Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo are the four countries competing to host the 2016 Games, and the winner will be announced at an International Olympic Committee meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Hosting the Olympic Games pushes a country into the international spotlight. Tourist numbers sky rocket and infrastructure, transport and property improvements are pushed to the top of the agenda.

The Games will have a lasting effect on a country, its economy and its property market. The 2008 Games were amongst the most expansive and expensive ever held, with events happening in six other Chinese cities other than Beijing. In preparation, China invested nearly