Regional performance has been tepid due to the absence of big players, but some markets are showing signs of improvement.
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Conducive global developments placed financial markets on a risk-on mode in the final month of 2020. The prospect of widely available coronavirus vaccines, the US bipartisan agreement on fiscal stimulus, and the EU-UK post-Brexit trade agreement’s conclusion provided the necessary fillip to sentiment, sustaining momentum for real estate stocks to conclude on a positive note.
However, for the whole of 2020, real estate stocks continued to lag the wider equity markets, which have been supported by tech and pharma counters. Property cycles will eventually chart the sector’s own way out of the crisis, which although historically it lags an economic recovery, will be longer-lived, sustained by the region’s enduring structural fundamentals.
China Real Estate Market 2021 - Finding The Way Forward
2020 has been a challenging year for all. With China now seemingly on its way to a full recovery, Savills has published its China market overview and outlook “Finding a way Forward, 2021”, which analyses key drivers and trends of five asset classes and the property management sector.
Investment: National transaction volumes decreased YoY, while niche assets increased their share of investments to all-time highs.
Office: Occupiers look to optimise their office portfolios through flexible space arrangements while also securing cost savings.
Retail: Landlords increase the share of leisure tenants in malls to attract consumers back to the high-street.
Residential: Upgrade and end-user demand supports the stable market foundations, while the multi-family sector sees new regulations to protect tenant rights.
Logistics: New infrastructure initiatives will level up warehouse standards and scale. Transparency and asset liquidity is also expected to improve with the launch of REITs.
Property management: New IPOs saw a record high in 2020, while PropTech opens the way for additional value-added services.
Regional performance has been tepid due to the absence of big players, but some markets are showing signs of improvement.
With the acceleration of digitalisation as well as changing consumer behaviour, it is imperative for retail tenants and landlords alike to adapt to the rapidly-evolving multiplatform retail scene to remain relevant, retaining the physical shopper catchment in shopping malls through an online presence. Malls should no longer purely be just a point of sale, but also extend towards being a focal point that incorporates meaningful and memorable experiences that are able to resonate with the varying consumer needs. This would make for an in-store shopping environment that is more enjoyable and appealing than just traditional brick-and-mortar shopping or mere e-commerce, as part of their placemaking strategy.
With Singapore in Phase Three of Re-Opening, increased footfall to retail spaces is expected with the relaxation of measures for gatherings and a majority of the workforce back to the workplace.
The recent slowdown in rental declines of prime retail spaces point to a potential bottoming out of rents by early 2021, and any rental reduction during the year is projected to be about 5%, barring lockdowns as a result of recurring community infections. Rentals of prime retail spaces located in Orchard might require a bit more time to recover and are expected to only return to pre-COVID-19 levels once mass vaccinations prove successful enough for the nation as well other key cities to relax travel restrictions.
Download the Report Read MoreMost property markets in the Asia Pacific region ended a challenging year on the path to recovery, thanks to strong performances by the office, industrial and logistics segments. In China, a combination of government policies and the ongoing e-commerce boom powered demand for business parks and warehouses. Hong Kong saw a jump in transactions after the government reduced stamp duty on the sale of commercial properties, while Singapore saw a surge in investment sales amid improving sentiment. The market outlook improved in Australia as the country bounced back quickly from a recession, while New Zealand continued to reap the benefits of its successful management of COVID-19. Vietnam, which also has managed to control the spread of COVID-19 and perform better than other Southeast Asian economies in 2020, is attracting the attention of a growing number of local and foreign investors, especially in the industrial and logistics sectors. Japan is another market where logistics assets are highly sought after, reflecting growing demand from the e-commerce sector. In Indonesia, the hard-hit hospitality sector saw a surge in interest from investors looking to acquire discounted hotel assets, while fast-growing Myanmar continued to draw interest in the logistics and affordable housing segments. The residential segment is also seen trending up in the Philippines, where remittances from overseas workers is driving demand. Overall, investors are expected to act quickly to make the most of a conducive environment as markets across the region emerge from lockdowns and economies regain momentum.
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