IPIN Live - Archived posts for January 2011

Property investors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are increasingly turning to the Dubailand area when seeking to buy or rent apartments in the emirate. According to new figures from search website Propertyfinder....

Global real estate transactions reached USD 316 billion in 2010, a full 50 per cent over the volume seen in the previous year, research from Jones Lang LaSalle has revealed. According to the property consultancy, this dramatic turnaround....

Prime properties in the UK are continuing to command "strong demand" among potential buyers, it has been claimed. Douglas and Gordon has said that there has been an increase in the number of buyers registering with estate agents....

Global commercial real estate sales climbed by 43 per cent last year as a growing number of purchases of development sites buoyed the world's markets, the latest research from Real Capital Analytics (RCA) has shown....

Research is an important part of any potential investment. As part of any investment strategy it is essential that a thorough and comprehensive due diligence process is carried out on the entire product and process prior to committing any funds...

Clearly laid out legal rules concerning the London residential property market are making the sector an attractive prospect for a large number of foreign investors, Savills has claimed. The comments come as the consultant revealed that Indian buyers are now the second largest group for top-end, prime real estate in the city....

As various economies within Europe start on the long road to recovery, the investor confidence in a number of destinations is beginning to grow, according to the six-monthly Investment Climate Index from Union Investment....

The high-end property market in the UK is unlikely to feel too much of a fallout when Stamp Duty is increased later this year, it has been claimed. Research conducted by Investec Specialist Private Bank has found that 52 per cent of estate agents, developers and brokers believe that the pending rise in the tax on properties...

Economic recovery in Germany has meant that the country is now considered the most-favoured location in Europe for unlisted real estate funds. Retail property in the country ranked as the most attractive with 36 per cent of investor votes....

Rental growth in Europe is being led by real estate located in London, Paris and Moscow, King Sturge's quarterly report, European Property Indicators, has revealed. According to the consultant, all three cities have reported a growing shortage in available grade A office space over the past year and all three have experienced either stable or rising office rents....

For the third consecutive month, US commercial real estate prices saw their value rise in November, as the economy showed signs of recovery. According to data released by Moody's Investors Services, prices climbed by a further 0.6 per cent over the course of the month compared to October...

The construction and building sectors could be in for a tough year as higher VAT and government spending cuts take their toll on businesses and point to another year of reduced activity. Profit margins are expected to be further eroded by the increased cost of materials and the competition for work will mean that builders are unlikely to be able to pass on savings to customers....

New research has revealed that investor sentiment is turning a corner and highlighted property as the sector to watch for future growth, the FT Advisor has reported....

Government-imposed cooling measures for the property market in Singapore appear to be having the desired effect, with sales dropping by around 30 per cent last month, new figures have revealed....

As investors begin to view land as a more attractive commodity, prices are set to increase on a global scale. The demand for international farmland values has remained positive, according to a report from consultants Savills....

Globally there is expected to be an increase in the number of sustainable real estate solutions being commenced, with emerging Asian markets forecast to lead this growth, a new report has suggested....

Globally investor confidence is swinging towards emerging markets, with many prospective buyers unsure about the future prospects of more developed nations. In Gallup International's Global Barometer of Hope and Despair, Brazil, China and India emerged as having the most upbeat populations....

Individuals view investing in property as a "modern" way to save for the future, Money Marketing has reported. The comments come after it was announced that Aegon has called on the Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB) to launch and run a campaign education people about the costs, benefits and risks connected with investing in real estate.....

Globally the total level of direct real estate investment is expected to grow by 20 per cent by the end of 2011, with the resurgence in activity led primarily by a rebound in interest in the US property market....

Quite why certain areas of the banking fraternity are hyping the concept that China will crash seems a little unclear, not just when you consider the facts of how the Chinese view investment, but also how large some of the caveats these so-called banking experts have added to their "investment ideas".

Commercial real estate investments across Europe reached EUR 95.9 billion last year, representing a 53 per cent increase on 2009 volumes, the latest research from DTZ has found. According to the firm's Investment Market Update report, the coming year is set to see further improvements made, sparked by an increase in buyer confidence. ...

Commercial property market recovery in Canada was "moderate-to-strong" last year, with some markets performing better than expected, new research has shown. However, the in the US, selected markets posted minor improvements while full recovery was elusive....

London banker's bonuses are not expected to have as great an influence on the UK property market as first believed, it has been suggested. Leading property portal Sourcing Property remains unconvinced about the impact that this years' bonuses will have.....

Commercial investment volumes in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to climb once again this year, overtaking the record USD 145 billion that was transacted in 2010. This figure was almost double the USD 73 billion in 2009 and exceeded the previous peak of USD 101 billion in 2007....

Commercial property development in the UK has been found to be the strongest of all European countries last year. Jones Lang LaSalle has highlighted the significant expansion that the sector has experienced over the past 12 months, with investment volumes in the region up 68 per cent year-on-year....

Investors from Asia and Europe are expected to bolster housing sales in Central Florida in 2011, with many looking to take advantage of the "undervalued" property that is on the market. Florida house prices are bottoming out and international property buyers look like reviving the Florida housing market this year, Stirling Sotheby's International Realty has claimed....

