Apart from the skyscrapers, Honk Kong is also famous for its commerce. Thanks to the low tax, and the minimal interference of the government, Hong Kong has become one of the most important centers of trade in the entire world. Naturally, thousands of people come here for business. Apart from that, the number of tourists is not small either. Naturally, there is a huge demand for the good apartments in Hong Kong.

One of the reasons why the visitors prefer the Hong Kong apartments for rent is that these apartments are much cheaper than the hotels and other means of accommodations. There are several other benefits of these apartments as well. For example, there are apartments that come with the round the clock security systems and so on.

However, before making any choice, there are several factors that you need to check out. The first of them is of course the location of the apartment. This is very important factor and you must ensure that the apartment is located at a place that is convenient for you. Also, you have to see to it that the apartment has the all the requirements that you have. For example, it needs to have the adequate number of rooms, and the sufficient space. However, the price of the apartment is of course a very crucial thing to consider. Remember, the city is quite an expensive one. But, it is not impossible to find an apartment at a reasonable price.

But, for that, it is important that you take the help of some genuine real estate agent. There are thousands of them out there in the market. But, you need to pick up the one that will provide you with the best service. An ideal agent will know all the available Hong Kong apartments for rent. So, when you get to them, they will ask you about your requirements and find you out the apartment that you have been looking for. They should consider your budget, your location as well as the facilities that you are looking for.

One way to find out such an apartment is to search through the internet. But, that can be cumbersome. After all, there are thousands of apartments available and you have very little practical knowledge about the city. So, there is every chance that your decision may not be the best.

The beginning:
Dubai real estate market soared in 2002 when foreigners were allowed to purchase and own properties on freehold basis. Chinese real estate market started to show signs of growth in 2001 when China was all set to enter WTO and Beijing was announced as the host of Olympics 2008. The governments of Dubai and China have invested heavily on infrastructure since then and many investors’ friendly laws were introduced.

Acceleration:
Since the beginning, both the economies and real estate markets of Dubai and China have grown in tandem. The sustaining factor in Dubai economy has been its oil reserves and tourism industry, while the China excels in exports. Both of them have seen stacks of foreign investment coming into their economies.

Great momentum:
Real estate markets in China and Dubai have shown a robust progress in demand and prices. Both have their mortgage markets performing really well unlike the mortgage crisis seen in major real estate markets like United States. As stated above, there has been a lot of spending on building infrastructure like roads and airports. Governments are actively involved in making all the right moves needed to maintain this momentum.

Amazing Architectures:
If Dubai has amazed the world by some of the most marvelous designs in real estate, China has not been far behind. Dubai has Burj Dubai as the world’s tallest building; China came up with a magnificent 101-story Shanghai world financial center. Ski Dubai is regarded as one of the largest indoor ski resort, while National Swimming Center “Water Cube” is equally unique. Dubai rotating skyscraper stunned people all around the world, so did the design of Central Chinese Television CCTV in Beijing.

What the future holds:
The boom is almost over in Chinese real estate market, while Dubai market is also showing signs of losing the pace to some extent. Although, there are predictions of growth getting a little sluggish, there is still some room for growth in both real estate markets.

China is about to make property investors very happy people. According to the China Aviation Administration China (CAAC) Chinese airports handled 240 million passengers in 2004. This is a rise of 38.8% from the previous year. The CAAC estimate that by 2010 Chinas airports will handle 500 million passengers. China airports are set to handle this rise in capacity with a series of expansion projects already underway. Beijing Capital International Airport is expanding with a third passenger terminal. The brand new terminal will be finished before the 2008 Olympics and will be able to handle 60 million passengers. Baiyun International Airport has already received the Chinese expansion treatment. Shanghai’s Pudong airport is receiving a second terminal with more planned in the future. The Xianyang International Airport in Shaanxi has ambitious plans for a new runway and terminal.

China investment property

Those who are considering investment in the region must surely view these infrastructure improvements in a positive light. The Chinese real estate industry is about to boom. Foreign investors are encouraged to invest in China and are protected by law. The costs associated with buying property in China are low at only 4.5%, much lower than many European countries. Personal assets and properties are recognised and protected by new Chinese law.

Scarier still is the social unrest that the leadership fears if the economy does not slow down to more manageable levels. This is due to a growing imbalance of wealth rampant in China’s population of 1.3 billion people, wherein thirty-five percent of the population lives in the cities and sixty-five percent inhabits the countryside. There is a system of residence controls, so that if one is lucky enough to be born in a city – and registered as a city dweller – it is easier to get into university or to work at all the large companies and government agencies in the city. If, conversely, one is registered as a rural person there are very severe restrictions on where he can live and work. And this is actually the biggest human rights problem in China today. The majority of this population of 1.3 billion people consists, by law, of second-class citizens who live for the most part in conditions of abject poverty, in rural huts many of which do not even have running water. One can imagine how these people feel when they look at the way their urban counterparts live.

The economic ripples and effects that a speculation in grand style such as this have on market wealth are indeed humongous. Market wealth is defined as ‘the combination of materials, labour, land, services and technology in such a way as to capture a profit’ (Adam Smith). The aftershocks of a bubble of this size that bursts are usually terminal and irreversible: market wealth disappears, it vanishes entirely. And it takes forever to re-build it, right from scratch. Here in the West, the greatest example in recent times is the infamous Black Monday – October 19, 1987 – when the Dow Jones collapsed 22.6 percent in value in a single day! It took nine years for Wall Street to lure investors back.

Beijing Capital International Airport is expanding with a third passenger terminal. The brand new terminal will be finished before the 2008 Olympics and will be able to handle 60 million passengers. Baiyun International Airport has already received the Chinese expansion treatment. Shanghai’s Pudong airport is receiving a second terminal with more planned in the future. The Xianyang International Airport in Shaanxi has ambitious plans for a new runway and terminal.

