The biggest and most important component of global real estate value is the homes that people live in, totalling $162 trillion, three-quarters of the total value. The sector has the largest spread of ownership with approximately 2.5 billion households and is most closely tied with the fortunes of ordinary people.

Unsurprisingly, the value of this real estate is unevenly distributed across the globe. Western nations contain the lion’s share of asset value, while less developed nations contain the least. 21% of the world’s total residential asset value is in North America – despite the fact that only 5% of the population lives there. Europe contains 24% of residential assets by value but only houses 11% of the population.

Populous China accounts for nearly a quarter of the total value, having nearly one-fifth of the world’s population.

The trend is reversed in global regions dominated by emerging and undeveloped markets. The Middle East and Africa are home to 19% of global population, but just 6% of total residential real estate wealth.

^{Source: Savills World Research, Oxford Economics}

_{For more information see Around the World in Dollars And Cents}