Latest news with #Christopherson
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where Chinese Citizens Are Buying Property Across US
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Foreign buyers are flocking back to the U.S. housing market after years of dwindling demand, with Chinese nationals leading the way, according to a new report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). But while a majority of all foreign buyers look at Florida as the ideal place to buy a home, most Chinese buyers are choosing a West Coast state as their top destination: California. Chinese Buyers Ramp Up Investment in U.S. Homes In its latest report on international transactions in U.S. residential real estate, NAR found that of the total of $56 billion spent by foreign buyers in the U.S. housing market between April 2024 and March 2025, $13.7 billion alone came from Chinese buyers. That was a much bigger investment than the one made by Chinese buyers a year earlier, when they spent only $7.5 billion in the U.S. housing market. As of March, they had spent 83 percent more on U.S. homes than they had a year earlier. This expense was more in line with what they spent in 2023, at $13.6 billion, and in 2019, at $13.4. Overall, Chinese buyers snapped 11,700 existing homes in the U.S. housing market of the total 78,100 bought by foreigners. They represented 15 percent of all foreign buyers. According to Matt Christopherson, Director, Business and Consumer Research at NAR, Chinese buyers have ramped up their purchases of U.S. homes because of the struggles that their own market is still facing. "The Chinese housing market has been slow to recover following the pandemic, so Chinese buyers see a beneficial opportunity in diversifying their investment portfolios with exposure to stronger U.S. markets," Christopherson told Newsweek. Crucially, the figures provided by NAR precede escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing over tariffs, so we do not yet know how the U.S.-China budding trade war is impacting foreign buyers in the U.S. Where Are Chinese Buyers Purchasing Homes? At 36 percent, California was the number one destination for foreign buyers from China between April 2024 and March 2025, according to NAR. It was followed by Maryland and New York (each representing 9 percent of all Chinese buyers' purchases in the U.S.), Hawaii (5 percent), Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina and Washington (each 4 percent), Arizona, Delaware and Florida (each 3 percent). The Golden State was the number one U.S. destination among Chinese buyers only, while Canadians and British preferred Florida and Mexicans and Indians favored Texas. "Chinese buyers are drawn to California due to its proximity to China, business opportunities from moving to the world's fourth largest economy, and stronger cultural ties to the population in certain markets," Christopherson said. "Additionally, low affordability in California brings strong rental demand, presenting an opportunity for those investment buyers purchasing residential rentals." Maryland is also a popular destination for Chinese buyers. This is somehow surprising, as the state is not nearly as popular with any other of the nationalities representing a majority of foreign buyers in the U.S. Maryland featured as one of the most popular destinations for Canadians only, but still purchases in the state were only 3 percent of all the ones they made in the country. "Given that the majority of Chinese buyers (57 percent) are resident buyers, more often purchasing detached single-family homes for primary residence or residential rental, these buyers are likely wishing to live in the D.C. or greater DMV area," Christopherson added.
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First Post
20-07-2025
- Business
- First Post
Chinese nationals top list of foreigners buying homes in US, spending surges 83%
Of the 78,100 existing homes bought by foreign buyers in US, Chinese buyers purchased 11,700, making up 15% of all foreign buyers, followed by Canada (14%), Mexico (8%), India (6%), and the United Kingdom (4%). read more Chinese nationals led foreign purchases of US homes over the past year, with their spending surging 83 per cent from 2024, according to a new National Association of Realtors (NAR) report. NAR's latest report on international transactions in US residential real estate revealed that Chinese buyers accounted for $13.7 billion of the $56 billion spent by foreign buyers in the country's housing market from April 2024 to March 2025. This was more than double their $7.5 billion investment from the previous year and slightly higher than the $13.6 billion spent in 2024. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Of the 78,100 existing homes bought by foreign buyers, Chinese buyers purchased 11,700, making up 15 per cent of all foreign buyers, followed by Canada (14 per cent), Mexico (8 per cent), India (6 per cent), and the United Kingdom (4 per cent). Among the top five foreign buyer groups, Chinese buyers paid the highest average purchase price, at $1,168,800, with a median of $759,600, per NAR. Crisis in China's real estate to blame? Matt Christopherson, NAR's director of Business and Consumer Research, attributes this surge partly to China's real estate crisis. China's property sector, once accounting for 25 per cent of the nation's GDP and 38 per cent of Beijing's government revenue, fueled decades of economic growth. However, excessive borrowing and speculation led to a collapse, with Evergrande's 2021 debt default and subsequent defaults by developers like Country Garden destabilising the market. Christopherson suggests these domestic challenges are pushing Chinese buyers to seek alternative investments abroad. 'The Chinese housing market has been slow to recover following the pandemic, so Chinese buyers see a beneficial opportunity in diversifying their investment portfolios with exposure to stronger U.S. markets,' Christopherson was quoted as saying by Newsweek. 'China's continued investments in US mortgage-backed securities further show their interest and confidence in the American markets. Investment buyers from China find strong cash flow investment opportunities with residential rentals, as our affordability shortcomings are putting upward pressure on rental demands,' he said. 'Additionally, Chinese students more often purchase housing during their studies, with nearly one-fifth of Chinese buyers purchasing for this use.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The NAR report, covering April 2024 to March 2025, predates President Donald Trump's announcement of tariffs against China, which has sparked tensions in US-China trade relations.
