Residential property prices are now global IMF warns

The world’s housing markets have become remarkably synchronised, according to International Monetary Fund research that warns that local property prices may be vulnerable to unexpected foreign shocks. A study of 40 countries and 44 major cities across advanced and emerging economies shows there has been a simultaneous upswing since the global financial crisis, driven by ultra-easy monetary policy and a pick-up in investor activity led by Amsterdam, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto and Vancouver. The findings,…