From left: New York, London, Paris and Hong Kong

The world’s wealthiest individuals are continuing to purchase luxury residential property in key international cities despite fluctuation in the global economic marketplace, according to a report by Christie’s International Real Estate cited by real estate expert and former columnist for The Real Deal Michael Stoler on his blog.

More than 67 percent of Christie’s agents reported an increase in sales activity in the first eight months of 2011 when compared with the same period in 2010, especially in cities like New York, Beverly Hills, London, Paris and Hong Kong. Overall, the homes of the super rich in the top 10 cities worldwide rose by an average of 10 percent in value in the first six months of this year. More than 87 percent of buyers paid cash, the report notes.
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From the May issue: In a city where cramped studio apartments generate six-figure bidding wars, it’s hard to imagine a place where real estate is even pricier. But there are cities out there that can make Park Avenue look like a bargain. According to data from London-based brokerage Knight Frank, $1 million would buy you only about half a studio in Monaco.

This month, The Real Deal took stock of how New York real estate compares to other major international and U.S. cities, from London to Los Angeles. We chose 25 preeminent cities, in different geographic regions, that compete with New York for real estate buyers and tourist dollars, and pored through real estate data from each one.

Which city is struggling most to weather the worldwide financial meltdown? Which has the glitziest and most expensive stretch of retail stores on the planet? Which is stuck trying to unload the most empty office space? Where are the most expensive hotels in the world? And which urban mecca has the world’s most expensive coffee? The answers will undoubtedly surprise you. [more]