Newsweek
20-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
China Leads List of Foreign Citizens Buying US Property
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Chinese nationals once again dominated foreign purchases of U.S. homes over the past year, according to a new report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), with their expenses increasing by 83 percent compared to 2024. In its latest report on international transactions in U.S. residential real estate, NAR found that Chinese buyers accounted for $13.7 billion of the total $56 billion spent by foreign buyers in the U.S. housing market between April 2024 and March 2025. It was more than double the investment that Chinese buyers made a year earlier, $7.5 billion, and a little more than they spent in 2024, at $13.6 billion. In terms of the number of existing homes purchased by foreign buyers, Chinese buyers snapped up 11,700 of the total 78,100. They represented 15 percent of all foreign buyers, followed by buyers from Canada (14 percent), Mexico (8 percent), India (6 percent), and the United Kingdom (4 percent). Chinese buyers also paid the highest purchase price of the top five foreign buyers, according to NAR. Over the last year, their average purchase price was $1,168,800, while their median purchase price was $759,600. Why Are Chinese Buyers So Interested In U.S. Homes? Matt Christopherson, the director of Business and Consumer Research at NAR, believes that China's real estate crisis is partially to blame for the surge in interest in U.S. homes among Chinese buyers. China's real estate sector, which at its peak contributed 25 percent of the country's total GDP and 38 percent of Beijing's government revenue, played a significant role in driving the country's spectacular economic growth over the past few decades. But excessive borrowing and speculation brought the sector to a breaking point. In 2021, Evergrande defaulted on its debt, shaking confidence in the sector. Other developers, like Country Garden, followed in its footsteps, further destabilizing the market. Since then, China's real estate sector has been navigating troubled waters, with declining prices and stalled construction. The crisis is having a negative impact on the entire Chinese economy, slowing growth despite authorities' efforts to prop up the housing market. According to Christopherson, these challenges at home are prompting Chinese buyers to seek alternative investment opportunities for their hard-earned money. "The Chinese housing market has been slow to recover following the pandemic, so Chinese buyers see a beneficial opportunity in diversifying their investment portfolios with exposure to stronger U.S. markets," Christopherson told Newsweek. "China's continued investments in U.S. mortgage-backed securities further shows their interest and confidence in the American markets. Investment buyers from China find strong cash flow investment opportunities with residential rentals, as our affordability shortcomings are putting upward pressure on rental demands," he said. "Additionally, Chinese students more often purchase housing during their studies, with nearly one-fifth of Chinese buyers purchasing for this use." The data contained in NAR's report covers the period from April 2024 to March 2025, before President Donald Trump announced tariffs against China, sparking a budding trade war between Washington and Beijing. Where Are Chinese Buyers Purchasing Homes? California was the top U.S. destination for Chinese homebuyers, accounting for 36 percent of all their purchases in the country. It was followed by Maryland and New York (each representing 9 percent of all Chinese buyers' purchases in the U.S.), Hawaii (5 percent), Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Washington (4 percent each), and Arizona, Delaware, and Florida (3 percent each). "Chinese buyers are drawn to California due to its proximity to China, business opportunities from moving to the world's 4th largest economy, and stronger cultural ties to the population in certain markets," Christopherson said. "Additionally, low affordability in California brings strong rental demand, presenting an opportunity for those investment buyers purchasing residential rentals." Maryland is also a top destination for Chinese buyers, despite not being as popular among buyers from other nationalities, representing the majority of foreign buyers in the U.S. "Given that the majority of Chinese buyers (57 percent) are resident buyers, more often purchasing detached single-family homes for primary residence or residential rental, these buyers are likely wishing to live in the D.C. or greater DMV area."
