Italy’s high-end housing market saw a sharp uptick in 2025 with Italy Sotheby’s International Realty reporting record revenues of more than €38m, up 68% year-on-year.
The performance reflects growing international demand for prime and super-prime homes, with Italy increasingly positioned as a global hotspot for lifestyle-driven property investment.
Total transaction volumes approached €1bn over the year, with activity heavily weighted towards the top end of the market, highlighting continued resilience among ultra-high-net-worth buyers.
Major deals included a €164m transaction in Costa Smeralda, more than €90m in sales around Lake Como, and multiple deals exceeding €20m across Milan, Rome and Como.
LIFESTYLE LOCATIONS
The firm also reported expansion into emerging lifestyle locations such as Lake Garda (main picture) and Palermo, signalling a broadening of demand beyond traditional prime markets.
International buyers remained a key driver, accounting for a significant share of activity, with the US leading at 19%, followed by Germany (11%), the UK (9%) and France (8%).
The data points to a shift in buyer priorities, with demand increasingly focused on turnkey homes offering privacy, outdoor space and strong long-term value, particularly in globally recognised destinations.
While Milan and Rome continued to anchor the urban prime market, lifestyle hotspots such as Costa Smeralda and Lake Como attracted the highest levels of capital, with transactions exceeding €200m and €140m respectively.
SUSTAINED DEMAND
Lodovico Pignatti Morano, partner at Italy Sotheby’s International Realty, said: “In line with trends across our global network, demand for exceptional properties in Italy continues to grow, becoming increasingly selective and quality-driven.
“Today, ‘unique’ is defined by a combination of architectural significance, privacy and truly irreplaceable settings – from historic villas with provenance, to waterfront estates and prime city residences with terraces and iconic views.
“We are seeing sustained demand from international buyers, particularly from the United States and Northern Europe, alongside a growing presence of younger high-net-worth individuals.
“These clients are increasingly focused on turnkey properties that combine lifestyle and long-term value, with strong interest in destinations such as Lake Como and Costa Smeralda, as well as prime urban markets like Milan and Rome.
“Across all segments, there is a clear shift toward homes that offer outdoor space, discretion and immediate liveability – reflecting a more global, mobile and experience-driven approach to property ownership.”
