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REITs have taken on increased significance in Europe in recent years, with French REITs (Societe d'Investissement Immobilier Cotee (SIICs)) becoming an important property investment vehicle since 2003. The purpose of this paper is to assess the significance, risk‐adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of SIICs in a mixed‐asset portfolio context in France over 2003‐2012. The impact of the global financial crisis (GFC) on SIICs and their post‐GFC recovery are also assessed.

Using monthly total returns, the risk‐adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of SIICs over 2003‐2012 are assessed, with efficient frontiers and asset allocation diagrams used to assess the role of SIICs in a mixed‐asset portfolio. Sub‐period analyses are conducted to assess the impact of the GFC on SIIC performance, as well as their post‐GFC recovery.

SIICs delivered superior risk‐adjusted returns compared to stocks over 2003‐2012, but with limited portfolio diversification benefits with stocks and more portfolio diversification benefits with bonds. In the post‐GFC period, SIICs have delivered enhanced risk‐adjusted returns, but with no recovery in their portfolio diversification benefits with stocks. SIICs are seen to contribute significantly to the mixed‐asset portfolio across the risk spectrum in the post‐GFC period.

SIICs are a significant REIT market at the French, European and global REIT levels. The results highlight the role of SIICs in a French mixed‐asset portfolio. The strong risk‐adjusted performance has highlighted the robustness of SIICs; particularly compared to French stocks, and the contribution of SIICs in a French mixed‐asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum. This contribution by SIICs has been further reinforced in the post‐GFC period.

This paper is the first published empirical research analysis of the risk‐adjusted performance of SIICs and the role of SIICs in a mixed‐asset portfolio. Given the increased significance of REITs in Europe, this research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision‐making regarding the role of SIICs in a mixed‐asset portfolio; particularly in the post‐GFC period.

As an asset class, listed property companies (PCs) in the emerging Asian markets have taken on increased significance in recent years. Investors have seen Indonesian real estate investment trusts (REITs) being regulated to become a property investment vehicle in 2007. This sees macro-environment investment in the Indonesian property market taking off to a higher level regionally. In the background, Indonesian listed PCs maintain as one of the major investment vehicles for local and international investors. It has also been the subject of investment for REITs and property investment funds in Indonesia. The purpose of this paper is to assess the dynamics of risk-adjusted performances and portfolio diversification benefits of listed PCs in a mixed-asset portfolio context in Indonesia, from July 2006 to December 2018. The sub-periods of pre-global financial crisis (GFC), GFC and post-GFC of listed PCs is also assessed.

Using monthly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of listed PCs from July 2006 to December 2018 are assessed, with extended efficient frontiers and asset allocation diagrams used to assess the role of listed PCs in a mixed-asset portfolio. Sub-period analyses are conducted to assess the post-GFC recovery of listed PCs.

Listed PCs delivered higher returns but carried higher risks compared to stocks before the GFC, with bonds having both the lowest returns and risks. The impact of the GFC was highest for Indonesian PCs compared to stocks, where properties did not deliver strong risk-adjusted returns. Notwithstanding the poor risk-adjusted performance, Indonesian PCs had low correlations with stocks and bonds, suggesting some level of diversification potential for stock and bond investors. Stocks outperformed listed PCs across the sub-periods and the full period. Over the post-GFC period, both stocks and listed PCs recovered from the crisis, with stocks turning around stronger. This analysis shows a prolonged recovering and slow bouncing adjustment of listed PCs from the economic changes. This research suggests selected listed PCs may be the outperformers, and, a future contract as a hedge form for listed PC to be implemented.

The use of the indices of Standard & Poor’s Indonesian property total return (for listed PCs) are as follows: MSCI Indonesia total return (for stocks), Indonesia’s ten-year bond’s total return (for bonds) and Indonesia’s three-month bill total return (for cash). This is used to study the Indonesian listed PCs and may have aggregation effects in its underperformance and therefore drawing a negative outcome. The results may reflect the common fact that the majority of listed PCs in Indonesia are property developers, which also sees underperformances in other emerging country markets.

Listed PCs have been under increasingly adjusted and positively adapted regulations from the Indonesian Government over the post-GFC period. Therefore, in order to attract interest from international investors in property investment in Indonesia, listed PCs need stronger and more efficiently adapted regulations to a competitive level of respective regulations in the region and globally. Notwithstanding the poor performance in the transitional stage, Indonesian listed PCs bring some diversification benefits to local investors who are able to pick the outperformed invested PCs at the right time. Of the on-going concerns, international investors have no restrictions on holding listed PCs in the Indonesian stock market. This provides room for improvement in business performance in listed PCs as a result of regional/global competition and international management being involved. The present study delivers awareness to investors, researchers as well as policymakers on the Indonesian property market.