The Independent
11-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Coroner gives legal warning to witness in fresh inquest for baby boy who died
A coroner has given a warning about potentially incriminating evidence at a fresh inquest into the death of a premature baby. Robert Sowersby, assistant coroner for Avon, was asking questions about samples that appear to have been taken following the death of Ben Condon, who died aged just two months. Ben died in the paediatric intensive care unit of Bristol Children's Hospital on April 17 2015, six days after being admitted there with a respiratory illness. An inquest in June 2016 initially recorded Ben's death as being caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), metapneumovirus (hMPV) and prematurity. But the following year, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust admitted a failure to give Ben timely antibiotics for a pseudomonas bacterial infection had contributed to his death. High Court judges quashed the original inquest conclusion in 2021 and ordered a fresh hearing, which began at Avon Coroner's Court last Monday, following campaigning by Ben's parents Allyn and Jenny Condon. On Tuesday, Mr Sowersby was questioning Dr Matthew Christopherson about a computer printout of investigations undertaken in respect to Ben. The coroner said: 'It appears from this document that there are some samples dated April 18 or April 19, so after Ben's death. 'Post-mortem sampling is regulated. I'm going to ask you questions about this.' The coroner told Dr Christopherson that the doctor did not need to answer his questions if he believed that he could incriminate himself. He asked: 'Did you take any post-mortem samples?' Dr Christopherson replied: 'No, I did not.' Mr Sowersby then asked: 'Did you know about any samples taken from Ben after his death?' Dr Christopherson said: 'No, I did not.' The inquest previously heard how Ben's parents Allyn and Jenny Condon were told a post-mortem examination was not necessary following his death, leading to his body being cremated. But they later discovered that four swabs had been taken from Ben's body and sent for analysis after his death. Jennifer MacLeod, representing the Condon family, asked Dr Christopherson about requests for screening of the swabs which included fluid and skin. Ms MacLeod said it was later stated by a different clinician, Dr Richard Brindle, in an internal email that the swab tests had been requested to 'add useful information about the cause of death'. Dr Christopherson repeated that he had no knowledge of the swabs, adding: 'The last time I saw Ben was with Mr and Mrs Condon as I left the department that evening.' Ben's parents earlier told the hearing they would not have cremated their son if they had known that the swabs had been taken, that he had a bacterial infection, or that he had been diagnosed with ARDS. Mr Sowersby queried why Dr Christopherson and a colleague had been 'confident' to record Ben's cause of death as ARDS caused by hMPV and prematurity, given concerns that Ben may have developed a secondary infection. Dr Christopherson replied: 'It was the sequence of events. He presented with hMPV, if he hadn't had that, he wouldn't have become sick, he wouldn't have developed ARDS and the subsequent complications of that.' He added that he was not aware of results identifying the pseudomonas infection at the time of Ben's death. When asked about the death certificate, he replied: 'The culture at the time was to complete, where we felt able to, the administrative sides of a child's death. 'This is because we recognised that the death of a child is tragic. The aim was to minimise as much distress as possible.' On Tuesday, the inquest heard that a document – disclosed to family lawyers shortly before the beginning of the fresh inquest – revealed concerns about a possible infection on April 15. The document showed that a blood test marked 'urgent' had been ordered for Ben on that date, with 'query sepsis' listed as the reason for the test. Mr Sowersby asked Dr Christopherson whether sepsis was a differential diagnosis – a list of conditions that could be behind a patient's symptoms – at that time. Dr Christopherson replied: 'I expect it was on the differential diagnosis list. I have no more specifics to add to that.' Ben was born in February 2015 at 29 weeks gestation and spent seven weeks in neonatal intensive care at Southmead Hospital before being discharged home to Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, on April 7. His parents took him to Weston General Hospital on April 10, after he became unwell following cold-like symptoms, and he was transferred to Bristol Children's Hospital the following day. The baby, who weighed 5lbs, was diagnosed with hMPV and later found to have ARDS. He suffered a cardiac arrest on April 17 and was pronounced dead at 9.07pm that day. The inquest continues.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Yahoo
UPDATE: Silver Alert inactivated for missing Springdale man
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — UPDATE: The Springdale Police Department has inactivated the Silver Alert. SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Silver Alert has been issued for a missing Springdale man. Charles Christopherson, 76, was last seen on Jan. 27 around 5 p.m. at 1011 June Drive in Springdale. He was last seen wearing a red and blue plaid shirt, jeans, glasses and a gold wedding. Christopherson may be traveling in a 2024 silver Hyundai Tuscon with Arkansas license plate USABWPA. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lt. John Drake of the Springdale Police Department at 479-751-4542. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
