Singapore is the 5th most active real estate investment market in APAC

Investment activity in the Singapore real estate market was up 97% in the first half of the year.

Singapore ranked the fifth most active real estate investment market in Asia, behind China, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. This is according to the latest report from Real Capital Analytics (RCA).

Investment activity almost doubled in the first half of the year, up 97% to US$3.7b (approximately $6.38b) worth of acquisitions recorded.

With more than half of the total coming from cross-border investors, RCA said Singapore is the top destination for overseas investment.

Most of the investments were directed towards the office and industrial sectors.

“Office volumes in Singapore – one of the most volatile sector markets in the region – has picked up this year with price increases across the board. But Singapore’s office price growth stands out from the rest of the region for another reason – it’s not just prime offices that are benefitting from this boom. Strong cross-border interest has spilled over into the secondary office market as well, with record levels achieved in the second quarter. The sale of Robinson Point, a grade B office building, at S$3,800 per square feet, set a new standard for an entire office block,” said RCA Managing Director for Asia Pacific David Green-Morgan.

Singapore also closed rare apartment deals, RCA noted: Taiwan’s Tai family’s acquisition of the upmarket Eden residential scheme for US$220.2m from Hong Kong developer Swire Properties.