Daily insights for city builders, delivered every morning at 6 AM ET. I’m Brandon Donnelly — a Toronto-based real estate developer and founder of Globizen. I’ve been writing here since 2013.

What are your luxury criteria?

April 18, 2026 · View original


I recently watched a few episodes of L’Agence on Netflix. I don’t watch much TV, but it is somewhat shocking that I haven’t gotten more into this show before. It’s about beautiful real estate and all things French, which are unapologetically two of my favourite things.

Another great feature of the show is that everyone seems to be in their late 30s and shopping for a €6,000,000 apartment with a rooftop terrace and views of the Eiffel Tower. It’s a great way to start questioning all of your life decisions.

In fairness, the buyers are varied, but I do find it interesting that there are some recurring purchase criteria. Many of them want something “central.” Many of them have kids and have no hesitation about raising them in an apartment. And many of them have a non-negotiable desire to be able to walk out their door to amenities without having to drive.

All of this really resonates with me, but it obviously isn’t true for everyone or for all geographies. “Luxury,” which is the focus of this show, means different things to different people. What are your criteria?


Cover photo by Alexander Kagan on Unsplash

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