This paper is the first published to present a country profile of significant property vehicles (commercial property, listed PCs and REITs). It also presents empirical research analysis of the risk-adjusted performance of listed PCs and its dynamic role in a local investors’ perspective across the pre-GFC, GFC, post-GFC periods. Given the significance of listed PCs in Asia, this research highlights more information for opportunities and on-going property investment issues in Indonesia.

This paper aims to examine the dynamic of volatility of Malaysian listed property companies within pan-Asian public property markets based on different volatility perspective over the past 18 years, especially during the global financial crisis (GFC).

This study uses several statistical methods and formulas for analysing the dynamic of volatility of Malaysian listed property companies such as exponential generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (EGARCH) and Markov-switching (MS) EGARCH. The MS-EGARCH model provides new insights on the volatility dynamics of Malaysian listed property companies compared to conventional volatility modelling techniques, particularly EGARCH. Additionally, this paper will analyse the volatility movement based on three different sub-periods such as pre-GFC, GFC and post-GFC.

The findings reveal that the markets perform differently under different volatility conditions. Moreover, the application of MS-EGARCH provides a different view on the volatility dynamics compared to the conventional EGARCH model, as MS-EGARCH provides more comprehensive findings, especially during extreme market conditions.

This study contributes to the literature on the dynamics of Malaysian listed property companies within pan-Asian countries, as the approach for assessing the volatility performance based on different volatility conditions is less explored by previous researchers.

The purpose of this paper is to consider one test of a well-functioning housing system – its impact on wellbeing. Exploring one indicator of this, this study aims to track changes in mental and general health across a mix of tenure transitions and financial transactions in three jurisdictions: Australia, the UK and the USA.

Using matched variables from three national panel surveys (Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia, British Household Panel Survey/Understanding Society and Panel Study of Income Dynamics) over 17 years (2000–2017) to capture the sweep of the most recent housing cycle, this study adopts a difference-in-difference random-effects model specification to estimate the mental and general health effects of tenure change and borrowing behaviours.

There is an enduring health premium associated with unmortgaged owner-occupation. Mortgage debt detracts from this, as does the prospect of dropping out of ownership and into renting. A previously observed post-exit recovery in mental health – a debt-relief effect – is not present in the longer run. In fact, in some circumstances, both mental and general health deficits are amplified, even among those who eventually regain homeownership. Though there are cross-country differences, the similarities across these financialised housing systems are more striking.

The well-being premium traditionally associated with owner occupation is under threat at the edges of the sector in all three jurisdictions. In this, there is cross-national convergence. There may therefore be scope to introduce policies to better support households at the edges of ownership that work across the board for debt-funded ownership-centred housing systems.

This paper extends the duration of a previous analysis of the impact of tenure transitions and financial transactions on well-being at the edges of ownership in the UK and Australia. The authors now track households over nearly two decades from the start of the millennium into a lengthy (post-global financial crisis) era of declining housing affordability. This study adds to the reach of the earlier study by adding a general health variable and a third jurisdiction, the USA.

REITs have taken on increased significance in Asia in recent years, with Singapore REITs (S-REITs) becoming an important property investment vehicle since 2002. The purpose of this paper is to assess the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of S-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio context in Singapore over 2003-2013. The post-GFC recovery of S-REITs is also assessed.

Using monthly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of S-REITs over 2003-2013 is assessed, with efficient frontiers and asset allocation diagrams used to assess the role of S-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio. Sub-period analyses are conducted to assess the post-GFC recovery of S-REITs.

S-REITs delivered strong risk-adjusted returns, being the best-performed asset class, but with little portfolio diversification benefit over 2003-2013. Whilst taking on reduced risk, but with less portfolio diversification benefits in recent years, S-REITs are seen to be robust relative to the other major Singapore asset classes; contributing significantly across the risk spectrum; particularly in the post-GFC period, where S-REITs have been the best-performed asset class in Singapore.

The results highlight the important strategic role of S-REITs in a Singapore mixed-asset portfolio. The strong risk-adjusted performance has highlighted the robustness of S-REITs, with S-REITs contributing to the mixed-asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum; particularly in the post-GFC period. This robustness highlights the ongoing strategic role of S-REITs in a Singapore mixed-asset portfolio, as well as the ongoing development of S-REITs as an important pan-Asia hub for REITs.

