China is expected to provide the single largest source of the extra $240 billion that will be injected into the global real estate market by Asia-Pacific institutional investors through 2020, property adviser CBRE has predicted.
The additional amount will lift the total allocation by these investors in global real estate to $500 billion, nearly double the $260 billion invested as of the end of 2014.
China may contribute 34 percent of the $240 billion, followed by Japan's 24 percent and South Korea's 13 percent, CBRE said in a report.
"We're seeing a clear trend that institutional investors are increasing their investment in global real estate and China is the best example given its large presence of capital as well as the growth momentum," said Frank Chen, executive director and head of research at CBRE China.
"China takes a strong financial position across all three major categories of institutional investors, namely Sovereign Wealth Funds, pension funds and insurance companies. We also see an unprecedented driving force for Chinese institutions to expand and accelerate investment in global real estate," Chen said.
Key factors that drive Asia-Pacific institutional investors to invest more in real estate include aging populations, falling returns from traditional investment channels, a firmer need for long-term stable returns, supportive policies and new initiative, CBRE said.
