Where in the World Are the Ultra-Wealthy Moving?

For the world’s wealthiest individuals, home is increasingly defined by more than one address.

Nearly one in five ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs)—those with a net worth of US$30 million or more—now lives outside the country where they were born, according to Altrata’s Global Citizens: Entrepreneurship, Mobility and the Ultra Wealthy, published in April 2026.

That mobility is helping reshape luxury real estate markets around the world. Wealthy buyers are establishing residences across multiple countries and cities, often balancing business interests, family connections, lifestyle priorities, tax considerations and long-term wealth planning.

The New Geography of Global Wealth

Altrata’s research focuses on three of the world’s major wealth destinations: the United States, London and Singapore. The migration patterns reveal just how international these markets have become:

• London: India and the United States are the leading countries of birth among foreign-born UHNW residents.
• Singapore: China and India are the predominant birthplaces among ultra-wealthy residents who have relocated there.
• United States: Canada and India are the leading countries of birth among foreign-born UHNW residents.

These movements illustrate something larger than relocation alone. The world’s wealthiest households increasingly operate across borders, maintaining professional, financial and personal connections in several markets at once.

As Altrata Global Head of Luxury Moira Boyle observed, wealth is becoming increasingly global in both its movement and its outlook, with foreign-born ultra-high-net-worth individuals particularly entrepreneurial, internationally connected and concentrated in major wealth centers.

A Highly Mobile – and Experienced – Buyer

Altrata reports that globally mobile UHNW individuals have an average age of 65.7, with approximately 89.8% men and 10.2% women. For luxury real estate, that profile can translate into highly experienced buyers and sellers accustomed to sophisticated transactions. They may already own multiple residences and evaluate property within a much broader context than a single local market.

A Sarasota residence, for example, may be considered alongside homes in New York, London, Palm Beach, Miami, California, the Caribbean or another international destination. Location remains important, but so do privacy, lifestyle, accessibility, asset quality and the ability to move confidently between markets.

Sarasota’s Place in a Global Luxury Market

Sarasota continues to attract buyers whose lives and interests extend well beyond Florida. Its waterfront lifestyle, cultural institutions, private communities, boating, golf, beaches and comparatively relaxed pace give the region a distinct position among luxury destinations.

For these clients, the decision to buy or sell in Sarasota may be part of a larger portfolio of residences, an estate-planning decision, a relocation strategy or a transition between several important places in their lives.

That makes relationships beyond Sarasota increasingly valuable.

Local Representation With Global Reach

The Laughlin Tanner Group is a member of Sotheby’s Market Leaders, an international network of leading Sotheby’s International Realty advisors serving many of the world’s luxury markets.

Through those relationships, our team has personal connections in destination markets throughout the United States and around the world. When a client’s plans extend beyond Sarasota—whether buying another residence, selling property elsewhere or identifying the right advisor in a new market—we can make a direct introduction to a Sotheby’s professional we know within the network.

As wealth continues to move across borders, strong real estate representation increasingly means understanding not simply one market, but how the world’s leading markets connect.

For clients considering a move to Sarasota, from Sarasota or between luxury destinations around the world, the Laughlin Tanner Group can provide the local expertise and global connections to help put the right resources in place.