Asian investors are the largest group snapping up foreign property according to research. But in which cities are they investing? And why?

As more people's attention is being drawn to real estate as an asset class, a larger number of people are seeking out foreign property. 2017 saw a large number of Asian investors enter the market sweeping up properties from the US to Canada straight to France. Recently, contrary to expectations, their attention is being drawn to residential and commercial properties in London, UK.

Propertywire's first quarter of 2018 stats https://www.propertywire.com/news/global-news/londons-commercial-property-market-top-draw-international-buyers/ reveal that overall about 5.6 billion pounds of foreign money was invested in London, with Asian investors contributing about 4.4 billion pounds or 65% of the total investments. The next highest was Hong Kong at 5 billion with Paris following from behind at 1.9 billion pounds.

If you're looking to invest in real estate, one of the major factors you would need to consider is liquidity. Based on liquidity, these are the top performing cities for cross-border real estate investing in 2018. This is indirectly influenced by population growth, employment growth and usually followed by an increase in home values or strong rental yield. 

•   New York, USA: Brooklyn and Manhattan are two of New York's favorite hot spots for foreign real estate investors. The activity of Chinese, Russian and Middle Eastern real estate investors, paying cash on high-end properties has consistently driven New York City’s real estate price upwards. With a population growth that hasn't slowed down, New York City real estate not only offers liquidity but stability for real estate investors.

•   London, UK: Despite Brexit, London leads the way as a favorite for foreign real estate capital. In the aftermath of Brexit, the attention to both London's commercial and residential real estate has been largely driven by a weaker pound and more affordable housing. Foreign real estate activity in London is largely funded by equity funds, institutional investments, and private capital. Units in the mid-range segments have been most popular among buyers. Presently, though, the government is setting tax constraints on foreign real estate investing as the cost of home ownership increases.

•    Hong Kong, China: In 2017, Hong Kong was named the "most luxurious" prime housing market for the second year running by Christie's real estate https://www.christiesrealestate.com/eng/sales/hkg . Hong Kong's housing market has shown little cooling with 4.4 billion pounds of foreign money spent by foreign investors in 2018 first quarter. The heated market in Hong Kong, as experts pinpointed, is a major reason for increased residential housing prices all through China.

•    Paris, France: The French economy is seeing a boom with the number of foreign investment activity reaching a 10 year high last year. The French economy exceeded expectations with a 2.2% growth, a large number of jobs created and strong real estate activity. Also with fairly stable mortgage rates, many investors are picking up properties in Paris and Bordeaux. Beyond 2018, analysts speculate the South of France will experience a strong housing demand.

•    Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles may soon replace Hong Kong as the no 1 most expensive city for expats. Currently, the average price of a luxury property in Los Angeles is $2.5 million. With population growth, increasing disposable income and a thriving tech sector, Los Angeles real estate offer stability and liquidity for investors. However, housing is in short supply. A situation leading to soaring house prices. With population growth and a great economy, Los Angeles is a great option for single-family investors seeking high rental yield.

What goes on in your head when moving into a new home? Foremost, how do I turn this empty shell of a house into an inviting home that reflects my own personal style? You don't want a bland and boring house. Your new house offers a new start. You can eliminate the junk and put in new digs; you can buy that bed you've always dreamed about; or beef up the kitchen and dining area for maximum comfort and entertainment. The great thing about home decoration is that you have the chance to improve your home's appearance without spending much money. Let's look at some home design ideas for giving each room in your house a makeover.

When giving a home a facelift, sometimes simple solutions can have a big impact. Here are some inexpensive home design ideas to give rooms a new lease of life.

1. Don't rush. You need to take a little time before starting major decor projects in your new home. Take some time to let in the feel and observe what the home needs before buying major stuff. HGTV recommends staying in the house for two months before making significant purchases. You might be spending money on the wrong areas. For example, instead of spending $5,000 on revamping and putting new features in your bathrooms, you might find out that you could spend half the price to get your bathroom in great shape.

