The US, UK, Australia, Singapore and Germany are the top five destinations for UAE property investors looking to buy property overseas, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by IP Global.

The property investment company reveals that the US topped the list with 21% of respondents opting to invest there, followed by the UK with 19%, Australia with 16%, and Singapore and Germany rounding up the top five with 13%.

In terms of what would prevent them from investing in property overseas, 41% of respondents identified tax as a reason, while 33% said lack of understanding of foreign laws of that country would be an investment obstacle.

Property in the UAE also ranked first as a preferred investment class, with 42% of respondents choosing it over stocks, underlining the continued appeal of real estate as an asset class that provides stable returns.

Richard Bradstock, director and head of the Middle East at IP Global, said: “As the results show, the US has proved the most popular market for UAE potential investors. This shouldn’t come as a surprise as both Miami and Chicago offer great potential for investors. Miami has achieved its second consecutive year of over 20% house price appreciation, and Chicago offers average yields of 7.9% according to Zillow.”

“The UK has always been a popular market to invest in, but outer London and regional cities such as Manchester and Birmingham, due to their robust economies and growth opportunities, have definitely seen increased attention from foreign investors. We have also noticed a growing interest in Germany as UAE residents recognise the extraordinary value that cities such as Berlin have.”

“Although many UAE citizens are experienced investors, the results have revealed a large gap in international property investment understanding. There is still a lot of room for overseas property to increase in popularity as an asset class, especially as volatile global financial markets hold sway.”