China’s easing of the world’s toughest Covid restrictions could boost foreign demand for Australian property, a real estate group predicts.

Kashif Ansari, a co-founder and group chief executive of real estate marketing group Juwai IQI, said the return of Chinese visitors to Australia would also boost demand for Australian property.

A large-scale return of non-resident buyers – restricted to buying new, rather than established, dwellings – from China could shift the dial for the apartment sector that was struggling to pick up from its recent lows.