Interest in U.S. real estate among Russian nationals surged by 78.5% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, according to data released by the real estate firm Tranio and reported by the RBC news website on Wednesday.
The increase marks a notable shift both in investment trends and in public attitudes amid rising uncertainty at home.
By the end of June, the U.S. ranked ninth among the most sought-after destinations for Russian property investment, representing 3.6% of overall demand.
Analysts at Tranio linked the uptick to growing interest among Russian investors in diversifying their assets and hedging against economic and geopolitical risks.
Thailand remained the leading destination for Russian buyers abroad for the second consecutive year, accounting for 25.6% of foreign property demand.
While Russians make up less than 1% of all foreign buyers of U.S. real estate, they are spending more than most, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The average Russian buyer paid $652,915 per property, compared to the overall foreign average of $480,695.
Florida remains the top choice, particularly in Sunny Isles Beach, a Miami suburb informally known as “Little Moscow” for its large Russian-speaking population. Other popular states include Georgia, New York, California and Illinois.
According to Tranio, motivations for buying real estate abroad vary: 18.3% of Russian buyers cited the desire to relocate permanently, 14.4% said they were seeking residency or citizenship and about one-third purchased homes for vacation use or rental income.
The property trend coincides with shifting Russian public opinion about the United States.
In a May survey by the independent Levada Center pollster, only 40% of Russians described the U.S. as the nation “most hostile” toward Russia, down from 76% a year earlier.
And for the first time in 13 years, a majority of Levada's respondents did not identify the U.S. as Russia’s “main adversary.”
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