Investors have a year or two to snap up property in second-tier cities before price rises reduce yields to levels found in Beijing and Shanghai, Reuters reported. Consultants told a real estate conference in Shanghai that potential returns on investments in cities such as Chengdu, Dalian and Tianjin were large, despite the lack of choice warehouses, offices and shopping centers. Overseas investors have tended to buy bad loans for access to cheap assets, or have partnered with local firms to develop housing complexes. Confusion over land ownership and a lack of data are possible pitfalls for property investors.