Saturday, 04 February 2012

Chances outweigh risk in German property – Helaba

German real estate is set to outperform the rest of Europe this year as low interest rates meet little development activity and investors are ready to spend in the nation, says German landesbank Helaba. The limiting factor however will be debt financing.

Australian UGL focuses on organic growth with DTZ

Australia’s UGL group is looking to expand its property services business through organic growth rather than acquisitions following its ?78m purchase of UK-based listed realtor DTZ, says UGL Services group president Robert Shibuya.

French manager La Française plans debt fund

French fund manager La Française Real Estate Asset Managers is planning to launch a property debt fund in second half 2012 and has raised several hundred million euros for it. It is looking to respond to banks' withdrawal from lending by offering alternative financing solutions.

Cordea Savills expands German AM with takeover

Property fund manager Cordea Savills has acquired German firm International Property Asset Management, for an undisclosed sum as part of a wider strategic program of building scale and breadth of services in key markets, including France, UK, Italy and the Nordics.

Investors focus on Poland, Russia, Czech in CEE - Colliers

East European real estate investment turnover will fall back in 2012 on the economic slowdown, market uncertainty and lack of debt availability, consultant Colliers International predicts. It expects a core/equity-driven market with investment focused on Poland, Russia, and Czech Republic.

Credit crucial to Spanish property recovery – G-14

Availability of debt finance, and not reducing taxes, is crucial to the recovery of Spain’s real estate but depends on reforms to the financial sector, says the incoming president of the nation's developers’ association, Fernando Rodríguez-Avial.

Student housing set for growth in Germany - BulwienGesa

With rising demand for high-quality living space for students in Germany, student housing has the potential to become its own asset class, says market research firm BulwienGesa.

Swedish NCC signs €325m credit facility

Swedish construction and development company NCC has received a new €325m five-year multi-currency revolving credit facility from a banking consortium, and says it wants to use the money for general corporate purposes.

European crisis has frozen global real estate – ULI Chairman

Real estate may be a local business but investors all over the world are focused on Europe's financial crisis, says the global chairman of the Urban Land Institute, Peter Rummell. This crisis is a major world challenge and has frozen activity due to its potential to tilt it back into recession.

Bank liquidity re-pricing means debt-equity realignment - Piani

Bank withdrawal from real estate debt, due to liquidity re-pricing, is rebalancing the debt-equity relationship and creating opportunities for institutions formerly only active as equity investors, says Allianz Real Estate CEO Olivier Piani. His firm intends to be fully involved.

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