Preliminary volumes up 23% percent over Q1-Q3 2013

Increasing allocation levels to direct real estate have helped push Q3 2014 global real estate investment volumes to US$165 billion, 4% higher than Q2 2014 and 13% higher than Q3 2013. This has taken global 2014 year to date (YTD) volumes to US$463 billion, 23% higher than the US$378 billion recorded in the first three quarters of 2013.

“Global commercial property markets continue to see increased investor activity with both prime and secondary opportunities attracting substantial competition and interest from clients,” said Arthur de Haast, Lead Director International Capital Group at JLL. “The sheer amount of equity still on the sidelines awaiting deployment means total volumes this year are on track to reach US$700 billion, an amount we last saw back in 2006.”

The Americas
Strong growth was recorded in the US, Brazil and Mexico with Q3 2014 volumes totalling US$78 billion, 16% higher than Q2 2014 and 23% higher than Q3 2013. 2014 YTD volumes are US$207 billion up 35% on a year on year basis.

Europe
European volumes for Q3 2014 reached US$56 billion, a 5% decline on Q2 2014 but still 7% higher than Q3 2013.  2014 YTD volumes are buoyant at US$170 billion, 26% higher in US$ terms and 22% higher in Euro terms. Strong performance in core markets of France, Germany and the UK are being supported by increasing activity levels in more peripheral markets of Central & Eastern Europe (up 35%), Benelux (up 56%), the Nordics (up 20%) and Southern Europe (up 72%).

Asia Pacific
Asia Pacific investment markets were stable in Q3 2014, with volumes of US$31 billion. Although this amount is down 3% on Q2 2014, it is 3% higher than Q3 2013, meaning the gap between 2013 and 2014 levels have narrowed with 2013 YTD volumes of US$86 billion only 4% behind last year. While Australia and Japan transactional markets have grown, YTD 2014 volumes in China are down 30% compared to 2013 although this decline is temporary as global investor demand for Chinese real estate remains substantial.

David Green-Morgan, Global Capital Markets Research Director at JLL added “The turnaround in occupier demand in 2014 continues to give investment markets a supporting tailwind. The below average development pipeline of the last few years means that rents are rising significantly in locations where demand is strong. This provides investors with confidence that their assets will perform well which encourages them to invest in additional opportunities.”