London is the most desirable city as far as a survey of 461 high net worth individuals is concerned, while Dubai comes second and Singapore has fallen to third place from second place in the previous 12 months, according to the Cluttons’ International Private Capital Survey 2013/14.

The survey reports on the findings of a survey of nine of their global offices representing the views and investment activity of HNW persons in Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Dubai, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur), Manama, Muscat, Singapore and Tokyo. Each investor is expected to make at least one overseas real estate investment over the next twelve months, Cluttons said in a statement.

The top three drivers for investment in London property are its perceived safe-haven status , followed jointly by capital value growth yields and the exchange rates on offer ; the weakness of sterling as an incentive being particularly prevalent in South East Asian markets. While factors considered least influential by investors are financial market performance and transport/infrastructure .

Of other investment asset classes, fund markets appear to hold most interest for HNW individuals at 33 per cent, followed by stock markets and precious metals at 21 per cent. Interestingly, only a quarter of offices surveyed noted the importance of diversification as top driver for global investment among the HNW individuals they represent with wealth security emerging as a greater consideration – with safe haven status identified by a fifth of markets in the research.