SG’s wealthy eye homes in London, Australia, Japan

Education and rental yields are the top reasons for property buys.

High-net-worth families from Singapore are looking at markets such as London, Australia, and Japan to invest in residential properties, an expert said.

In an interview with Real Estate Asia at the sidelines of the Global Property Expo held in Singapore from 18 to 20 July, James Puddle, head of International Residential, Southeast Asia at JLL, said high-net-worth families are investing in these locations for several reasons, including diversification.

"Part of the reason for hosting the Global Property Expo is that we’ve seen significant diversification in recent years, with investments spreading across different countries, whether in Europe or the US," he said.

"Primarily, they tend to buy if their kids are going to study overseas in these locations, and London is a very good example. We also see them buying for long-term rental investment as well as capital appreciation, even in locations such as the UAE and Dubai, which are new markets Singaporeans are buying into,” he added.

Puddle said that wealthy Singaporean families are also investing close to home in recent years, particularly post-COVID, adding that Southeast Asian markets offer a lot of opportunities for Singaporeans.

He cited Thailand, particularly Bangkok and Phuket, and Malaysia as key markets for consideration for these wealthy families.

Beyond residential properties, Puddle advised that ultra-rich families in Singapore should consider investing in offices in global locations for long-term investment yield, as well as industrial logistics and various other asset classes, including retail.