Results from the latest pan-European INREV Quarterly Asset Level Index reveal the strong performance of European non-listed real estate.
Total returns hit 3.01% in Q2 2021, driven largely by capital growth of 2.10% (up from 0.42% the previous quarter) and marking the fourth consecutive quarter of positive performance, and the best quarterly result in three and a half years.
At a fund level, total return increased to 2.57% compared with 1.19% in Q1 2021 according to the INREV Quarterly Fund Index. Capital growth spurred performance reaching 1.82% – the highest level since Q4 2006. Core funds delivered a total return of 2.62% in Q2 2021 and continued to outperform value added strategies, which nonetheless rose to 1.75% over the same period.
Momentum builds for the UK
The INREV Quarterly Asset Level Index recorded a strong, broad-based recovery across Europe, with all major markets reporting Q2 performance in excess of 2.00%. The UK delivered a total return of 3.70% – underpinned by robust capital growth of 2.66% – representing its strongest quarterly performance since Q2 2015. The UK index benefited from significant exposure to the industrial/logistics sector (36% of the index value), which returned 7.36% in Q2 2021.
Germany maintained a stable performance in Q2 2021, posting a total return of 2.04% – despite a slight fall from the 2.19% in Q1. This marginal slowdown was also reflected in the INREV Quarterly Fund Index, which showed total return for Germany focused funds at its weakest level since Q1 2020.
The Netherlands saw a sharp recovery from its weak performance in Q1 2021. Total return increased to 3.50% from 0.01% the previous quarter when a substantial hike in transfer tax was levied on Dutch real estate and residential assets in particular.
Industrial/logistics delivers stellar performance
The industrial/logistics sector posted its strongest result in over 15 years, with an asset level pan-European total quarterly return of 6.23% in Q2 2021, and a 12-month rolling average return of 20.93%. Residential became the second-best performing sector with asset level total returns improving to 3.46% in Q2. However, offices dropped back to third place (despite an increase in asset level total return from 1.07% in Q1 to 1.65% in Q2). This could reflect anticipated uncertainties within the sector around the long-term impact of Covid-19 on future working habits and office occupancy.
Performance of the retail sector returned to positive territory after seven consecutive quarters of negative results, with an asset level total return of 0.90% in Q2 2021. However, capital growth remained negative at -0.18%. Certain retail sub-sectors, such as supermarkets, retail warehouses and retail parks, delivered strong total returns, whilst high street shops and shopping centres lagged behind.
The sectoral performance and investment sentiment looks to be in line with developments in the direct real estate investment market since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. Since then, the share of investment in both the industrial/logistics and residential sectors showed a strong upward trend, according to Real Capital Analytics.
