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"Places like New York or Beijing are always going to be solid (for investment), but you need to hire the right people," said Spreckelsen, adding that knowledge of the local market, including the labor market and the government, were important for investors to carry out their projects smoothly.

Last September, Beijing-based Xinyuan Real Estate Co Ltd, a US-listed company, acquired a parcel of land at Kent Avenue and South 8th Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn for $54.2 million.

The company is building a condo building that will serve the community when it's complete, said John Liang, a general manager with Xinyuan in New York.

Liang said Xinyuan - even though it's a Chinese developer - won't be building a "Chinatown".

"We are building an international project and it will be run locally," said Liang recently at a China Roundtable discussion in New York, adding they are not relying on selling the condos to Chinese buyers.

The company, Liang said, recently raised $200 million and will spend half in the US market.

"Williamsburg is a strong market. We've done a number of buildings there, and I think they will do well," Spreckelsen noted.

Lipman said even though the Chinese are building up investment in the real estate market, the result is still unknown. "You are working on the future projections; it takes time to see (the result)," he said.