Savills IM has reported that it transacted a record €3.75 bn in European real estate investment transactions in 2015, compared to a previous record of €2.6 bn in 2014.
Savills IM has reported that it transacted a record €3.75 bn in European real estate investment transactions in 2015, compared to a previous record of €2.6 bn in 2014.
Savills Investment Management said sales of €2.21 bn outweighed new purchases of €1.66 bn, resulting in net disinvestment of €552 mln.
A significant proportion of the transactions - €1.5 bn - was a result of Savills IM’s acquisition of SEB Asset Management AG in September 2015. The combined businesses created a European investment platform with €17 bn of assets under management and a growing Asian platform of ca. €3 bn.
The firm added that a buoyant market led to performance gains on many assets. In total, Savills IM executed 76 transactions, a combination of individual and portfolio deals.
Kiran Patel, Chief Investment Officer, commented: '2015 has been a hugely significant year for us. Our purchase of SEB AM was a major step in building our critical mass and enhancing our ability to offer investment opportunities to clients. Our funds also passed significant milestones, with our Charities Property Fund passing the £1 bn mark.
'In 2016, we expect continued economic recovery in Europe at similar levels to previous years with the support of employment growth and commerce, which will benefit a number of sectors, regions and cities. These will progress at different speeds however: the key will be to use on-the-ground expertise and local knowledge to pick the best assets, and drive asset management opportunities for performance gains.'
PropertyEU is currently working on its Top Investors ranking by transaction volume for 2015, which will be published at Mipim in March of this year.
