Storm clouds on the horizon… Foreign real estate investments in secondary US markets

Commercial real estate assets in major markets such as New York City, Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco have experienced a strong rebound in values and are being transacted near, or above, their pre-recession peaks. In contrast, real estate assets outside of major markets and within certain asset classes are experiencing more limited demand, often causing values to remain substantially below the pre-recession peak. Higher prices on real estate assets have been supported by a combination of low interest rates and increased demand from foreign and domestic capital sources as investors continue to search for high-quality real estate investments that provide attractive returns in comparison to low returns from fixed-income investments. The market preference for post-recession real estate investment has been in the major markets where underlying demand is strong, values are durable, and there are high barriers to entry. Read more
Location