The research examined nearly 40 countries to find where interest in buying real estate has grown the most since 2022. For each place, it tracked how often people searched online for things like buying property, rental homes, and houses for sale. The study also looked at rental yield, which shows how much income a property brings in compared to what it costs, and the price-to-income ratio, which shows how expensive homes are compared to what people actually earn. Countries were finally ranked by how much buyer interest grew in the past three years.
Here's a look at the top 10 countries where real estate investment interest has grown the most:
| Country/ Market | Region | Gross Rental Yield Change 2022–2026 (%) | Price-to-Income Ratio Change 2022–2026 (%) | Real Estate Investment Search Interest 2026 | Real Estate Investment Search Interest Change 2022–2025 (%) |
| Japan | Asia | 0.00% | 3.6% | 2.8M | 244.51% |
| Thailand | Asia | 6.25% | 10.6% | 5.9M | 196.67% |
| China | Asia | 13.33% | -25.9% | 309K | 184.59% |
| UAE | Middle East | -52.07% | 68.2% | 290K | 176.44% |
| Oman | Middle East | -14.71% | -17.4% | 162K | 159.37% |
| Kazakhstan | Asia | 11.11% | -15.2% | 23.3K | 137.59% |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | -23.29% | 53.6% | 371K | 130.66% |
| Italy | Europe | 12.20% | -3.5% | 12.8M | 129.85% |
| Taiwan | Asia | -25.00% | 16.1% | 95K | 114.47% |
| Switzerland | Europe | -20.69% | 37.3% | 2.3M | 104.96% |
You can access the complete research findings here.
- Japan
- Search interest change in the past three years: +245%
- Rental yield change: 0% (held steady at 2.3%)
- Price-to-income ratio change: +3.6%
Japan is the world’s biggest hotspot for real estate investment right now. Three years ago, the market attracted around 2.3 million potential buyers, but nowadays that figure reaches almost 8 million. Rental income has stayed put at 2.3% the whole time, and housing costs relative to income barely moved either, up just 3.6%. That steady returns and a stable price tag help explain why so many buyers have Japan on their radar right now.
2. Thailand
Thailand comes in second, with interest in property investment nearly tripling, up 197%, and reaching over 16 million potential buyers. One reason behind the rising interest is that Thai houses are steadily growing in price, getting 10% more expensive over the past five years. The yield is also attractive, above 3%, so property investors see a way to collect rental income now and still sell for a profit down the road.
3. China
China ranks third among the hottest real estate markets. The country records a 185% rise in property investment interest, growing from 275K potential homebuyers to nearly 784K. Part of the draw is that rental income actually went up, climbing 13.3% over the period, so landlords are collecting more from the same property. Homes also got a bit cheaper to buy relative to local pay, giving buyers two good reasons to jump in at the same time.
4. UAE
The UAE takes fourth place as the most attractive Middle Eastern market. Interest in property there grew 176%, most likely from foreign buyers. That’s because homes in the UAE have gotten too pricey for a lot of locals, pushing the market toward international investors who have more room in their budget. And while rent yields are down (-52%), that number could climb back up once the Iran conflict settles and international tourism recovers in the region.
5. Oman
Oman rounds out the top five real estate hotspots in the world, with property investment searches up 159% over the past three years. Rental yields there have held close to 7% for most of the period, giving buyers steady income on their purchase. On top of that, Oman also stands out as one of the few countries where housing became more affordable, with the price-to-income ratio down 17.4%.
A market analyst from Taurex commented on the findings:
"Most of the top 10 countries here aren't in Europe or America at all. Switzerland is the only Western country that made the list. That's not surprising, since home prices in places like the UK have kept climbing fast. When prices at home get that steep, buyers start looking elsewhere for a better deal. Southeast Asia is picking up a lot of that demand right now, partly because tourism there keeps growing, which makes it easier to rent out a property once you own it. The Middle East is a good example on the other end too, since prices there have actually come down amid regional conflict, which opens the door for buyers looking for a lower entry point."