The Green party in New Zealand is calling on the government to ban foreign property investors from buying property and real estate in the country as the increasing numbers of overseas buyers are buying property at the expense of first time buyers who are finding it increasingly difficult to find an affordable property.

“We believe land should be owned by New Zealand citizens and residents only and our laws should be changed to say that,” they said. “Why should we allow Singaporean, Australian or American speculators to buy investment properties in our country, shutting first-time home buyers from the market.

The Bulgarian residential property market has slowed in recent months however many industry experts believe that the lull is only temporary. The lack of growth in the Bulgarian property market is due to several factors – over-supply of new housing, unfavourable credit terms, and overpriced properties on the market. The riskiest type of property at present is in the holiday homes market where many people have already invested, and where many developers have aimed their developments at.

A new report has shown that there are many opportunities for property developers and investors in China thanks to the Olympic Games. Consultants Jones Lang LaSalle have produced a report entitled ‘The Greatest Olympic Legacy’ and they state that China’s capital, Beijing, as undergone a rebirth with major investment happening in transport and infrastructure, retail, residential and commercial property.

The investment is good not just for the Games, but also for China’s future – the new underground lines coupled with all the new developments means that there are now huge residential opportunities throughout the country. The expanding infrastructure means that commercial hubs throughout the country are ever more accessible and this is opening up new land for residential development.

London investors could be feeling the pinch with the official London tourism authority, Visit London, predicting that tourism levels in the capital will fall in the next few years.

Last year, over 25 million people visited London and contributed nearly £16.6 billion towards the travel and tourism industry ensuring that property investors with stakes in hotels and properties had good returns on their investments.

Argentina is hotly tipped by some experts to be the next big hotspot for property investment. The country is full of beautiful countryside and has a rich cultural history therefore it is no surprise that real estate within the country is starting to become popular. The figures look to stack up too – the Argentine economy is strong with growth rates of around 8 percent per annum, with millions of dollars being invested into the country from abroad.

To help boost tourism to the country, the Dominican Republic is spending over $25 million on improving it’s beaches. With cuts in flights, the credit crunch and recent power cuts, officials are concerned that fewer tourists are visiting the area therefore they are hoping that their beach investment will not only attract more tourism, but will also encourage foreign property investment throughout the country.

In all, seven beaches will be targeted. 14 million cubic metres of sand will be brought in to spruce up some of the beaches, and buildings which are deemed damaging to the coastal environment will be knocked down.

Estonia is not usually at the top of property investors’ lists when they are looking to buy new property. Partly, this has been because foreign ownership of real estate has been tightly controlled and regulated along with the fact that Estonia has been occupied or controlled by other nations for much of it’s recent history.

However over the past decade or so, Estonia has gained it’s independence, the government has started to liberalize laws regarding foreign property ownership, and the Estonian Tourist Board is working hard to promote the country around the world. All this means that Estonia is starting to become one of the most hotly tipped places in Eastern Europe to buy.