Prestige real estate: 2025, an unexpected record-breaking year

Despite one of the most complex political and economic environments of recent decades, 2025 stands out as a historic vintage for prestige real estate in France.

The Sotheby’s International Realty France-Monaco network has released exceptional results, once again confirming the structural strength and enduring appeal of the high-end property market.

An uncertain environment, spectacular performance

Persistent inflation, geopolitical tensions, new trade policies, declining purchasing power, political realignments in France and abroad… rarely has a single year combined so many sources of volatility.

And yet, against all expectations, the prestige real estate market demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2025.

As the leading luxury network with more than 70 offices nationwide, Sotheby’s International Realty France-Monaco recorded:

- nearly €1.95 billion in sales volume,

- a 40% increase compared with 2024,

- a 30% rise in the number of transactions,

- a record average sale price of €1.95 million.

“We have achieved one of our best years since establishing our presence in France more than 25 years ago,” notes Alexander Kraft, President and CEO of the network. A result that confirms a fundamental conviction: prestige real estate remains a safe haven in times of uncertainty.

Nearly 1,000 sales and unprecedented momentum

In 2025, more than 970 prestige transactions were completed by the network’s agencies, compared with 750 in 2024. This growth reflects both higher volumes and a clear move upmarket in acquisitions.

The figures highlight this concentration on exceptional assets:

- more than 150 sales between €2 and €5 million,

- more than 50 sales between €5 and €50 million,

- 4 transactions above €40 million,

- and a landmark sale exceeding €50 million.

The fourth quarter of 2025 has already gone down in the network’s history as the strongest quarter ever recorded, with more than €650 million in sales over three months.

A buyer’s market, fluid and selective

After several years marked by extreme cycles (post-lockdown overheating followed by a sharp slowdown), the market is gradually returning to a healthier balance.

Three key factors explain this stabilization from spring 2025 onward:

- the strong return of international buyers,

- a gradual price adjustment across all regions,

- a progressive decline in interest rates.

The result is a genuine buyer’s market, characterized by greater supply, more flexible sellers, and the emergence of rare opportunities for informed investors.

Buyers are now focusing on flawless, turnkey properties located in historically sought-after markets.

Paris, the French Riviera, and the mountains: driving markets

Unsurprisingly, traditional markets remain the pillars of performance.

In Paris and the surrounding region, the network’s agencies completed more than 30 sales between €3 and €10 million and around ten transactions between €10 and over €40 million, primarily for an affluent American, Canadian, and French clientele.

On the French Riviera, results confirm particularly strong momentum, with nearly 100 sales concluded from Saint-Tropez to Menton. Saint-Tropez, Ramatuelle, Cannes, and Nice rank among the most active markets, with several landmark transactions confirming the enduring appeal of the Riviera coastline.

The mountain markets, from Megève and Méribel to Courchevel and Chamonix, also posted remarkable volumes, driven by an international clientele seeking exceptional residences.

Prestige real estate: a safe haven and strategic investment

Beyond the figures, 2025 reveals a deeper trend: high-end real estate is more than ever a strategic wealth asset.

In the face of financial uncertainty, volatile equity markets, and monetary tensions, high-net-worth individuals are favoring tangible, rare, and internationally liquid assets.

This dynamic is evident across all French regions and internationally, where Sotheby’s International Realty® has closed several record-breaking sales, from Sardinia to Dubai, from Palm Beach to Zermatt.

2026: decidedly optimistic outlook

The first months of 2026 confirm this positive momentum. Nearly €300 million in transactions are already in the process of being finalized within the network.

According to the latest global Luxury Outlook 2026 report, five factors are expected to continue supporting the market:

- a high-quality international supply,

- major global events generating strong flows,

- the rise of multigenerational living,

- the revival of historic sectors,

- a clientele ready to invest at record levels for unique properties.

“We remain cautiously optimistic,” concludes Alexander Kraft. A prudence guided by solid fundamentals and renewed confidence in the prestige market’s ability to navigate economic cycles.