Most-expensive-real-estate-markets-in-2009

No surprise - Monte Carlo is No 1 in the Global Property Guide's list of World's Most Expensive Residential Real Estate Markets 2009, more than twice as expensive, at US$45,000 per square metre, as the runner up.

Battling for the number 2 position are prime central Moscow and London. Prime central Moscow's US$20,853 per square metre price tag slightly outpaces core Prime London's US$20,756 per square metre, though it is fairer to say the two cities are neck-and-neck.

London residential property prices have fallen for much of 2008, while Moscow property price declines only started in the last quarter, allowing Moscow to catch up with London. Both countries have experienced strong currency declines.

Tokyo and Hong Kong come in fourth and fifth, respectively.

New York, the only US city included in the survey , is 6th, with an average price of US$15,000 per sq. m.

Completing the top ten most expensive real estate markets are two European cities (Paris at 7th and Rome at 9th) and two other Asian cities (Singapore at 8th and Mumbai at 10th). Average prices range from US$9,000 per sq. m. to US$12,000 per sq. m.

The figures are based on the average price of a 120 sq. m., good-condition high-end used apartment in the city centres of more than 110 cities around the world, typically the economic centres where most foreigners are likely to buy. Data were collected during 2008. The US dollar exchange rate used is that of January 27, 2009.

Bargain hunters' dream

For global bargain hunters, there are several places where property prices are relatively cheap, for example parts of the Middle East, Latin America and Asia.

Cairo, Egypt is one of the cheapest cities in the world, with prime city centre prices at around US$600 per sq. m. Another Middle Eastern capital in the bottom 10 is Amman, Jordan, with average city centre prices at US$1,150 per sq. m.

Three Asian cities are included in the 10 cheapest, all located in rapidly growing and heavily populated countries, Bangalore in India, Chengdu in China and Jakarta in Indonesia.

Chengdu, damaged during the magnitude 8.0 earthquake in 2008, remains a vital economic, transportation and communication hub in the heartland of China.

Indonesia was the last country to recover from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. However, the economic reforms implemented by the Yudhoyono administration are setting the stage for steady economic growth.

Five Latin American cities complete the list of 10 cheapest cities for property buyers - Concepcion and Santiago in Chile, Quito in Ecuador, Managua in Ecuador, and Lima in Peru.

The same countries also tend to earn good rental yields.

Overvalued

Rental yields are generally below 5% in most European cities, suggesting that property is still overvalued.

Rental yields are generally below four percent in the following cities: Munich, Barcelona, Vilnius, Helsinki, Madrid, Rome, and Nicosia. Rental yields in Europe are lowest on Andorra at 2.2% and Athens at 2.7%.

Rental yields are between 4% and 5% in major cities such as Brussels, Tokyo, Berlin, Moscow, Copenhagen, Warsaw, New York, Shanghai, Paris, London and Geneva.

Returns from rental investments are also relatively low in key Asian cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong and in almost all Indian cities (Bangalore, New Delhi, and Mumbai)

Only six cities have rental yields of more than 10%, led by Chisinau with an average gross rental return of 14%. The Moldovan capital is followed by Cairo, Jakarta, Manila, Skopje and Lima.

High returns can also be expected in Latin American cities. Yields range from 8% to 10% in Panama City (Panama), Bogota (Colombia), Managua (Nicaragua), Santiago (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Quito (Ecuador).

Rental yields in Kula Lumpur (Malaysia) and Amman (Jordan) are also typically above 9%.

House price movements

The recent house price boom and bust defeats the traditional notion that real estate prices are based primarily on local conditions.

The relatively low cost and ease of moving capital around the world has made it easier for people to invest in real estate markets in several countries. This is complemented by the relatively lower cost of international air transport. Several countries have also removed foreign ownership restrictions, a move encouraged by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union.

The result of these changes has been a remarkable increase in cross country real estate investments – helping make the boom, and the bust, truly global.

Rental Yields Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What does rental yield mean? Why is it important?
   
   The gross annual rental income expressed as a percentage of today's property purchase price. This is what a landlord can expect as return to his investment.
   
   The rental yield is one useful yardstick of whether property is over-valued or under-valued.
   
   
2. What assumptions are made in presenting the Global Property Guide price and rents data?
   
   We are interested in the sort of properties which will be attractive to foreign renters. This is not always the same type of property in all locations.
   
   Foreign renters are usually interested in properties which are in excellent condition, with good facilities, and which have been refurbished or redecorated within the last five years. Our properties are therefore likely to be less expensive than the very newest properties, except where new-builds dominate the market.
   
   In European cities, we lean towards properties in the historic city centres, therefore our typical property is more likely to be a 90-year old refurbished apartment of character, than a newly built apartment.
   
   
3. What are the sources of the Guides price data? Can these sources be trusted?
   
   We draw our figures from our own, in-house analysis. Our research is based on a simple yet effective method we systematically scan web advertisements for residential property, looking at offers for sale, and offers for rent, of good (but not new) apartments.
   
   Despite its simplicity, with care and commitment to consistency this method can produce quality results. We begin by defining key upper-end rental districts in the capital city. We take care to keep a database of where the properties are located, so as to ensure consistency in subsequent years. We carefully select appropriate price ranges. We take average prices, rejecting deviant outliers. Buyers of the full data set have access to these comparability specifications.
   
   The data measures up well to data provided by national statistical organizations, where these are available for comparison, and usually performs better than multi-housing organization data.