The lack of transparency in overseas real estate investing and how PropTech can solve it

Despite being affected by the corona virus outbreak and the increased social distancing restrictions, Hong Kong investors continue to look for overseas real estate investment opportunities vigorously. This growing demand is not going away anytime soon.

Hong Kong hosted 7 times more overseas property exhibition than Singapore

In 2019, Singapore held over 230 overseas property exhibits and Kuala Lumpur featured 118 exhibitions. Shockingly, a report published by Soho App found that Hong Kong hosted over 1,626 overseas property exhibitions in 2019 (an average of more than 31 every week)! The unprecedented amount of exhibitions in Hong Kong clearly show the Hong Kong investors’ desire for overseas properties has become a necessity instead of just an investment tool or an immigration tool for asset allocation. In this period of uncertainty, Hong Kong people are more inquired about emigration and homeownership overseas. It is critical to ask,  “can I trust the sources handed to me?” If research is not done thoroughly, investments might not turn out as expected. 

"Can I trust the sources handed to me?"

Especially for busy people, looking for overseas real estate opportunities is very troublesome. Conducting research and due diligence take a lot of time and effort to ensure the information is reliable. Besides knowing who is trustworthy (such as real estate agents and the developers), every investor has many worries, uncertainties, and questions while looking for the right properties for them. “Should I look into the Malaysian real estate market or the Vietnam real estate market?” “What taxes do I have to pay if I want to invest in the United Kingdom?” “Where is the best place for me to buy a second home in Canada?” and many more. Even professional investors have a tough time finding trustworthy information in real estate! These enormous pains need to be solved. This is where technology can help to transform the industry.

PropTech (Property Technology) is a new global movement that uses technology to create new opportunities in real estate. By utilizing PropTech, investors can get more information, tips, and insights by gaining direct access to a community of industry experts when searching for their real estate investment - saving time and effort when sourcing information and conducting due diligence. With experts’ knowledge and insights, investors can make better-informed decisions like never before. According to the KPMG Global PropTech Survey, 86% of real estate leaders agree that PropTech brings more opportunities for investments through more accurate predictions and reliable information. Getting investors closer to experts can unlock their full potential and succeed in real estate investments - both locally and abroad.

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More about ourselves: PropTech Institute is an independent, non-profit association representing Asia’s PropTech community led by a team of committed professionals. The association seeks to bridge the gap between real estate and tech as well as providing a platform for founders, enthusiasts, professionals, and all those interested in PropTech to share knowledge in the application of technology in real estate.

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