Commercial property investment volumes rose by a better-than-expected 17.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, says a report by Cushman & Wakefield. Foreign investors were the main driver of this, increasing activity by 16.2 percent over the year versus a 3.6 percent rise for domestic buyers.
Other highlights include:
- Investors have continued to show a strong interest in core markets, with the UK, Germany and France by far the most in demand, taking 61.4 percent of all investment for the year.
- Central Europe in particular had a good year – with volumes up 115.7 percent and a market share of 4.7 percent, its strongest on record, as investors adjusted their views on the real level of risk in these markets and also set about trying to find markets with stock and growth potential.
- Demand for retail has been good with investors seeing it as a defensive asset. Supply of the right type of retail continues to run below demand and a lack of finance for large lots has also held activity back. The UK has regained its crown as Europe’s largest retail market – which Germany took for part of last year. France was runner up to the UK as the region’s largest office market, taking over from Germany which fell back to number 3.
Michael Rhydderch, head of the European capital markets group at Cushman & Wakefield, noted: “On the demand side, large pension and sovereign funds from around the world will remain hungry for prime assets in core markets, with North American and Far Eastern funds again dominant. Private equity will also be a key player this year at typically higher risk levels, while private individuals from Europe, Asia and the Middle East are likely to be strong across a range of risk levels. However, all players will need to look closely at which markets and sectors they are targeting; we expect there to be an adjustment to pricing and/or risk tolerance by many in order to meet their buying objectives.”
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