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1 – 10 of 55In recent decades, institutional investment has become increasingly focussed on residential property in the United Kingdom, reflecting interest in what was previously considered…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent decades, institutional investment has become increasingly focussed on residential property in the United Kingdom, reflecting interest in what was previously considered an “alternative” asset class, but is now an evolving and ever more complex sector. This short thought piece considers how such processes may be understood through investment-related research.
Design/methodology/approach
The UK residential market has experienced substantial capital inflows in the wake of the global financial crisis. This reflective piece suggests there is a need for more research into residential real estate as an institutional asset class to further unpack and understand shifting market dynamics within the United Kingdom. It offers insight into evolving market trends across a diverse range of investors and market sub-sectors.
Findings
This paper considers the diverse research opportunities within the residential investment markets, including, but not limited to, the private rented sector, build-to-rent and purpose-built student accommodation, presenting opportunities for burgeoning research.
Practical implications
The viewpoint suggests how this research lacuna may be bridged through additional research in not just the UK residential market, but also how investors may further integrate and operationalise UK residential assets in diversified or specialised investments, from domestic to international propositions. The suggested research agenda promotes enhanced understandings of residential markets and processes driving investment decision-making.
Originality/value
As the integration of residential property into vehicles such as Real Estate Investment Trusts, private equity funds and managed multi-asset portfolios continues to increase, there is an amplified need to understand the market context in which such investment flows occur, including the potential impact of COVID-19, Brexit and the cyclical evolution of real estate markets more broadly.
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Nicola Livingstone and Danielle Sanderson
The UK's purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) sector has seen significant institutional investment in recent decades. This paper unpacks contemporary trends and perspectives…
Abstract
Purpose
The UK's purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) sector has seen significant institutional investment in recent decades. This paper unpacks contemporary trends and perspectives on the sector. It questions whether PBSA has moved from being an “alternative” to “mainstream” residential asset class, framing the analysis through the lens of market maturity.
Design/methodology/approach
The methods triangulate perspectives drawn from literature on the evolution of PBSA as an asset class with illustrations of investment trends across the UK between 2005 and 2020 using data from Real Capital Analytics (RCA), combined with findings from 40 semi-structured interviews with investors and stakeholders in PBSA in the UK London is the focus of the work, whilst other regional cities are integrated for comparison.
Findings
The results demonstrate that London's PBSA market is ahead of trends currently being replicated in regional cities. However, the regions currently offer greater return potential and opportunities for risk taking compared to London, where yields are compressed, and the market is considered lower risk. The concept of maturity remains useful as a framework for evaluating markets, however a more granular analysis of sectors is necessary to further understand asset classes within sectors. PBSA continues to trade at a premium across the UK; it is considered the most mature residential asset class.
Practical implications
The emergence of PBSA as an asset class continues to play a developing role within the residential sector and UK investment market. Risk, value and local context remain key when integrating PBSA into institutional portfolios, and as the first to consider the UK market from a qualitative research approach, this research provides a snapshot of these influences in 2021.
Originality/value
Our approach offers original insight into investment trends across the UK and is the first to focus reflections on the London market specifically. The research highlights the role of PBSA as a vanguard asset class for investors into residential, situating its growth within the framework of market maturity and drawing out market nuances from interviews.
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Nicola Livingstone and Jessica Ferm
The purpose of this paper is two-fold. Primarily, it examines the relationship between sustainable buildings and occupiers, by summarising the key extant literature. Secondarily…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is two-fold. Primarily, it examines the relationship between sustainable buildings and occupiers, by summarising the key extant literature. Secondarily, the paper proposes avenues for future research relating to the impact of sustainability on corporate real estate strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reviews over 90 relevant publications related to sustainability, real estate market responses and corporate real estate, focussing on the role and response of occupiers. The approach concentrates on occupier strategies, specifically considering influences such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), landlord–tenant relationships, the changing occupier role and the “circle of blame”.
