Overseas investors ''pouring billions'' into commercial property - commercial mortgages

25 June 2007

The past six years have seen billions of pounds worth of investment pour into commercial property from abroad, it has been advised.

The Observer newspaper has reported that commercial property is currently an investment hotspot when it comes to overseas interest, with retail and office space especially valuable.

Commercial mortgages are consequently likely to have experienced a similar upturn in popularity, with Middle Eastern investors particularly preponderant in the UK.

"There is a wall of money coming in from the Middle East. Arab countries are awash with petrodollars, and London properties have been the destination of choice for their cash," advised Lehman Brothers analyst Mike Prew, speaking to the Observer.

"At the top end, there is probably more growth to come," Mr Prew added.
Further efforts at encouraging links between the capital and the Middle East will be made at this week''s City and Gulf Co-operation Council Countries Conference, it has been announced.