This paper is the first published empirical research analysis of the risk-adjusted performance of S-REITs and the role of S-REITs in a portfolio. Given the increased significance of REITs in Asia, this research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision-making regarding the role of S-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio and S-REIT performance in a post-GFC context.

US commercial property is an important investment opportunity for institutional investors. The purpose of this paper is to assess the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of US commercial property (both direct property and REITs) in a mixed-asset portfolio over 1994-2016. The 2009-2016 post-GFC recovery of US commercial property is specifically highlighted.

Using quarterly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of US commercial property over 1994-2016 are assessed. Efficient frontier and asset allocation diagrams are used to assess the role of US commercial property in a mixed-asset portfolio. Sub-period analysis over 2009-2016 is used to assess the post-GFC recovery of US commercial property.

US commercial property delivered mixed results over 1994-2016; direct property gave the best risk-adjusted performance, while US-REITs performance was hampered by high volatility. Since the GFC, both forms of US commercial property have delivered stronger risk-adjusted returns with improved diversification benefits, especially in the context of an inter-property investment strategy. However, US-REITs did not improve their diversification benefits with the stock market over this period. This sees US commercial property as an important component in the US mixed-asset portfolio in the post-GFC environment, with a much stronger role exhibited by US direct property in the post-GFC mixed-asset portfolio.

US commercial property emerged from the GFC as a stronger and more robust property investment opportunity, with both the direct property and US-REITs fully recovered to their pre-GFC performance level in 2012. The results highlight the major role of US commercial property in a US mixed-asset portfolio in the post-GFC context. The superior risk-adjusted performance of US commercial property sees both direct and listed US commercial property contributing significantly to the mixed-asset portfolio throughout the entire risk-return spectrum, particularly direct property. Given the increased capital flows into the US property market since the GFC, this is particularly important as many investors, both local and international, use direct and listed property investment opportunities as conduits for their significant US commercial property exposure.

This paper is the first published empirical research analysis that specifically assessed the post-GFC performance and role of US commercial property in a mixed-asset portfolio. This research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision making by institutional investors regarding the strategic role of US commercial property in a mixed-asset portfolio in a post-GFC context.

The Alternative Investment Market (AIM) is an important UK growth-focused stock market. The purpose of this paper is to assess the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of property companies on the AIM stock market over 2005-2015. The post-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) recovery of property companies on AIM is highlighted, as well as their performance compared with property companies on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) main board.

Using monthly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of property companies on the AIM stock market over 2005-2015 are assessed and compared with a range of other asset classes. Sub-period analysis is used to assess the post-GFC recovery of the property companies on AIM.

Property companies on AIM delivered poor risk-adjusted returns over 2005-2015, with limited portfolio diversification benefits with the overall AIM stock market. However, since the GFC, property companies on AIM have delivered strong risk-adjusted returns, with improved portfolio diversification benefits with the overall AIM stock market. This post-GFC performance is shown to be more than a small cap effect, reflecting the property portfolios in these AIM property companies. Despite this strong post-GFC performance, the AIM property companies under-performed property companies on the LSE main board on a risk-adjusted basis.

AIM provides an important platform for property companies seeking start-up and growth opportunities in a less-regulated funding environment. This has been reinforced by strong risk-adjusted performance in a post-GFC context. However, the stronger risk-adjusted performance of LSE listed property companies and their superior scale, resources and higher quality property portfolios present challenges for increased investor support for the AIM property companies going forward.

This paper is the first published empirical research analysis of the risk-adjusted performance and diversification benefits of property companies on the AIM stock market. This research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision-making regarding the strategic role of property companies on the AIM stock market in a portfolio.

UK-Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are an important property investment vehicle, being the fourth largest REIT market globally. The purpose of this paper is to assess the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of UK-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio over 2007−2014. The post-global financial crisis (GFC) recovery of UK-REITs is highlighted.

Using total monthly returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of UK-REITs over 2007–2014 are assessed. Efficient frontier and asset allocation diagrams are used to assess the role of UK-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio. Sub-period analysis is used to assess the post-GFC recovery of UK-REITs.

UK-REITs delivered poor risk-adjusted returns compared to UK stocks over 2007–2014 with limited portfolio diversification benefits. However, since the GFC, UK-REITs have delivered strong risk-adjusted returns, but with continued limited portfolio diversification benefits with UK stocks. Importantly, this sees UK-REITs as strongly contributing to the UK mixed-asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum in the post-GFC environment.

