Experts in premium real estate are identifying a distinct new category at the top of the residential market, driven by a structural shift in global wealth and the evolving preferences of the ultra-rich. Termed the “presidence,” this format combines private residences with shared infrastructure and a five-star hotel under an international brand, designed for multigenerational living and long-term ownership.
The trend reflects the rapid growth of high-net-worth individuals. According to Knight Frank's Wealth Report 2026, the number of people worth over US$30 million rose from 551,435 in 2021 to 713,626 in 2026—an increase of over 160,000, equivalent to 89 people crossing that threshold daily. Forbes records 3,428 billionaires with a combined wealth of US$20.1 trillion.
This wealth is increasingly mobile. Henley & Partners projects that 165,000 high-net-worth individuals will relocate internationally in 2026, a 16% rise from the record 142,000 in 2025, as affluent families build cross-border portfolios of homes and residence rights. The appetite for professionally serviced, brand-anchored homes is evident in the development pipeline: Savills reports that branded residential schemes worldwide grew 19% in 2025 to around 910, and are on track to reach 1,747 by 2032, with the Middle East and North Africa the fastest-growing region over the past five years at 187%.
As the apex of the wealth pyramid rises, specialists say demand at the very top is shifting from headline price-per-square-foot toward space, privacy, wellbeing, autonomy, and a home that can be held and handed down across generations. The case for treating this as a distinct category was set out in a recent column by real estate adviser Ku Swee Yong, CEO of International Property Advisor Pte Ltd and an adjunct faculty member at Singapore Management University, where he teaches Real Estate Investments & Finance.
“Luxury residence has a new crown, and it has a name: presidence,” he writes. According to Ku, a property of this kind should meet several defining criteria: it should occupy an exceptional location among peer residences, be built to the highest standards of quality, provide space, a healthy natural environment, security, and self-sufficiency, and create a place where owners and their families can live out every stage of life—building careers, raising children, enjoying leisure, prioritizing health and wellbeing, welcoming family and friends, and ultimately passing the home down through generations. Privacy, in this case, does not mean isolation: rather than retreating behind their own gates, members of the presidence become part of a carefully formed community of peers, surrounded by people with comparable values, interests, and ways of life.
These principles are being formalized into a fuller set of criteria that distinguish a presidence from a conventional luxury development. At its most complete, the format is defined by: a five-star hotel operated by an international brand present in at least three countries, located within the development; a single estate of 200 hectares (around 500 acres) or more; full-spectrum infrastructure within one perimeter—indoor and outdoor sport, a central clubhouse, wellness, dining, parks and natural areas, a medical centre, recreation and security, plus a lifestyle anchor such as a golf, equestrian, or yacht club; a clear separation of public and private zones, with residences kept behind their own multi-layered security perimeter and isolated from guest-facing spaces such as the hotel, restaurants, and spa; a 24/7 premium service model featuring a dedicated resident care team, concierge services, standardised service-level agreements (SLAs), and a digital platform for managing every household and lifestyle need; a unified architectural code governing the style and coherence of every building on the estate; and an equal-neighbour principle, under which a community of like-minded owners can enjoy privacy while remaining part of an engaging social environment.
Fully integrated examples remain rare worldwide, and specialists say demand is running ahead of supply as the number of ultra-wealthy households continues to grow.
