Careful calculations lie behind dazzling prices

Domestic developers study potential purchases before putting money down

It is easy to get the idea that the Chinese companies rushing to the United Kingdom, United States and Australia to snap up properties with price tags that grab headlines are nouveau riche.

In February, Dalian Wanda Group Co Ltd raised eyebrows in Australia by purchasing Gold Fields House, an office building overlooking the landmark Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, for A$415 million ($327 million).