Despite commercial property values having plummeted some 12% since the start of the credit crunch, London’s lure is still strong for some investors, particularly Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds.

by Timo Tschammler, managing director of the international investment team, and Nicholas Spiro, director in the central and east European investment team, at DTZ.

GE Real Estate is at the forefront of a growing trend to acquire real estate loans at a discount. Players such as GE with the ability to put cash to work are able to take advantage of opportunities coming on the market from lenders unable to hold on to loans that have dropped in value or have breached loan-to-value covenants. While GE has completed three large deals in the past six months, others are attracted to the value these assets offer. "We’re seeing banks offloading loans from their balance sheets," says Ian Gleeson, international multi-manager at Morley Fund Management, during a session at GRI’s London event in May. "We are looking at buying private loans at a discount. There are some bargains out there."

A new kind of crunch

Any time Norway’s Government Pension Fund makes a move in the markets it is big news. Rachel Wolcott speaks to Martin Skancke, head of asset management at the Norwegian finance ministry, about the fund’s plans to move into real estate investing.

by Kenny Ho, head of China research, Jones Lang LaSalle.

Sizing up sovereign investment

A shortage of assets at home sent Australian listed property trusts overseas to seek opportunities. Unfortunately, the global credit crunch has left those invested abroad badly exposed and looking to regroup. Some are making a better fist of this than others. Chris Wright reports.

By Michel Heller, CB Richard Ellis/GFI.

Borrowers and mortgage lenders are feeling the pinch of an unprecedented credit crunch. Is there any way back to the buoyant days when securitization drove the market? Duncan Wood reports.

Japan’s real estate regulators have given local real estate investment trusts the green light to invest overseas. But are J-Reits prepared for the challenge? Elliot Wilson reports.

US lawmakers are trying to ease the pain of homeowners caught up in the sub-prime debacle with tighter regulation and a push towards greater use of long-term fixed-rate mortgages over unpredictable adjustable-rate deals. Will a new era of thrift replace the sub-prime excesses? Perhaps not if the US feels the playing field is not level. Julian Marshall reports.

A surge in sovereign wealth funds’ real estate activities could bring an estimated $100 billion in investments to the sector annually. However, although sovereign funds are cash rich, they won’t be throwing their money around but rather hunting for bargains. Rachel Wolcott reports.

Earlier this year, the real estate investment company made its debut on the global stage with its acquisition of a trophy London property. According to Ghanim bin Saad al-Saad, chief executive, that is only the beginning of its ambitions. Rachel Wolcott reports.

Real estate special focus

Real estate special focus

Real estate special focus

Prupim, the real estate investment arm of Prudential, has revealed some initial results of its experimental Improver portfolio.

As the global real estate markets feel the pinch of the credit crunch Euromoney/Liquid real estate reports on the most important market developments.

Real estate special focus

Real estate special focus

Embattled Austrian property company Meinl European Land’s restructuring plans could bring an unwelcome dilutive effect on its shares.

Real estate special focus

First there was MySpace, then Facebook. Now EuroHypo has rolled out a social networking site for real estate professionals.

As the market for big initial public offerings dries up, Indian real estate increasingly is becoming the preserve of the private equity industry.

With headlines about real estate ever more gloomy, it might be reassuring for market participants to observe that Europe’s largest private bank, Sal Oppenheim, is positioning itself for a recovery.

Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs have executed what is thought to be the first long-dated Asian property derivative option.

‘Exaggerated view’ in property index provides buying opportunity.

With UK lenders RBS, HBOS and Bradford & Bingley in the market with rights issues totalling more than £16 billion ($31.5 billion) as Liquid Real Estate went to press, and intense speculation that Barclays Bank and others might soon follow suit in order to shore up their capital adequacy, recapitalization looks set to become the financial trend of the season for UK mortgage lending banks.

Mexico’s Hipotecaria Vertice, a mid-sized real estate lender, is set to offer green mortgages. The new product, aimed at lower-income borrowers, offers homebuyers incentives to opt for properties with eco-friendly features in return for interest-rate savings.