RPP Investment and real estate markets

Research into property as an investment asset class is related to particular specialisation in RPP in terms of enhancing transparency in regeneration, benchmarking of regeneration property investment returns and the identification of barriers to private sector investment in regeneration. The major projects encompassing the regional, national and international spheres of influence include: innovative investment vehicles, evaluation of fiscal incentives, benchmarking of investment returns and barriers to private sector investment. Key contributions to emerge from projects comprise:

• Enhancing our understanding of the investment needs of institutional investors into regeneration. This current area of research activity focuses on the most appropriate structure for an innovative investment vehicle facilitating enhanced private sector investment into regeneration
• Demonstrating the potential for fiscal measures to attract investment into regeneration 
• Creating confidence in regeneration areas as potential investment locations thereby reducing the level of risk to private investors
• Benchmarking of regeneration property returns. 

Research on property investment vehicles has been extended into infrastructure as an asset sub-class and the role of PPPs in leveraging infrastructure investment.

Research funded by the European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA) explored co-movements between listed property markets and direct property investment at the all property, retail, office and industrial sectoral levels across jurisdictions (Australia, UK and US) and at different stages in the real estate cycle. Investment performance and portfolio analysis research frequently draws upon datasets from the Investment Property Databank (IPD). Part of the research focus of this sub-group has been the development of a commercial property report for Northern Ireland, the only regional market in the UK which currently lacks performance measurement.