More so than ever, wealthy Chinese investors are actively seeking returns abroad when it comes to real estate investments. China’s 2014 GDP growth of 7.4% was the slowest since 1990 and China’s growth outlook is gloomy due to its impending real estate bubble. Chinese developers have demonstrated in the past few years that they are not afraid to undertake large projects on foreign soil.
In 2013, Chinese commercial developer, ABP China (Holding), entered into a £1 billion deal to transform a 35-acre site at Royal Albert Dock in London into a business district that would serve as a gateway for Asian and Chinese business into Europe. Also in 2013, China Vanke Company, partnered with Tishman Speyer to build San Francisco’s second tallest residential tower. In December 2014, Shanghai-based Greenland Group partnered with Forest City Ratners Construction to commence construction of a $5 billion development near the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn, New York, which will comprise of 14 residential buildings and eight acres of green space.
As Miami continues to grow and gain international recognition as a top tier city, both as a significant financial trading center and a world-class travel destination, it has much appeal to the Chinese. With its attractive coastal location and tropical weather, the city also offers the kind of affordable ultra-luxury residential housing that is interesting to cash-rich, high-net worth Chinese buyers. The 4Q 2014 Douglas Elliman Real Estate Market Report shows an average housing cost of $240 per square-foot for Miami Coastal and Mainland and $651 per square-foot for Miami Beach/Barrier Islands. By way of comparison, residential homes in Shanghai and Beijing’s prime areas can easily run $1,600 – $1,800 per square foot. Miami’s active state of growth signals large potential for appreciation and return on investment.
