How Billionaires Choose Their ‘Forever Homes’ – And Why Location Isn’t Everything

There’s a widely accepted real estate mantra that says, “Location, location, location.” But for billionaires? That’s just the beginning of the conversation—if it even comes up at all. When you have more money than time, more access than most, and the kind of lifestyle that moves across continents, your ‘forever home’ doesn’t revolve around a pin on the map. It’s about something deeper—something rarer. Let’s unpack how the ultra-wealthy go about choosing the places they decide to stay, even if just for a season.

The Myth of the Single Home

The term forever home tends to imply permanence. Stability. Roots. But for billionaires, the idea of a “forever home” is more nuanced. It’s not always a sprawling mansion in Beverly Hills or a château in Provence. It’s often a feeling more than a fixed address. Many own five to ten properties globally yet still speak of one as their “anchor.” This anchor isn’t necessarily where they spend the most time—it’s where they feel most themselves.

For some, that might be a remote estate in New Zealand where no paparazzi dare venture. For others, it’s a penthouse in Manhattan with a private rooftop helipad. It’s personal. Intimate. And not always in the spotlight.

They Buy Atmosphere, Not Just Architecture

Billionaires don’t just walk into a property and ask how many bedrooms it has. They want to know how it feels at 3 a.m. They’re buying a canvas for their life—often one that has to match a hyper-specific mood.

Does the property feel emotional still, or does it vibrate with energy? Is there morning fog curling over the lawn like a hush? Is there a 270-degree view over water, but from inside a whisper-quiet glass observatory? They hire designers and architects not just to furnish homes but to construct an experience. It’s not about maximalism or opulence for show—it’s about creating a sanctuary that reflects their internal world.

Privacy Is the New Gold

Forget square footage. Forget smart homes and even the view. What truly makes a home “forever” in billionaire terms? Privacy. Not the kind that comes with a 12-foot hedge, but the kind that is woven into the land deed itself. Think private islands with controlled airspace. Estates are only accessible via personal cable car. Homes with underground garages that could double as Cold War-era bunkers.

Security isn’t just a precaution—it’s a design element. Many homes include panic rooms, biometric access points, and full-time staff trained in discretion, often former military or intelligence personnel.

Beauchamp Estates, one of the top agencies dealing in ultra-prime properties, has long understood this nuance. Their listings often read more like dossiers than traditional real estate ads—focusing on legacy, provenance, and seclusion rather than price tags or décor. That’s because, for the mega-wealthy, the real luxury isn’t visibility—it’s invisibility.

Symbolism Over Square Meters

The forever home for the ultra-rich isn’t about the number of levels—it’s about meaning. For example, some billionaires seek homes that reflect their origin story. A tech mogul might seek out a sleek steel-and-glass retreat perched above a mountain lake, symbolic of climbing from obscurity to power. An heiress might restore a centuries-old farmhouse to honor her family’s agrarian roots.

The home becomes part of their narrative—an architectural autobiography. That’s why customizations can be both extravagant and deeply personal: underground art galleries, private observatories, meditation caves, and wine cellars that mimic ancestral French estates. These aren’t random flourishes—they’re identity markers.

Community Without Closeness

This one surprises people: billionaires do care about their neighbors, just not in the way you might expect. They want to live near others who “get it.” That’s why areas like Malibu Colony, The Bishops Avenue in London, or Billionaires’ Row in Manhattan exist. These aren’t just enclaves—they’re psychological ecosystems. A kind of silent fraternity.

But here’s the twist—they don’t necessarily want to interact. They just want to know that if they had to borrow a helicopter, there’s a neighbor with one in the hangar.

Weather, Yes. But Not Like You Think

Of course, climate plays a role. But billionaires are not just chasing sunshine. Many actively avoid the obvious locations. They crave rare microclimates, like misty cliffside terrains or places with unpredictable but romantic seasonal shifts. Why? Because monotony bores them.

They want variation. Fireplaces that crackle in winter. Storms batter the coastline while they sip vintage cognac in a home theatre soundproofed with merino wool. Or crisp alpine air while walking barefoot across heated slate floors. Their forever home becomes a stage for nature’s drama.

Future-Proofing Their Lives

These are people who think in decades, not years. Their homes are planned not just for aging in place, but for legacy. Elevator shafts that could one day accommodate wheelchairs. Wings designed for future generations. Even underground vaults—just in case the world changes drastically.

They also think in terms of asset safety. Is the home in a jurisdiction that protects their privacy, their assets, and their heirs? If not, it’s not a forever home. It’s just a beautiful liability.

A Home That Doesn’t Follow Them Around

Most of us choose homes based on jobs, schools, or taxes. Billionaires choose homes that give them back time. That’s why many have private staff, chefs, and in-house wellness teams. They design their home lives the way most people design vacations. Seamless. Nourishing. Effortless.

They want to arrive and feel lighter—not more entangled. Their forever home must work for them, not the other way around.

They Don’t “Fall in Love” with Homes

They engineer them. A billionaire doesn’t typically wander into an open house and fall head over heels. The selection process is deliberate. It can take years. They might test multiple properties before finally settling on the one that’s right—not just for their lifestyle now, but for the version of themselves they are becoming. And once they find it? They often still rebuild it from the ground up.

Final Thought: It’s Not Where It’s Why

So, if you’re envisioning a life of luxury, don’t get too hung up on where billionaires live. Focus on why they live there. Their homes aren’t just real estate. They’re reflections of their philosophies. Their fears. Their histories. Their futures.

They’re not buying a location. They’re buying a feeling that can’t be Googled or filtered in a property search. They’re crafting a sense of permanence in a life that rarely stands still. And maybe, just maybe, that’s the true definition of a “forever home.”