UBS | We remain constructive on the European real estate sector. As a bond proxy with growth , real estate benefits from current central bank stimulus, while it can also gain through rental growth in an inflationary environment, should the stimulus prove successful. For Spain, we upgrade Hispania to Buy and downgrade Merlin to Neutral.
Deutsche AWM | Capital is moving beyond Madrid and Barcelona. Yields continue to fall and are now close to historical lows. Positive yield impact is to have run its course mostly by end-2016.
The recovery in Spain’s property market is good news for the country’s banks as it will provide a boost for the economy as a whole, while helping reduce the “toxic” real estate assets on the lenders’ balance sheets, says the rating agency.
By Félix Lores Juberías and Ignacio San Martín at BBVA Research | Housing sales, which grew by approximately 8%, were shored up by increased lending, the upturn in employment and better consumer confidence.
Spain’s housing sales continue to recover in June, with 30,578 new transactions and 17.0% YoY growth.
A fourth wave of Chinese investors keen to explore growth opportunities is emerging, according to a recent report from the consultancy firm Knight Frank. And experts predict that the trend will grow further in the coming years, fostering greater synergies between Chinese real estate agents and overseas Chinese investors. The goals and strategies of this new investor are more diversified; with a special focus in new and secondary markets, and away from major cities such as London, New York. Countries like Spain and Portugal are able to provide additional perks, such as programmes through which investors can obtain residence permits.
MADRID | March 9, 2015 | By Fernando G. Urbaneja | Martinsa-Fadesa is a paradigm of Spanish real estate disaster of the last decade, a company which became synonymous with Spain’s period of boom and bust, an exemplification of the evils of the time.
MADRID | The Corner | With a downward euro (11-year-minimums) and commodities in free fall too, investors are turining again to the housing sector. In Spain, it could become a safe haven again given the low return on deposits and the stock markets’ high volatility.
MADRID | Ana Fuentes | The first rise in Spain’s property prices since 2008 made big headlines on Monday. The government was proud to feed the press with some positive figures in order to illustrate its new recovery rethoric: 2Q housing prices increased by 0.8% on the year, compared with a 1.6% drop in annual terms in 1Q. But prices are going up… only for the few real estate actually being sold. What about the 600,000 properties in stock that banks are desperate to get rid of?
MADRID | The Corner | The biggest uncertainty for China’s economy now and in 2015 is the nature and duration of the ongoing property downturn. Following a sharp drop in the beginning of 2014, Chinese property construction has shown signs of improvement in recent months as policies have been increasingly relaxed. Both have provided support for the economy and property related stocks, with the latter rallying by 17% from trough levels. However, UBS analysts expect that the property downturn will weigh more heavily on growth in Q4 and 2015.