UK investors ''most active in Europe'' - commercial mortgages

20 March 2007

Commercial property investors in the UK are among the most active in Europe according to a new report from CB Richard Ellis, having spent billions on new acquisitions last year.

While the total European commercial real estate market has doubled since 2005 UK investors have been at the forefront of increased activity.

Last year alone €14.6 billion (£10 billion) was spent on commercial property, an increase that could signal increased commercial mortgages activity ahead.

These trends suggest growing confidence among UK property investors, prepared to put funds into real estate deals that are expected to be lucrative in the long term. This has been fuelled by the establishing of real estate as an independent asset class.

In 2006 total turnover in the European commercial property sector increased by 46 per cent to sit at €227 billion (£155 billion), after a 47 per cent increase the year before.