Findings
In recent years, literature has increasingly begun to reflect nuances in occupier responses to sustainable, prime, office real estate, with some conflicting findings as to the importance of sustainability. Location remains the dominant consideration in decision-making for occupiers, but sustainability is key to CSR and “value-add” in certain sectors. More effective use of sustainable buildings requires improved communication between landlord and tenant. The authors’ review demonstrates that challenges still remain in relation to the “circle of blame”. More research needs to be done in relation to the emergence of sustainability in the non-prime and retail sectors.
Originality/value
Through collating key literature in this topical research area, the paper provides a critical review of occupier responses to sustainable real estate, and, therefore, a fuller understanding of emerging market practices. Additionally, it suggests future research directions.
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Howard Cooke, Stefania Fiorentino, Rob Harris, Nicola Livingstone and Pat McAllister
This paper investigates how large UK corporate occupiers perceive the potential role of flexible office space in their office portfolios in a post-pandemic context.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates how large UK corporate occupiers perceive the potential role of flexible office space in their office portfolios in a post-pandemic context.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology is qualitative and applied. For a longitudinal survey, convenience sampling was used to obtain co-operation from 11 corporate real estate managers with responsibility for managing large corporate real estate portfolios spread across a range of business sectors and countries. Semi-structured interviews were selected as the core research method to seek and to optimise the balance between discovery and generalisability.
Findings
Although the pandemic has led corporate occupiers to fundamentally re-appraise where and when different work tasks are performed, it is not yet clear whether this has major implications for the flex space sector. The flex space model, with its blending of various occupiers and activities, is perceived to be poorly aligned with an increasing emphasis on the office as a core corporate hub facilitating connection, collaboration, enculturation, learning and creativity. Since most flex space is concentrated in central locations, it is also not well positioned to benefit from any decentralisation of office functions. However, as the flex space sector evolves in response to structural shifts in employment and working practices and business change, its various products are likely to be a continuing requirement from corporate occupiers for short-term solutions to demand shocks, the need for rapid market entry, accommodation for short-term projects and access to desk space in multiple locations.
Practical implications
Understanding occupiers' drivers in their decision-making on selecting the method of occupation will assist investors in how they might adjust what they offer in the marketplace.
Originality/value
Whilst there has been a substantive number of surveys of corporate occupiers' perceptions and intentions regarding their office portfolio, this paper focusses on a specifically on the flex space sector. Whilst previous research has mainly been extensive, this research study is intensive.
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Philipp Bejol and Nicola Livingstone
The purpose of this paper is to re-examine currency swaps as an effective hedging technique for individual asset performance in today’s global real estate market, by considering…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to re-examine currency swaps as an effective hedging technique for individual asset performance in today’s global real estate market, by considering hypothetical prime office investments across six different cities and five currency pairs. The perspective of a risk-averse, high net worth, non-institutional, smaller-scale Swiss investor is paired with investors from five additional national markets.
Design/methodology/approach
The study examines currency swaps in key office markets across three continents (Frankfurt, London, New York, Sydney, Warsaw and Zurich) and extends previous work on the topic by adopting both Monte Carlo (MC) and Latin Hypercube (LH) techniques to create stochastic samples for individual asset performance analyses. This is the first paper to apply LH sampling to currency swaps with underlying real estate assets, and the validity of this method is compared with that of MC. Four models are presented: the experience of the domestic investor (no exchange rate (ER) fluctuations); an unhedged direct foreign investment; hedging rental income and initial purchase price via a currency swap; and hedging rental income and anticipated terminal value.
