‘Quiet Luxury’ Is Taking Over the Housing Market—and Pushing Buyers Away From Glitzy Megamansions Even in Wealthiest Enclaves

Once was a time that well-to-do homeowners wanting ultra-luxury went for the usual spots: The Hamptons, Miami, Aspen, Nantucket, Palm Beach.

But with home prices in the stratosphere—especially in those coveted destinations—even the wealthy are reconsidering their options.

Those seeking their own slice of real estate paradise may not appreciate the sky-high expense, crowds, and traffic. Or even want the bank-depleting and time-consuming maintenance of the gated, large-scale manse with garden and pool.

"A slice of luxury in this context simply means a smart purchase!" Vickey Barron of Compass in New York tells Realtor.com.® "You never want to buy the best house on the block."

Corcoran CEO Pamela Liebman agrees, telling Mansion Global, "Quiet luxury is luxury that makes you happy."

Subdued and quiet is the new luxurious

"Quiet luxury isn’t about how much you spend; it’s about how the home makes you feel," says Hamptons broker Adam Hofer of Douglas Elliman.

"It's the family dinners on a back deck with water views, the peace of being tucked away on a quiet street, or finding a property that feels like a true retreat without having to keep up with the Joneses."

"I think buyers are tired of chasing status."

Take Skinnygirl founder and "Real Housewives of New York City" alum Bethenny Frankel, who fled her $5.5 million Hamptons farmhouse for calmer waters.

"The traffic is suffocating," she said, decrying how the Hamptons is no longer the calming getaway it used to be. "The Hamptons aren't Hampton-ing and something is off."

Sure, she decamped to Miami—not exactly a backwater of peace and quiet.

But TikTok videos show the reality star has downsized from a seven-bedroom gated mansion to a waterfront condo with plenty of amenities, where she won't have to worry about lawn maintenance or shoveling snow.

One doesn't need to flee a beloved area entirely to get more subdued, authentic experience.

Frankel predicted to Realtor.com that lesser-known areas of the barrier island will be the ones to watch: Towns like Remsenburg, Westhampton, Quogue, and Bayport.

"These aren’t the 'headline' villages you hear about every day," agrees Hofer. "But they give you the same Hamptons lifestyle, access to the water, beautiful scenery, and a sense of community at a much more approachable price point."

He tells of a Manhattan family who originally budgeted $10 million for a home in Sagaponack or East Hampton.

But after talking with them about what they truly wanted, Hofer realized it was making precious memories with family and friends, not being in the middle of a hot, happening scene.

The family went for a $4 million fixer upper outside of Sag Harbor and "they wouldn't trade it for anything," he says.

Go less trendy

There is even more accessible luxury to be found in Nantucket, MA.

Once a laidback island dotted with lowly fisherman's shacks, it is now so pricey that it has been nicknamed "Billionaire's Isle."

And those 100-year-old fisherman's shacks? One in Codfish Park recently sold for $2 million mere days after being listed.

But you don't necessarily have to shell out millions for 600 square feet of space.

If you're willing to forgo being oceanfront or in one of the most desirable villages such as Siasconset, there's quiet luxury to be had.

Take this five-bedroom, 3.5 bath 6,000-square-foot renovated house in the village of Naushop—it's practically a steal at $2.25 million or $602 per square foot, less than half the island's median of $1,749, according to Realtor.com data.

"It’s a solid deal," affirms local agent Shelly Lockwood, who has been living on the island since 1971, but doesn't have this particular listing. "Naushop is an extremely popular neighborhood and renters return year after year."

The house may not be oceanfront, but it is walkable to a downtown area and comes with amenities like a community pool, tennis and pickleball courts, and a playground. It's also a mere 10 minute drive to the nearest beach.

With beach erosion eating not only into the shoreline but some home valuations, it can be a sound financial decision, not to mention give peace of mind, to buy in the less trendy parts of the isle.

If Palm Beach or Miami is out of one's budget, consider up-and-coming towns like Jupiter, Vero Beach, or Coral Gables (a city within Miami).

If you must have Miami proper, then local Douglas Elliman agent Francisco Navarro recommends lesser-known neighborhoods like Upper Buena Vista or the Design District.

"You don’t need to spend $10 million to live a luxury lifestyle in Miami," he says.

When it comes to uber-pricey California, Newport Beach with its median list price of $5 million may be out of reach for many.

Local estate investor Jameson Tyler Drew says he is seeing buyers head to nearby Costa Mesa, with a much more reasonable median tag of $1.7 million, or farther out to Truckee at $1.3 million or Joshua Tree, even lower at $527,000.

He also suggests Alturas, CA, a small town six hours north of San Francisco, near the Nevada border.

"Recommended if you want that 'Yellowstone' feel, but don't want to leave California," he says.

"If you want to live somewhere where there is absolutely nothing going on and want to sleep under beautiful clear skies, places like Alturas are worth looking at," he says.

Or you can decamp from the U.S entirely.

"For a quarter of the price of any listing in Laguna Beach, you can get a beachside home in Bocas Del Toro, Panama, and you won't have to convert your money either, as Panama uses the U.S. dollar as currency," says Drew.

"I've seen a handful of families move abroad to places like Italy where their down payment could buy a handful of beautifully renovated villas and townhomes."

Up-and-coming destinations for expats include Panama, Indonesia, Colombia, Thailand, and Ecuador.