Against the backdrop of profound adjustments in the global economic landscape, overseas real estate investment is becoming an important asset allocation option for high-net-worth individuals. Different countries, leveraging policy dividends, economic vitality, or demographic dividends, have created unique investment opportunities. From the North American technology corridor to emerging markets in Southeast Asia, from safe-haven assets in Europe to tax havens in the Middle East, the global real estate investment landscape is undergoing a new round of restructuring.
Seattle on the US West Coast, with its dual attributes of “technology + livability,” has become North America’s most sought-after investment destination. As the headquarters of tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, Seattle’s Southlake Union High-Tech Park boasts an economic cluster with over $300 billion in output. Its landmark luxury residential project, First Light, located in the city’s downtown waterfront area, attracts high-net-worth individuals worldwide with its advantageous location adjacent to Amazon’s headquarters, a 5-minute walk from luxury shopping centers, and luxurious features such as double-glazed curtain walls and fully automatic blinds. More importantly, Washington State’s policy of having no state income tax makes property holding costs significantly lower than in traditional technology centers like New York and San Francisco. Data shows that the average price of school district homes in Seattle has exceeded $1.2 million, with rental yields reaching as high as 90%, forming a dual-driven model of “steady price growth + stable rental cash flow.”
The Middle East, represented by Dubai, is building itself into a global financial hub through a “low-tax system + open visa” policy. Dubai property purchases require only a 4% registration fee and have no land or property taxes. In 2025, the Golden Visa policy was further relaxed to 0% down payment, and applications for off-plan properties can be made with just a contract. This combination of policies has directly boosted market activity: in the first half of 2025, Dubai property transactions increased by 22% year-on-year, and the rental yield for high-end projects reached 5.3%, ranking second globally. Chinese buyers’ investment in Abu Dhabi is particularly impressive, with sales reaching 1.7 billion dirhams in the first half of the year, exceeding the total for the entire year of 2024. Emerging areas such as Yas Island and Saadiyat Island have seen continuously rising rental yields due to planned developments.
The European market presents a differentiated pattern of “safe haven in core cities + value appreciation in emerging areas.” London, as a global financial center, maintains strong property liquidity despite higher tax thresholds, making it suitable for long-term core investments. Germany, with its solid industrial foundation and strong tenant culture, offers stable cash flow returns, though rent controls and building energy efficiency retrofitting costs must be considered. Notably, Portugal attracts investment through its “Golden Visa” policy, granting a 10-year residency permit for purchasing a €500,000 residential property. Cities like Lisbon and Porto offer both property appreciation potential and short-term rental income as attractive options.
Emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region exhibit a dual driving force of “demographic dividend + policy openness.” Vietnam has curbed overheated housing prices through the “Real Estate Price and Transaction Management Decision,” mandating affordable housing construction and shifting the market towards first-time and mid-range housing, with relatively favorable tax costs for long-term rental holdings. While Japan hasn’t implemented a nationwide ban on home purchases, it has strengthened monitoring of land purchases in sensitive areas, requiring short-term rental and homestay projects to closely monitor local government regulations. Malaysia and Indonesia attract cross-border capital inflows through relaxed foreign investment access and tax incentives.
In the era of globalized asset allocation, accurately grasping the policy windows and market cycles of various countries is crucial. For investors, attending overseas property investment expos has become a core channel for efficiently connecting with resources. These expos not only bring together top global developers, legal institutions, and financial service providers, but also help investors systematically assess regional value and mitigate compliance risks through project roadshows, policy interpretations, and one-on-one consultations. From North American tech real estate to Middle Eastern tax havens, from European safe-haven assets to emerging Southeast Asian markets, an investment feast that gathers global opportunities awaits discerning participants to begin a new chapter of wealth creation.