Findings
The efficacy of a swap depends on the historical framework of the ERs. If the foreign currency depreciates against the domestic one, hedging the repatriated cash flow of a property investment proved superior to the unhedged strategy (EUR, GBP, PLN and USD to the CHF). An investor would benefit from exposure to an appreciating foreign currency (CHF to the EUR, GBP, PLN and USD), with an unhedged strategy clearly outperforming the currency swap as well as the domestic investor’s performance, while a historically sideways fluctuating ER (AUD to the CHF) also favours an unhedged approach. In all scenarios, unexpected economic or market shocks could cause negative consequences on the repatriated proceeds.
Practical implications
This research is of interest to small-scale, non-institutional investors aiming to develop strategies for currency risk mitigation in international investments for individual assets; however, tax-optimising strategies and the implications on a larger portfolio have not been taken into account.
Originality/value
There is no recent academic work on the efficacy of currency swaps in today’s global office market, nor has the position of smaller-scale high net worth investors received much academic attention. This research revisits the discussion on their validity, providing contemporary insight into the performance of six markets using LH as an alternative and original sampling technique.
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Colin Jones and Nicola Livingstone
This paper aims to initially explore the effects of online retailing on corporate real estate strategies today, examining current trends and the approaches of leading edge…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to initially explore the effects of online retailing on corporate real estate strategies today, examining current trends and the approaches of leading edge retailers in this evolving marketplace. The UK has the greatest proportion of online sales worldwide.
Design/methodology/approach
Context is provided through existing literature, and the methodology considers specific case studies. Information from financial reports, websites and evidence directly from retailers is derived to examine selected sectoral responses (food shopping, fashion retailing and department stores) to online shopping. The research considers the interface between the virtual and physical retail landscapes.
Findings
The Internet is undeniably driving change, and large retailers have responded by embracing multi-channel sales strategies in which the adapted physical store remains a central element.
Research limitations/implications
The case studies are arguably limited in their market assessment by examining only large retailers, but it is these retailers who occupy much of the real estate space in shopping centres. Data on Internet sales and retail space of individual retailers are not publicly available. This paper offers a qualitative introduction into ongoing research on the evolution of Internet retailing today.
Practical implications
For large retailers, a multi-channel corporate sales strategy is enhanced by physical stores that can act as showrooms and collection points and enhance consumer service. Multiple retailers have a competitive advantage in the form of store networks and a recognisable brand that they can exploit to capture the sales opportunities the Internet offers.
Originality/value
The paper is the first to collate and analyse corporate real estate strategic responses to online retailing.
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The paper aims to rediscover the subtle heart and discuss its importance in relation to conversations regarding sustainability.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to rediscover the subtle heart and discuss its importance in relation to conversations regarding sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the imaginal approach of the author’s doctoral research, this paper is informed by the discourse of transpersonal psychology, attempting to open a space through which it becomes possible to perceive the heart differently.
Findings
This paper discusses the idea that knowledge as generated through the heart has been rendered subservient to knowledge generated through the mind/brain through a dominant/medical narrative (Bound Alberti, 2012). This means that the heart’s wisdom and the heart’s benevolent qualities cannot gain traction at the level at which decisions are made in society.
Research limitations/implications
While the heart is not unproblematic, and can carry notions of moral superiority, this paper is written as an appeal to create safe enough spaces to bring the heart back into conversation at the level of political discourse.
Practical implications
This paper suggests that it is the approach of the heart, the qualities and characteristics that the heart embodies, and the different way of being in the world that the heart makes possible, which could play an important role in guiding us towards a more sustainable world. When taken seriously, the heart offers a way of engaging with, and thinking about, ideas of relationship, wholeness and interconnection – all of which have been identified as important by numerous scholars in relation to engaging with global challenges (de Witt, 2016).
Social implications
This paper suggests that it is the approach of the heart and the different way of being in the world that the heart makes possible, which could play an important role in guiding humanity towards a more sustainable world.
Originality/value
Since the late 1900s, scholars have been calling for creative thinking in relation to engaging with the myriad of issues facing our planet, and this paper is written as a response to that call – creating a platform for the heart to speak and making a case for its importance in conversations relating to sustainability.
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