Real estate: the concept of "semi-main" residence is popular

Is it a fad or a new way of life?

The coronavirus crisis has given rise to a new trend in high-end real estate, that of “semi-main” residences.

What is that?

It is simply the more regular use of a second home.

Instead of spending only their summer vacation in their second home, the French who are lucky enough to own one are more and more inclined to live there for several weeks, or even to settle there half of the year thanks to teleworking.

This notion was born during the first confinement which saw large French cities - Paris in the lead - empty of their most privileged inhabitants.

Until then rather reserved for retirees, with flexible schedules, and certain entrepreneurs, this concept would attract more and more active executives.

"It has become a real phenomenon," says Thibault de Saint Vincent, president of the Barnes real estate firm, specializing in luxury.

Wealthy families take the plunge

It is not a question here of the “commuter” workers who leave their city of residence every morning to join that of their place of work, nor of those who live the week in the city and go to join their families on weekends ... he concerns entire families, most often executives and self-employed people, who choose to work remotely thanks to an Internet connection.

The Barnes group thus supported eleven Parisian families in 2020 who chose to take the plunge and acquired a larger and more comfortable pied-à-terre in the countryside, by the sea or in the mountains, within reach of the train in case of an appointment. you compelling professionals.

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Among other places of residence, these families put their luggage in the best-rated seaside resorts such as Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz or towns easily accessible by TGV (Lyon, Bordeaux, Aix, Marseille, etc.).

But this movement would be international, according to Barnes.

"A lot of New Yorkers move to live in the Hamptons," three hours by train, said President de Barnes.

And to cite the case of one of his wealthy clients, an investment banker in one of the largest American banks.

“He fled New York and moved to Palm Beach where he works.

And like his colleagues, he has not returned to the office for six months, which did not prevent him from achieving a record year in terms of performance ”.

Proof if there is one that luxury does not know the crisis.