MIAMI—It's no secret that Chinese buyers are eyeing the US commercial real estate market because of the stable dollar, world-renowned schools, strong government and the opportunity to grow business. So says Josh Cunningham, vice president of Sales in Americas at Investorist, a B2B pre-construction sales platform that promotes and distributes investment properties to buyers around the globe.

In fact, Cunningham says there's no time to waste. If developers are looking to tap into the huge Asian buyer market, he argues, now is the time to formulate relationships, educate and understand the market is now. He offers two good reasons: the market doesn't sleep over Christmas and numbers don't lie.

“Unlike the US and Europe, there are no official holidays in December meaning the precious time we use to indulge, relax and recharge around the holidays is just another regular work day for the Chinese—it's business as usual this time of year and the Asian market is alive and kicking during Christmas,” Cunningham says. “Friends, family and colleagues discussing what and when to buy property is how interested in generated and the momentum builds. Essentially, you want your building and brand to be exposed to this lucrative market so you are a part of these conversations while the topic is hot.”

Makes sense, and it's absolute reality that numbers don't lie. Cunningham says China as we know is the leading buyer demographic for international property transactions. According a 2016 report issued by The National Association of Realtors, for the second year in a row, Chinese foreign buyers were the top buyers in terms of number of units purchased and dollar volume, purchasing $27.3 billion worth of residential property.

“Not only are 40% of Chinese buyers purchasing primary residences for themselves, but 13% of those buyers are buying residences for the use of students, as proximity to access to education is a driving factor for Chinese when deciding where to dwell,” Cunningham says. “But whether your project is near a University or a distance away, these numbers prove that exposure with Chinese buyers is critical. If you're considering delaying a project launch to China until 21017, why risk it? Right now, the numbers are on your side.”

Instant Insights /

Two Reasons to Capitalize on the Chinese Demand for Real Estate Now

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