As the global hunt for yield picks up commercial real estate in the U.S. is in the crosshairs as the trophy for global investors. The question is where the best deals are to be found and in what sector…

A new annual survey by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate shows America as the top pick again this year with a huge lead. In fact the U.S. dominated 4 out of 5 of top investment cities in the world for 2013. Plus, America received 55% of the vote to be the number one destination for capital appreciation for the year ahead.

In total 81% of foreign commercial real estate investors said they planned to increase their investment in the U.S. this year, with 30% planning a “major” increase and none planning to invest less.

Of course it isn’t just capital gains, long term growth expectations or safety that is drawing foreign investors stateside. It is also the promise of great yields and desperately needed income which they are struggling to find elsewhere.

So where are the best investment opportunities to be found in the U.S?

The usual suspects like New York and San Francisco still make the list but much of the attention is now expanding to secondary markets.

This is partially on the superior cap rates to be found in less dense urban centers but also to get ahead of emerging trends which promise huge growth in these areas.

A new report from Bloomberg News highlights this perfectly with coverage of the publishing and advertising industry. As property values rise and ad spend and the newspaper business continues to soften publishers are putting their downtown digs for sale and moving to rent in secondary markets. It’s a tale and trend common among many industries today as tech takes over and transforms how we do business.

So in terms of investment locations savvy investors are looking outwards to capitalize on this shift. So think Doral instead of Brickell in Miami, San Diego versus San Francisco and Worcester instead of Boston.

• Multifamily great if you can get it/ but must move fast – Retail returns are down office is up – prices up – vacancy down – rents rising – Mass. / Boston / Worcester one of top markets in demand in 4Q according to CCIM

• A savvy spot for forward thinking foreign investors as well as U.S. investors looking to benefit from the surge this year