Knowledge Hub

In the middle of a global pandemic and the related economic crisis, why should we be interested in the state of wealth around the world? More so than ever before, private capital is becoming more crucial in driving economies and real estate markets globally. Global response to the pandemic saw interest rate cuts and governments increase fiscal stimulus to support economies. As a result, the populations of many countries experienced an accelerated growth in assets, increasing the world’s ultra-high net worth population by 2.4%. Last year alone, 32% of global property investments came from private investors, which is 9% above the 10-year average, higher than the 6% fall in the amount committed by institutional investors. At the heart of The Wealth Report is the Attitudes Survey, which captures insights provided by the world’s leading private bankers and wealth advisors. It gives us unique perspectives on the investment and lifestyle decisions taken by Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWIs). Included is Knight Frank’s proprietary Prime International Residential Index (PIRI), which provides a comprehensive update on the performance of the world’s 100 most important luxury city and second home markets.

Download the Report Read More

Explore our latest global real estate insights – from market dynamics during the previous quarter to asset trends, pricing movement expectations, and upcoming opportunities.

• While various parts of the world are in different stages of re-opening, transaction volumes are up across EMEA, Asia Pacific and North America, signaling a swift rebound in activity and global appetite for real estate.
• High vaccination rates and fewer government restrictions continue to coincide with any activity resurgences and return in confidence, particularly among international investors.
• Industrial remains a top investment choice, multifamily remains a strong sector to watch, and offices are seeing renewed interest.
• Property prices are expected to rise in the second half of the year, led by multi-family, logistics, and specialized assets with low supply but high competition.

Download the Report Read More

A keen understanding of the nature of real estate and the legal and regulatory issues related to this asset class is critical to working out the basic features of any real estate deal. The Rajah & Tann Asia’s “Guide to the Real Estate Industry in Asia” gives you a brief overview of certain key insights to the real estate industry in the ten jurisdictions across Rajah & Tann Asia’s geographical footprint, namely, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Topics covered in the Guide include the legal framework, types of real estate, ownership and tenure, taxes as well as important issues that an investor of real estate in the region should take note of.

In its second edition, we hope that this Guide will be a useful aid to investors who are navigating or looking to navigate this part of the world for their real estate investments.

A key pillar of our strength is our Rajah & Tann Asia network with offices in these ten jurisdictions, as well as dedicated desks focusing on Japan and South Asia. With the most extensive legal network in Asia, our lawyers have a tight grasp of the local culture, business practices, and language not just within their own home countries, but in the other markets in which they frequently conduct cross-border deals as well. Our depth of transactional and regulatory experience allows us to advise clients strategically and creatively, from structuring to eventual execution and implementation of the transaction.

This gives us an unparalleled edge over our competitors in presenting and pursuing solutions that are both practical and cost-effective. It provides our clients with the "home advantage" in any corporate real estate matters.

This article was originally published in https://www.rajahtannasia.com/

Download the Report Read More

Using data to do more with less

Source: Yardi white paper

 

As investors sharpen their focus on sustainability, how do real estate companies respond? Yardi’s regional director Bernie Devine takes stock.

As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that we are now in the decade of decarbonisation, pressure is mounting for lagging economies and companies to step up, and for leaders to make even larger strides towards net zero emissions.

Seventy per cent of the world’s economies, representing two thirds of global carbon emissions, have made strong commitments to carbon neutrality, says the UN, and a third of the world’s assets are moving towards net zero by 2050 through the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

Meanwhile, the Climate Bonds Initiative has tracked US$1.2 trillion of green bonds, and GRESB has recorded a 22 per cent increase in real estate companies disclosing their environmental, social and governance (ESG) achievements in just one year.

Despite the signals sounding loud and clear, sustainability is “still stuck off to the side of business process and reporting, rather than front and centre,” observes Yardi’s regional director, Bernie Devine.

Devine sees a similar scenario playing out across the Asia Pacific.

“The investment manager receives a query about sustainability and funnels it off to the ESG team to answer. This immediately tells me two things. Firstly, that the investment manager doesn’t know the answer; and secondly that the sustainability team is not central to the investment management process.”

Yardi’s latest whitepaper, Using data to do more with less, outlines five steps for real estate companies to take on the road to sustainability. It includes insights from Goodman Group’s chief financial officer, Nick Vrondas, and co-founder of Seoul-based Reimagining Cities, Chunga Cha.

While the report suggests strategies that real estate companies can adopt to capture the right data for better decision making, Devine warns that many business systems need an entire rethink.

“Spreadsheets won’t solve the sustainability challenge,” he says, noting that 58 per cent of real estate companies across the region remain reliant on Microsoft Excel to manage leasing, sales and property management information.

Much like security-by-design is embedded into software, business processes must be redesigned with sustainability at the core, Devine suggests.

“The real estate sector understands it must put the customer at the centre of its mission. To that I would add, if your objective is customer satisfaction, sustainability is central. The goal must be sustainable customer relationships through sustainable outcomes.”

Yardi helps real estate companies to complete sustainability assessments, manage ESG data and advance ESG performance. Download Yardi’s latest white paper: Using data to do more with less.

 

This article was first published in Property Council of Australia.

 

Download the Report Read More