Investors

Foreign investors in real estate assign high importance to the potential for wealth and security—and according to new research, the U.S. is expected to offer both more than any other country in 2018.

The U.S. was named the No. 1 nation for foreign investment in real estate in the annual survey by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE), with 58 percent of respondents to the survey awarding it top marks in appreciation prospects and stability.

Eighty-six percent of respondents, in fact, plan to continue their current investment, or make more, in the U.S. this year. Driving interest is its “reputation for innovation” and “transparent capital markets,” according to the survey.

Along with motivations, however, are reservations. There are concerns about economic and political setbacks, and about interest rates and saturation, the research shows.

Examining specifically the U.S., both Los Angeles and New York came in at No. 1 for foreign investors in real estate, followed by Seattle, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. New York—No. 1 in the world in last year’s survey—was ranked No. 2 in the world this year.

The cities globally with the highest interest:

1. London
2. New York
3. Berlin
4. Los Angeles
5. Frankfurt

The countries globally with the highest interest, based on security/stability:

1. U.S.
2. Germany
3. Canada
4. UK
5. Australia

The countries globally with the highest interest, based on capital appreciation opportunity:

1. U.S.
2. Brazil
3. China
4. Spain
5. UK

Source: Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE)

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