2. Add color to walls. For people who get out early, a light shade will do while a deep tone will make the house more homely for those who spend more time indoors. You can also make a statement with a feature wall. Adding a lick of paint to your walls is an inexpensive way to give your room an instant lift. Whether you decorate your entire room in an intense shade or opt for a stylish two-toned plan, fresh color on your walls guarantee oodles of glamor.

3. Pare down. Now it's time to reassess and evaluate what works and what doesn't. Don't pack everything from your old home over. You don't really need everything you've accumulated. They will only make rooms stuffy. Having a new house gives you chance to try out a fresh approach. This means you can pare down on tired pieces that will only clutter up your space. You can sell these items off on eBay or drop them off at a charity shop.

4. Use right lighting. Transform the mood of rooms at a cheap price with the right lighting. You can also invest in dimmers to switch from bright to low lighting. When decorating bathrooms, try out stylish lights. For bedrooms, buy a fresh shade for lamps. You can give your room a cohesive style with stylish lighting.

5. Update roller blinds. Whether you go for a subtle floral pattern or statement stripes, roller blinds for your windows are great low-cost, high impact options for designing rooms. They can transform your dull windows and complement other designs in your room.

Less is often more when decorating and less is also eco-friendly. No matter how small your space, you can always let your creativity shine through.

While some analysts believe Brexit has made the UK housing market porous. Others believe Brexit will pave way for a stronger housing market in coming years

The interaction between real estate and foreign policy is clear cut and this is more than proved by Brexit. As the March 2019 final Brexit negotiations approach, a precursor has been set, which might influence London's real estate market in coming years.

A recent report from international property firm, Knight Frank, puts London as the top favorite destination for global capital. This is due to the fact that London still presents liquidity and stability, factors attractive to investors.

Nick Braybrook, Knight Frank London's head of capital markets says ‘Despite the political turmoil surrounding the UK with Brexit, London is once again the most liquid real estate market in the world. It is more popular as a home for international investment than Paris Central, Manhattan, Munich, and Frankfurt combined,’.https://www.propertywire.com/news/global-news/londons-commercial-property-market-top-draw-international-buyers The influx of foreign investors particularly Asian buyers could be due to a weakened pound sterling, which has led to a slow growth in home prices.

According to an article by FT https://www.ft.com/content/87b1f284-1452-11e7-80f4-13e067d5072c "home prices have seen slow growth since the 2016 Brexit announcement. In May 2018, prices fell by 0.4% in London from an annual rate of 12% in 2016."

The pre-Brexit rise in home prices, which were growing at above 10 percent year over year before the EU referendum has given way to slower price growth. 2018 so far has seen a price growth of only 3% all over the UK. For millennials and London residents, the pre-Brexit rates had kept them on edge with staggering prices. Now the current fair price increases and a residential market that is more or less slow present better odds of landing favorable home deals.

Currently, London's economy is great. There is a low unemployment rate and inflation rates are down. Speculators, however, believe that the thriving economy will lead to higher interest rates soon. This means that first-time homebuyers would need to pay higher down payments on mortgages.

And even though foreign investment has decreased in most sectors, due to the uncertain climate surrounding BREXIT, real estate foreign activity is at its peak. Even the tax hikes introduced on foreign landlords, renting out their houses, hasn't diminished London's foreign real estate activity.

2019 will definitely be an interesting year for the UK's housing market, depending on the outcome of the final negotiations between the EU and the UK. However, an abrupt Brexit will do no one any good. Mark Carney, the governor of the bank of England has warned that a "disorderly" Brexit will lead to interest rate hikes which might greatly affect the property market.

According to FT, Theresa May’s government is actively seeking to avoid such a scenario. The prime minister has softened her position on Brexit in recent months and has agreed to a transition period that would maintain much of the status quo until at least 2021.

What changes do you think might take place before 2021? Leave your thought