Red, White, and Sacre Bleu: Americans are buying up homes in Paris
A growing number of Americans are moving to Paris, seeking better work-life balance and lifestyle changes, with residency applications increasing significantly. While this trend provides economic opportunities, it has also contributed to rising housing costs for local Parisians.
Why it matters
The influx of foreign capital into European real estate markets is reshaping local economies and housing affordability in major cities.
Marty and Angie Yabrow walking around the 9th near avenue Trudaine. Camille McOuat for BI Getting fired after a reorganization at his firm wasn't ideal, but Marty Yabrow and his wife, Angie, wanted to make the best of it, so in 2024 they booked a three-city trip to Europe. Then, one morning while Marty was filling out a planning spreadsheet with hotels and restaurants, Angie asked out of the blue, "Why don't we just move there instead?" Marty was quick to react. "I deleted that spreadsheet, and I started a new one," he says. Despite some initial misgivings from their financial advisor, Marty, 68, crunched the numbers and found that it was not only financially possible but also preferable to retire in France , since he and Angie, 73, would benefit from free healthcare. After selling their home in Atlanta, they moved to Paris in January 2025.
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