Overseas investors have been snapping up commercial properties, and much of this spending has been done in bustling California cities like Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Chinese investors alone have sunk more than $300 billion into American real estate, and many financial experts expect this flood of Asian money to grow even stronger in 2017 and 2018.
American commercial real estate is seen as a prudent investment for several reasons. Some analysts are worried that a healthy economy and inexpensive borrowing have provided the perfect environment for inflation to begin growing again, and offices, warehouses and manufacturing facilities are seen as a hedge against rising prices because overbuilding is not a concern in most major markets. According to experts, this means that commercial property prices are likely to outpace inflation.
However, Chinese investors are eyeing commercial properties in the United States largely because of economic anxieties at home and fears about looming regulations that would make it more difficult for them to move capital overseas. Economic growth in China has slowed considerably in recent years, and pressure on the yuan has begun to mount as investors have become wary and adopted more cautious positions. Worries over capital regulations intensified when the yuan fell to levels against the dollar not seen in more than eight years following Donald Trump’s election victory.
Time is often of the essence in real estate transactions when foreign investors are hoping to avoid pending regulatory changes, and sellers who are not prepared to conduct business quickly may lose out to competitors who are. Attorneys with experience in complex property sales could be familiar with some of the unique challenges of dealing with overseas buyers, and they may be able to avoid costly delays by anticipating areas of disagreement and avoiding misunderstandings caused by cultural or language differences.