The Chinese are not only taking over our iconic American companies but also taking our real estate. The sum is a total of $110 billion according to an new report from the Asia Society. Additionally, China has been investing/speculating heavily in the real estate market of our 51st state, now they are coming for the other 50 states. This topic not only has economic but also political implications which could play into the upcoming elections. The Guaridan has a good summary on this study. See an excerpt from the study below:
Chinese direct investment in U.S. real estate was negligible until 2010 but has since grown dramatically and visibly. In 2015, China ranked third in U.S. commercial real estate acquisition volume, trailing only Canada and Singapore and tied with Norway. Chinese developers are building multi-billion-dollar projects in several major cities. A Chinese insurance firm bought the prized Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City in 2015 and struck a $6.5 billion deal for Strategic Hotels & Resorts in early 2016. Chinese investors dominate an immigrant investor program known as EB-5, and in 2015, China overtook Canada as the biggest foreign buyer of U.S. homes.
This anecdotal portrait reveals the rapid and widespread entry of Chinese investors, both firms and individuals, into the U.S. real estate market, but it also underscores how real estate differs from other investment sectors. It defies the traditional definition of foreign direct investment – ownership of at least a 10% stake in a U.S. company – with a broad range of entry points. Buying a home, for example, does not have an analogue in the technology industry but is critical in painting a full picture of Chinese capital flows into the U.S. real estate market. Furthermore, in addition to the unique channels of real estate development and EB-5 capital, Chinese investors are also increasing investment in portfolios of U.S. assets through real estate investment trusts and private equity funds.
These real estate investments come on top of China’s position as the biggest holder of mortgage-backed securities issued by U.S. government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Like U.S. Treasuries, these bonds are important investments for Chinese government finances, because they allow for recirculation of dollars gained by the trade imbalance, and for the U.S. housing market, because they help ensure liquidity and mortgage rate stability. Chinese banks have also become major sources of debt capital in the U.S. real estate market, primarily for U.S. firms. To fully understand the role of Chinese capital in the U.S. real estate market, it is vital to look beyond direct investment. More than any foreign investor other than Canada, China stands out for the breadth, depth, and speed of its participation in the U.S. real estate market.
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Residential property: Between 2010 and 2015, Chinese buyers spent at least $93 billion on homes, including condominiums, for occupancy and investment. Spending rose at an annual rate of 20% and provided important demand in many local markets hit hard by the housing crisis. Chinese buyers paid substantially more, on average, per home than other international buyers because of their concentration in prime neighborhoods in California and New York.
• Commercial property: Between 2010 and 2015, Chinese investors acquired at least $17.1 billion of existing office towers, hotels, and other commercial buildings, representing an annual growth rate of 70%. Half of that investment came in 2015 alone. The buyers were mainly large Chinese companies, including real estate firms and institutional investors.
• Development: By the end of 2015, Chinese-funded projects under construction or planned totaled at least $15 billion. These range from multi-billion-dollar mixed-use projects in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area to smaller-scale developments in secondary markets. These investors include Chinese developers, builders, and construction companies, some of which have set up U.S. offices, creating local jobs for ongoing operations beyond the construction phase.
• EB-5 visa program: Since 2010, Chinese nationals have been the most numerous investors in the EB-5 U.S. visa program. The program enables a foreign national who invests at least $500,000 in projects that create a minimum of 10 jobs to receive a U.S. visa and, on completion of the project, a green card for permanent residency status. Detailed data on these investments and the actual number of jobs created are not generally available. But based on the minimum investment and job creation requirements, and assuming all investments are successful, Rosen Consulting Group estimates that since 2010, nearly 20,000 Chinese EB-5 investors have generated at least $9.5 billion of investment capital and contributed to the creation of 200,000 jobs.
See the full study below
Credit Suisse Executive Panel – CS
