China Real Estate

In China, the institutions and laws that protect the rights of real estate investors are not easy to understand. Nonetheless, investing in the Chinese real estate market is becoming increasingly popular. Rhiannon Williamson has some suggestions on how to do it safely in this article.

Why is China’s Real Estate Sector so Popular?

By Rhiannon Williamson

The Chinese real estate sector has rapidly grown in popularity with international property investors who seek maximum diversification within their portfolios because the real estate market in China is in demand locally and internationally and demand spans both the commercial and residential real estate sectors.

This means that there is maximum room for profits, income and gains from Chinese real estate which makes it an intensely attractive commodity for investors.

The Chinese government are also keen to attract foreign investment into their country and began easing many restrictions to smooth the path for those interested in purchasing property in China back in 1998. Their efforts to boost their economy through the promotion of foreign direct investment proved almost too successful and resulted in the government fearing that speculators would strip the property market of stability. As a result the Chinese government have now made it more difficult for investors to realise short term gains from the property market. Because of this fact the market is now less popular with those real estate investors looking for short term gains and more popular with those looking for a stable market with massive potential for demand and expansion over the medium to long term.

In terms of foreigner’s rights when it comes to owning real estate in China, all overseas buyers are protected by Chinese law but actual real estate law and the property buying process in China are new concepts that are relatively immature and unsophisticated. This means that investors who wish to buy property directly in China need to secure the services of a reputable lawyer to assist with the intricacies of the real estate purchase process.

For those who wish to maximise the potential gains available in Chinese property but who wish to remain relatively hands off any investment made, there are a series of property investment funds specialising in Chinese real estate now available. Such funds issued by larger, well established financial institutions are

proving increasingly popular with both local and international investors. Such real estate investment funds allow an investor to gain access to the potential of the property market in China without having to commit significant sums of money directly to the market. Furthermore, by investing in this way an investor’s underlying money is far easier to access than if it were used to directly purchase real estate in China.

Whichever way an investor decides to approach investing in the real estate sector in China one thing is for certain - never has the Chinese property market been so popular with so many international real estate investors.

Rhiannon Williamson writes about real estate investment in emerging markets worldwide. To read more about property investment in China click here.

International Real Estate | China Real Estate