I don’t think luxury is really about impressing people the way it used to be, and I’ve watched that shift happen gradually over three decades of selling real estate in Los Angeles.

How the Definition Has Changed

Years ago, a meaningful number of my clients wanted a home that made a statement to guests, a grand entrance, an imposing façade, a room clearly designed to be shown off. Today, most of my clients are looking for something quieter: a home that feels right when nobody else is around.

It’s less about the dramatic staircase and more about the light in the kitchen in the morning. Less about a formal living room nobody uses, and more about having a genuinely comfortable spot to unwind after a long day.

Why This Shift Matters

I think this is a healthier way to approach luxury, honestly. It shifts the focus from performing for others to actually living well. For buyers, it also means looking past a home’s most photogenic features and paying closer attention to how the layout, light, and flow will feel on an ordinary day.

I see this play out differently depending on the neighborhood. In Beverly Hills, the change shows up as buyers choosing well-proportioned homes over the largest estate they can afford. In Studio City and Sherman Oaks, it shows up as a preference for character and walkability over sheer square footage.

What to Look for Under This Lens

When I walk clients through homes now, I spend less time discussing the size of the formal spaces and more time discussing morning light in the primary bedroom, how the kitchen connects to daily life, and whether the outdoor space actually gets used. These are the details that tend to matter most once the home is no longer new.

A Real Example of This Shift

A client of mine, a longtime entertainment industry executive, had spent years in a sprawling formal estate that photographed beautifully and, by his own admission, he barely lived in. He told me he spent most of his time in two rooms and the rest of the house existed for parties he’d stopped throwing. When he decided to move, his brief was almost the opposite of what it had been a decade earlier: smaller, brighter, walkable, and comfortable. He ended up in a home roughly half the size of the one he left, and told me it was the first place that actually felt like his.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this mean large luxury homes are harder to sell?
Not necessarily, but the marketing has to work differently. Buyers increasingly want to understand how a large home functions day to day, not just how impressive it looks in photos.

Is this shift generational?
Partly, though I see it across age groups. It has more to do with how people spend time at home now than with when they were born.

How should sellers respond to this?
Show the home as a place to live rather than a place to be seen. Photography that captures real light, and marketing that explains daily life in the house, tends to resonate more than it did ten years ago.

Thinking About What Actually Matters to You?

If you’re weighing a move and trying to sort out what you genuinely want from a home versus what you think you’re supposed to want, that’s a conversation I enjoy having. Sometimes the right house is smaller than people expect.