s new term for the frequency of affluent buyers scooping up neighboring larger properties and homes to maximize privacy, preserve views and create multigenerational living opportunities, landmaxxing is listed as the number one trend right now among luxury buyers, according to its mid-year Global Luxury® report.
According to the report, affluent buyers are increasingly eyeing properties that give them a larger physical footprint, with searches for unique homes and land topping their wishlists. Searches for unique properties—estates, châteaux, castles, historic properties, branded residences, and private islands—rose 146% year-over-year, Coldwell Banker says, while searches for land rose 97% year-over-year.
Location remains a top priority for luxury buyers as well. The research shows nearly 40% of surveyed Luxury Property Specialists say buyers will trade property conditions for the right location, signaling an 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%, the report states.
A Wall Street Journal article recently dove further into the concept, noting some recent high-profile landmaxxers include Ken Griffin, Citadel hedge fund founder, who created a 27-acre compound in Palm Beach, Florida for $450 million, and Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, who spent more than $230 million for properties on Miami’s Indian Creek Island.
“A luxury home can be built almost anywhere, but land is finite,” said Mary Lee Blaylock, president of Coldwell Banker Affiliates. “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.”
The U.S. has become a magnet for luxury real estate inquiries
The report also revealed that prospective buyer interest in luxury real estate in the U.S. has doubled 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. New York, however, had the greatest growth in international buyer inquiries, Coldwell Banker said.
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.
“Today’s luxury home shopper is discerning, focused on both their emotional wants and their long-term wealth building,” said Blaylock. “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.”
Luxury buyers are moving their financial assets into real estate
The report also shows that 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, the data revealed that nearly 60% of the entire luxury market’s growth ($2.2 billion) was driven by the ultra-exclusive top 1% to 5% segment, representing a 7.8% increase YOY.
The data additionally highlighted:
- 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.
A liquidity gap is splitting the luxury market
While the broader housing market continues to face headwinds, the luxury sector remains resilient but increasingly divided, Coldwell Banker noted. 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.
More stats supporting the gap:
- 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.
‘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, Coldwell Banker writes. Most Coldwell Banker Luxury Property Specialists surveyed expect to see an uptick in inventory once rate clarity and great economic security arrives.
According to the survey:
- 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.