UK-REITs are a significant market at a European and global REIT level. The results highlight the major role of UK-REITs in a UK mixed-asset portfolio in the post-GFC context. The strong risk-adjusted performance of UK-REITs compared to UK stocks sees UK-REITs contributing to the mixed-asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum. This is particularly important, as many investors (e.g. small pension funds, defined contribution [DC] funds) use UK-REITs to obtain their property exposure in a liquid format, as well as the increased importance of blended property portfolios of listed property and direct property.

This paper is the first published empirical research analysis of the risk-adjusted performance of UK-REITs and the role of UK-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio. This research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision-making regarding the strategic role of UK-REITs in a portfolio.

German real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a small but important property investment vehicle in the European REIT landscape, offering German commercial property investment exposure in a liquid format, compared to the more property development-focused German listed property companies and the popular German open-ended property funds. The purpose of this paper is to assess the emergence of the German REIT market and the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of German REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio over 2007-2015. The post-global financial crisis (GFC) recovery of German REITs is highlighted. Enabling strategies for the ongoing development of the German REIT market are also identified.

Using monthly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of German REITs over 2007-2015 are assessed. Efficient frontier and asset allocation diagrams are used to assess the role of German REITs (and German property companies) in a mixed-asset portfolio. Sub-period analysis is used to assess the post-GFC recovery of German REITs.

German REITs delivered lesser risk-adjusted returns compared to German stocks over 2007-2015, with limited portfolio diversification benefits. However, since the GFC, German REITs have delivered strong risk-adjusted returns, but with continued limited portfolio diversification benefits with German stocks. German REITs also out-performed German property companies. Importantly, this sees German REITs as strongly contributing to the German mixed-asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum in the post-GFC environment.

German REITs are a small but important market at a local, European and global REIT level. The results highlight the major role of German REITs in a German mixed-asset portfolio in the post-GFC context. The strong risk-adjusted performance of German REITs compared to German stocks sees German REITs contributing to the mixed-asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum. This is particularly important, as many investors (e.g. small pension funds) use German REITs (and German listed property companies) to obtain their German property exposure in a liquid format, as well as the increased importance of blended property portfolios of listed property and direct property.

This paper is the first published empirical research analysis of the risk-adjusted performance of German REITs, and the role of German REITs as a listed property vehicle in a mixed-asset portfolio. This research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision making regarding the strategic role of German REITs in a portfolio.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the levels and determinants of net asset value (NAV) premiums/discounts for publicly traded Australian Real Estate Investment Trust (A-REIT) market during the last decade. A-REITs were severely affected by the global financial crisis as S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT index-listed property stocks experienced 47 per cent discount to NAV, on average, in 2008–2009 crisis. Since 2013, A-REIT sector has exhibited a strong recovery from the financial crisis and traded at high premiums to date. Understanding the relationship between pricing in the public and private real estate markets has taken on great importance as A-REITs continue to trade at significant premium to NAV unlike their counterparts in the USA and Europe.

This paper follows a rational approach to explain variations in NAV premiums and explores the company-specific factors such as liquidity, financial leverage, size, stock price volatility and portfolio diversification behind the A-REIT NAV premiums/discounts. The study specifies and estimates a model of cross-sectional and time variation in premiums/discounts to NAV using semi-annual data for a sample of 40 A-REITs over the 2008–2018 period.

The results reveal that A-REIT premiums to NAV can be explained not only by the liquidity benefit of listed property stocks but also positive financial leverage effect. During the past decade, A-REITs have followed an aggressive approach in financing their growth by using borrowed funds to purchase assets as the income from the property offsets the cost of borrowing and the risk that accompanies it. Debt-to-equity ratio has to be considered as an important source of NAV premiums as highly geared A-REITs that favoured debt financing over equity financing traded at significant premiums to NAV of their underlying real estate assets.

The paper includes implications for the REIT market investors. The regression analysis shows that specialty A-REITs with a focus on creative market niches traded at higher premiums compared with other property stocks, especially in the post-GFC recovery period. Specialty REITs are more highly valued by the market than their traditional specialised counterparts (e.g. office and retail REITs), and those pursuing a diversified strategy.

This paper presents an Australian case study as the A-REIT market provides a suitable environment for testing the effect of financial gearing on the REIT premium to NAV. The study provides empirical evidence supporting the importance of debt-to-equity ratio in explaining the variation in A-REIT NAV premiums.