Doomsday report reveals Los Angeles’ plight on the world stage

The City of Angels is losing its grip on international homebuyers, with new data showing foreign shoppers are increasingly looking elsewhere as the city’s share of global real estate interest continues to slide.

Los Angeles captured 4.6% of international home-shopping traffic in the first quarter of 2026, down sharply from 7.9% in the first quarter of 2020, according to a report from Realtor.com.

The decline has stretched across nearly every major region of the world.

Among buyers from North America, Los Angeles’ share of international interest fell from 5.8% in the first quarter of 2025 to 3.3% this year. Interest from Europe dropped from 8.9% to 5.7%, while interest from Asia slipped from 8.9% to 6.1%.

The steepest decline came from Oceania, where Los Angeles’ share of home-shopping traffic was cut nearly in half, falling from 18.2% to 9.3% over the past year.

The findings indicated foreign buyers who once gravitated toward Southern California are increasingly setting their sights on other U.S. cities.

While Los Angeles remains the nation’s third-most popular destination for international home shoppers, it now trails Miami, which commands 10.3% of international demand, and New York, which attracted 4.7%.

Other cities are also gaining ground. The report found that Dallas has become increasingly popular among buyers from North America, South America, and Oceania, while Miami continues to draw strong interest from European shoppers, and New York has gained traction among buyers from Asia.

This points to a growing affordability gap between Los Angeles and competing markets, with researchers noting that lower-cost cities have become more attractive to overseas buyers.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ policies continue to add insult to injury, with rival cities racing to attract investment, residents and homebuyers while LA struggles to maintain it’s one-dominant appeal.

The shift marks a dramatic turn for one of the world’s most iconic housing markets, as six years of dwindling international interest suggest Los Angeles is becoming a tougher sell on the global stage.