After rioters storm the seat of US government, Americans search for a safe haven
The bloody attack on the US Capitol building by supporters of President Donald Trump on the 6 of January has led to a spike in American interest in Australian property.
The attack has led to increased enquiries from wealthy Americans wanting to buy Aussie property and move to the relative safety of Australia, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Christie’s International Real Estate agent Ken Jacobs told the Herald that he received more than eight enquiries after the insurrection, which killed at least five people, including a police officer who was defending the Capitol. The Americans said they were concerned not only about the riot, but also the direction of the US government and the ubiquity of guns.
“Normally we get enquiries from all around the world on specific properties. This time there have been enquiries of people actually saying [they’re] considering a move to Australia,” Jacobs told the paper. “They are not concerned about mainstream America, but they were concerned about the fringes and how it could overreact, which is exactly what happened.”
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Jacobs said he expected a “huge attrition rate” in enquiries, “but there will be some significant transactions.”
This isn’t the first time a terrorist attack has led Americans to look to Australia as an escape. The 9/11 attacks on New York’s World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in Washington led to a 60% spike in enquiries from Americans, the Herald reported.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a spike in interest from foreign buyers. A November report from McGrath Real Estate found that Australian agents had been “inundated” with enquiries from expats looking to relocate.