Direct investment from foreign buyers in China soared to its highest level ever last year, new figures have officially revealed. The news highlights the growing confidence and sentiment held in the country's economy, despite the government implementing a number of cooling measures last year....

The recent decision by the FIFA executive committee to hand the 2022 World Cup to Qatar has had a positive impact of the country's property market. Although it is too early to judge the overall effect on real estate demand in the region, the latest data from Asteco Property Management suggest that enquiries and sales have both increased since the decision was made....

The latest bulletin from Savills covering international farmland markets has suggested that agricultural land is an attractive investment. The property consultant expects the positive trends that have been witnessed worldwide for the sector to continue into this year....

The potential to gather substantial returns and a perception of lower risk abroad has led to an increasing amount of interest being shown in overseas property investment by Taiwanese buyers....

Property has been named as the best place for individuals to invest their cash in 2011. Results from the latest confidence tracker survey by Worldwide Property Group have found that a massive 72 per cent of respondents believe it to be the number one investment option....

Worldwide investors continue to look to Asia and emerging markets for the best returns, a new survey has found....

Investment in retail properties in Europe climbed by 68 per cent during 2010, taking the total volume spent to EUR 20.6 billion for the year....

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) in Kuala Lumpur are expected to have a rough year as the level of Grade A office buildings in the country available for sale falls....

Despite concerns surrounding debt, oversupply and regulation, investors in the Middle East remain upbeat about the coming year, the results of a new poll by Reuters have shown....

As various indices paint a mixed picture about the outlook for global markets in 2011, it has been announced that the real estate sector in Barbados is back on track. Last year saw a surge in activity in the market, with the global economic downturn placing the location in a better position....

Office rents in Manhattan climbed for the first time in over 24 months during the fourth quarter of 2010, according to Cushman and Wakefield....

An increasing number of investors may begin gravitating towards the property market in India following the result of a recent study....

New currency exchange rules in South Africa are likely to lead to an increase in the number of investors from the country taking an interest in UK commercial property, it has been suggested....

Asia is expected to lead the world when it comes to office completions in 2011, as international economies emerge from the economic downturn. This is according to the latest study by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Global Research and Consulting....

First time buyers have almost always had a tough time, it is a big step to take in life (aside from being costly), the last thing they need is fancy mortgages that will only make matters worse....

Home values in central London have been defying the downward trend seen across the UK, a new report has found. According to the Knight Frank Prime Index, prices in the capital finished the year 10.3 per cent higher than in December 2009....

Property consultant Colliers International has claimed that 2011 will be a good year to invest in real estate in Hong Kong. The company dismissed fears that a residential property bubble is forming in the city, stating that government cooling measures appear to be working....

Global property markets are expected to continue on their broad-based recovery this year, it has been suggested. According to an article by Global Property Guide, improving sentiment worldwide is helping to drive a resurgence in investment activity....

Government austerity measures in the UK and continued concern relating to accessing finance has meant that confidence in the construction industry turned negative during the third quarter of 2010....

Kuala Lumpur, London and New York have been revealed as the three destinations in which the savviest property investors from Hong Kong are looking to acquire real estate....

New figures have shown that 2010 was a boom year for property millionaires, with the number of homes valued at over GBP1 million on the UK market growing by 39 per cent over the past 12 months....

The Chinese government has announced that it is planning on introducing further legislation and regulatory measure to help cool the overheated real estate sector....

Low interest rates and slowly improving market conditions have helped global real estate markets to post a modest recovery during 2010....

Investors will be able to pick up some bargain properties in the UK commercial market this year by focusing on income yield and selecting assets on property fundamentals....

The overall picture for the global real estate market is mixed, with many leading economies showing positive signs of recovery, the latest report has suggested.....

Commercial properties in the US have been found to offer the best prospects for foreign investment, according to the results of a recent report....

Commercial property investment transactions for 2010 in central London totalled GBP9.9 billion, it has been reported. The figure represents growth of a third on the transaction levels seen in 2009....

Growth in property within the MENA region is forecast to outpace the global average in 2011 highlighting the area's potential for investment, DAMAC Properties has forecast.....

Investor sentiment concerning the real estate market in Europe is slipping, the latest index has suggested. However, the news comes despite the upward trend that some economies in the region have been experiencing of late....

Growing demand for office space combined with a lack of supply is likely to drive rental growth in London's West End market. That is the finding of the December 2010 West End Offices Update report from leading real estate consultants Cluttons....

Commercial property in central London currently looks a lot more attractive to foreign buyers than other alternative investments, it has been claimed. At least, this is the finding of a new report by Real Capital Analytics looking into the current health of the market....

Asian investors are increasingly looking to increase their exposure to the Australian real estate market, with many hoping to benefit from "untapped growth" in the country, Property Report has claimed....

The commercial property market in London enjoyed a dramatic rise in activity during 2010, with the total transaction levels reaching close to GBP10 billion. According to research from property agent Cushman and Wakefield....

As we saw at the end of 2010, the consensus of opinion was mixed to say the least, although most were predicting further falls in the housing markets. Today however, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has called for "housing market stability"...