UK real estate offers a wide range of investment opportunities across all strategies, and is capable of being accessed directly or indirectly, through debt or equity. Whilst this paper will focus on the attributes of direct property investment as an asset class, ultimate investor returns will also be driven by market uncertainty, funding costs, investor sentiment and exchange rate fluctuations.
The latest economic forecasts from BNP Paribas show that whilst 2016 is expected to see a slowdown in GDP growth, the coming 5 years are forecast to deliver robust growth, with London continuing to be a key driver.
Furthermore, stock market performance has a very low correlation with underlying GDP growth and as such is often a poor predictor of the next major shock, however, short term market movements can change perceptions of risk and attitudes towards investment strategies.
Source : BNP Paribas Real Estate