The world's house price hotspots revealed
04 March 2016
Where house prices are rising fastest
Home ownership has become more and more expensive – but how do your local prices compare to cities and towns around the world? Read on to find out where prices have risen fastest, according to estate agents Knight Frank.
30: The Hamptons, US – 3.2%
The Hamptons was already one of the priciest places to buy a house in the US, but they clearly haven't reached their ceiling yet with the average house price rising 3.2% between December 2014 and 2015.
29: Barcelona, Spain - 3.3%
In 29th on the list is Barcelona, which saw prices rise by 3.3% on average. While not all areas of Spain have seen prices recover since the country's property crash, the sharp rise in Barcelona is being driven by foreign buyers snapping up luxury homes in the city, according to separate data by Instituto Nacional de Estadistica.
28: Tel Aviv, Israel - 3.7%
Over in Israel, Tel Aviv house prices have continued to rise sharply, up 3.7% in the last year alone. Separate data from property website Global Property Guide values the average Tel Aviv home at around £454,000.
27: Boston, US - 3.8%
Between 2000 and 2015, house prices in most areas of Boston have more than doubled, massively outpacing the average rise in wages. In the last year alone, property prices rose 3.8%.
26: Johannesburg, South Africa - 4%
A perennial crime problem in Johannesburg has done little to slow the rapid rise of house prices, which increased 4% in the last 12 months, according to Knight Frank. The average home costs around £71,000, but of course it varies massively depending where you are in the city.
25: Phuket, Thailand - 4.1%
Proving that Phuket isn't just popular with backpackers, high demand for properties in the city has driven up prices by 4.1% between December 2014 and 2015.
24: Beijing, China - 4.3%
The financial boom in China has led to a dramatic rise in house prices – especially at the high end.
23: Méribel, France - 4.5%
Méribel was ranked as one of four prime locations for ski resort properties (along with Val d'Isère, Chamonix and Courchevel). Prices in the area jumped 4.5% last year.
22: Los Angeles, US - 4.7%
House prices in Los Angeles have recovered strongly since the financial crash. So much so that in some high end areas, such as Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, prices have surpassed their pre-crash levels.
=20: Ibiza, Spain - 5%
The island of Ibiza is another part of Spain that is seeing prices rebound strongly, rising by 5% in the last year alone. That makes it the joint 20th best-performing destination on the Knight Frank list.
=20: Madrid, Spain - 5%
That performance is mirrored in the Spanish capital. As with Barcelona, the rise in Madrid is being helped by strong demand from foreign buyers.
=18: Bangalore, India - 5.1%
Bangalore, or Bengaluru, has seen the joint 18th sharpest rise in house prices in the world in 2015. It's been one of the world's technology hotspots for several years.
=18: Jakarta, Indonesia - 5.1%
Likewise, prices in Jakarta have jumped 5.1% over the same period. In a story that many can no doubt relate to, rental landlords have contributed to house prices rises in Jakarta. Speaking about what motivates people to buy property there, Knight Frank's head of research for Indonesia Hasan Pamudji said: “Rich [local] investors care mostly for capital appreciation although they also buy apartments to get rental income. Yield for high-end apartments can command between 8% and 11%.”
17: Val d'Isere, France - 5.8%
The second skiing destination to feature on the list, house prices in Val d'Isere have risen by 5.8%.
16: Seoul, South Korea - 6.1%
Last year, the number of people buying their own home in South Korea hit a seven-year high. That increased demand has clearly helped boost the capital city, where prices jumped 6.1%.
15: Bangkok, Thailand - 6.3%
While house prices have risen by 6.3% in the Thai capital, according to Knight Frank data, it is very much a two-speed housing market. As the Financial Times notes: “Thailand’s sluggish economy has resulted in a split property market. Bangkok’s high-end market remains bullish, but the lower end is struggling as banks tighten up their mortgage lending amid a risk of new-build oversupply.”
14: Miami, US - 6.4%
With a 6.4% price rise, Miami is the second best-performing location in the US. However, there are worrying signs for the market. The number of homes flipped – bought and then sold for a quick profit – in the metro was the highest of any market nationwide. As Matthew Gardner, chief economist at Windermere Real Estate, explains: “When home flipping numbers go up, it is usually an indication that the housing market is in trouble."
13: Cape Town, South Africa - 6.9%
Back to South Africa, where tourist mecca Cape Town has witnessed property prices jumping almost 7%, according to Knight Frank. A separate report from local bank FNB has predicted that price rises will slow to 4.8% this year.
12: Toronto, Canada - 8%
House prices soared 8% in Toronto last year and early indications are that 2016 will be no different. The Toronto Real Estate Board recently reported that sales in February exceeded the previous record for February set back in 2010. That fact is even more remarkable when you consider stricter mortgage lending rules were introduced this year.
11: Berlin, Germany - 9%
The sharp rise in Berlin prices is largely due to two factors: first, the culture of renting for life is changing for a growing number of Berliners who are now clamouring to buy, driving up demand. Equally, rental prices in the city have risen sharply, and that has attracted a new hoard of property investors. The result is 9% house price growth in a single year.
=9: Amsterdam, Netherlands - 10%
Into the top 10, and Amsterdam is the first place to have witnessed double-digit house price growth. Worryingly, the market seems to be gathering yet more pace: figures from the Dutch land registry office Kadaster show prices soared 4.1% this January alone. The last time house prices rose by 4.1% was at the height of the housing market boom – and we all know what happened next...
=9: Monaco - 10%
An equally booming market – though perhaps with a higher average asking price – is the principality of Monaco.
8: Auckland, New Zealand - 10.2%
The New Zealand capital witnessed price rises of 10.2% in the last year. It means the average house in Auckland now costs around £395,000 according to the ENZ emigration website.
7: San Francisco, US - 10.9%
With an annual increase of 10.9%, prices in San Francisco are rising faster than anywhere else in the US. That will come as no surprise to anyone who lives there: a recent report from Paragon Real Estate found that only 11% of households can afford to buy a median home in San Francisco.
6: Melbourne, Australia - 11.9%
According to Knight Frank, the Australian city of Melbourne has seen prices rise by almost an eighth in just 12 months. Similarly, a report from the Performance Property Advisory found that property prices have grown seven times faster than average incomes over the past six years. The good news for those hoping to buy is that various sources are predicting rises will be far smaller in 2016.
5: Munich, Germany - 12%
In fifth on the list is Munich. With similar factors at play to those seen in Berlin, annual house prices have rocketed 12%.
4: Istanbul, Turkey - 13%
According to Knight Frank, Istanbul sits fourth on the list with prices rising 13% over the year.
3: Shanghai, China - 14.1%
Shanghai's high end market puts even Beijing to shame, but even more moderate homes are way beyond the means of typical workers. The figure varies from source to source, but the median home in Shanghai is worth between 13 and 25 times the median Shanghai salary.
2: Sydney, Australia - 14.8%
Like Melbourne, Sydney witnessed another year of rapid house price growth in 2015, as typical homes moved well beyond the income of the average resident. However, like Melbourne, prices in Sydney are also expected to slow markedly in 2016 as people hit the limit of what they can pay for a property.
1: Vancouver, Canada - 24.5%
Many cities have seen hefty rises, but none come close to Vancouver, where prices have rocketed by almost a quarter in just 12 months, according to Knight Frank. It's little surprise that the Royal Bank of Canada has described the city as nearing "dangerously" unaffordable levels, with the bank's chief economist adding: “Owning a single-detached home at market prices in the Vancouver area clearly is out of reach for an average household or for the vast majority of households for that matter."
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