Those who are considering investment in the region must surely view these infrastructure improvements in a positive light. The Chinese real estate industry is about to boom. Foreign investors are encouraged to invest in China and are protected by law. The costs associated with buying property in China are low at only 4.5%, much lower than many European countries. Personal assets and properties are recognised and protected by new Chinese law.

There is a great demand for real estate in China and will be strong during coming years, more so during 2008. Moreover, China is opening up and its economy is booming. Chi8nese middle class is also on swelling. All this bodes well for real estate in China.

Two major areas where REITs are going to be lucrative are hotels and resorts. So investors may do well investing in these REITs. According to Beijing Tourism Bureau, there will be 110 new hotels coming up for accommodating about 550,000 guests during Beijing Olympics.

Beijing and Shanghai REITs may provide opportunities for quick bucks. One can do good even in the long run.

One needs to be clear about investment objectives in China REITs. For short run profits, Beijing Olympics provides a good outlet for excellent returns. These may continue to be so even in the long run though at a reduced rate.

While investing in Chinese markets, one has to be careful about certain conditions which are peculiar to China only. For example it is still not considered a transparent country. Its laws are obscure and complex. There are many language and cultural barriers. In view of these problems, it might be advisable to invest in Hong Kong or Singapore REITs which have a stake in real estate of mainland China. These are more open and subject to international law.

International investing provides a mechanism for diversification and a hedge against US recession. Therefore, China and other Asian countries need to be given serious attention.
All of these markets need to be researched and explored.

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.

Regardless of the current economic slowdown, the Shanghai banking regulator reinforced the second home requirement rule, reiterating that buyers must put at least a 40% down payment for purchasing a second home. This shows government’s disciplined approach in stimulating the real estate market. In general, the government makes lands available for sale primarily through auctions. The companies that purchase the lands will be responsible for building properties and selling the properties to the public. The residents will hold seventy year long property ownership.

Under the current policies, foreigners are entitled to one property if they have worked and lived in Shanghai for at least a year. Besides the residency requirement, they must purchase property only for their own use and can not lease it to others. Shanghai property transaction centers can make up own rules on trading on the basis of these policies, according to Shanghai Municipal Housing, Land and Resource Administration Bureau, and rules and implementation time could vary by district. Restrictions that were imposed on foreign investors from investing in the first tier cities like Shanghai have not been released, but real estate opportunities in the second and third tier cities or Shanghai nearby cities such as Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi, are either open, or not as restricted. One thing to note is that overseas institutions and individuals that have set up a company in China may purchase property for purposes other than their own use. Regardless of economic and market conditions, Shanghai, with its unique historical background, rich cultures and vibrant growth, continues to attract people from all over the country and all over the world.

There are several reasons why savvy investors are attracted to invest in the country’s real estate. China is one of the world’s fastest growing economies. With the formation of the World Trade Organization, the country has emerged as the leader of the global economy. Property prices in many of the Chinese cities are one third of the prices of world’s leading cities such as New York, London, as a result of the huge number of direct foreign investments every year. The crime rates in China are very low, In contrast to other countries in Asia. This has made China a safe place to live in. Tocrown it all, China is welcoming foreigners wholeheartedly. Westerners are attracted to the country in large numbers thanks to the highly educated, amicable, and well mannered Chinese people.

Investors interested in entering the Chinese property markets can be classified into institutional investors, commercial property investors, and residential property investors. Institutional investors are interested in investing in multistoried office complexes and latest retail units, owing to their high demand and potential for shortage in future. Commercial property investors invest mostly in properties such as office spaces, hotels, warehouses and commercial lands. Residential property investors largely invest in residential properties such as houses, single detached houses, townhouses, villas, condominiums, apartments, and serviced apartments. Many people invest in these properties with a view to sell them in future when their prices rise, and there are others who invest in these properties to rent them out and reap high profits.

The price of a property in China depends on many factors such as the nature of the property and the location. For example, a standard apartment in Shanghai costs about 20000 Renminbi per square meter. However, the price of a Chinese serviced apartment with high end amenities ranges between 25000 and 30000 RMB per square meter. Real estates around city centers or near transportation hubs are always likely become the most valuable. In China there is a growing demand for retail and industrial space, as more and more Chinese citizens move to urban areas seeking jobs.There are a number of real estate firms to help you find your dream property in China. They offer a range of real estate services such as market analysis, property search, advertising and negotiation with sellers. Most of these real estate firms provide services of professional attorneys to verify the authenticity of documents.

The different options for property rental in Shanghai are serviced apartments, old and new apartments (non-serviced),old houses (renovated) and villas. You can easily choose any of these, depending upon your specific requirements such as the time duration of your stay in the city, the rent you can afford to pay and the location of the area. For instance, if you are planning to stay in the city for a moderately long time period, then it is a good idea to go for apartment rentals in Shanghai. Apartments in Shanghai are usually located near the Metro stations and commercial areas of the city, making your stay and commutation comfortable.

The size of the apartments range from 100 to 300 square meters. Also, these apartments are usually fully furnished, which means that you will not be required to purchase any additional furniture during your stay. The accommodations also include most of the basic facilities such as building security, cable TVs as well as other furnishings, required in your daily lives. Some of the more posh apartments are also equipped with clubhouses as well as other recreation facilities such as a swimming pool, gymnasium, a golf course, post office, local markets, bus service and other facilities in close vicinity of the place. Some of these places also offer an interesting view of the traditional structures and areas of the city. So, if you are planning to stay in Shanghai, then renting an apartment is a good idea for you.