Sales of million-dollar homes in the US climbed last year, according to new figures. We map the data from Coldwell Banker, based on the MLS, across the country to highlight the state of the American prime property market.

$1 million to $5 million

Austin is leading the way at the low end of the US prime market, with sales of $1 million-plus homes in 2015 surging 32 per Cent year-over-year, thanks to the entertainment and tech boom that is being fuelled by the SXSW Festival.

Florida, however, is also a big player, with sales soaring 31 per cent in Fort Lauderdale, which benefits directly from its proximity to the perennial luxury hub of Miami.

Seattle also saw sales rise 30 per cent, highlighting its status as a tech mecca – particularly one that is more affordable than San Francisco.

$5 to $10 million

Californian cities dominate this list, represented by the large cluster of yellow dots on the map. Six of the Top 10 are located in Southern California, and four of the Top Five. La Jolla proves a clear frontrunner, doubling its sales in this range from 2014 to 2015. The concentration of colour in Florida, though, is again no coincidence: the Sunshine State claimed five of the top spots.

$10 Million-plus

Newport Coast, one of the newest California coastal communities to join the $10 million-plus Top 20, experienced a massive 175 per cent increase in luxury sales worth more than $10 million, while Florida added two newcomers to the list: Wellington and Lake Worth.

Outside of New York, Beverly Hills continues to hold the top position for sales more than $10 million. Combining all cities that made the list in Los Angeles County, there were 96 unit sales more than $10 million, an increase of 17 per cent in 2015. A stand out for luxury home sellers was the star-studded Pacific Palisades, California, commanding a 95 per cent ratio of list to sales price.

Getting the full picture

Tech cities have been a major driver in the growth of property values in the US over recent years, as employees of Facebook, Google, Apple and other Silicon Valley giants have driven up demand in a concentrated area with limited housing supply. The area is absent, though, from the $1 million to $5 million bracket. Indeed, sales of homes worth $1 to $5 million declined 13 per cent year-on-year in San Francisco, while sales of homes worth $5 to $10 million only increased 3 per cent.

Data from the same report highlighting sales of homes worth $10 million or more, however, reveals a striking 57 per cent increase. This is because the tech epicenters in the popular Bay area have seen demand outstrip supply, leaving only the most expensive deals to go through, a sign of the significant influence San Francisco has had in the overall prime real estate market, even as activity increases at a faster rate elsewhere further down the spectrum.

“Some cities in the Bay area have a 42-day supply of inventory that has left many affluent buyers empty-handed and pushed down potential sales gains,” notes Mike James, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, San Francisco Peninsula and North Bay areas.

Florida, meanwhile, remains in the top hotspot lists for all three price brackets, further establishing its coveted position as a major overall destination for the real estate elite.

By mapping these three sectors on top of each other, our interactive visualisation presents a complete picture of the US luxury property market last year.

“Overall, more than 50 per cent of the Top 20 cities for luxury home sales across all price categories experienced an increase in activity and more than 40 per cent met or exceeded the 90 per cent mark of list to sales price,” explains Coldwell. “All Top 20 cities with the largest increases in sales of homes more than $1 Million revealed list-to-sales-price ratios of 90 per cent or higher, demonstrating robust demand and that sellers are commanding close to asking price in key luxury markets nationwide.”