Capital is flowing out of the Middle East and being invested in real estate across the globe, according to Nicholas Maclean, Managing Director, CB Richard Ellis, Middle East. “The outflow of capital from the Middle East to be invested into real estate properties worldwide has been higher than the influx of global capital into real estate properties in the Middle East.  The UAE, in particular, has been looking to diversify its investments and part of the reason has been the lack of transparency within this region.”

Europe and the Far East have received the lion’s share of Middle East investment, with India and China perceived as strong growth markets.  Additionally, United Arab Emirates capital is being infused into Abu Dhabi’s office and hospitality sectors.  “Capital spent as FDI into real estate within the Gulf Cooperation Council represents only 11 percent of the total.  Cross-border activity in the world has exceeded 50 percent and so we have a great opportunity to be the recipient of more investment,” Maclean said.

In terms of where the Middle East is placing its investment dollars globally, “London, Paris and Germany have been the largest recipients in Europe while Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia saw the largest inflows in the regions in the Far East.  Knowledge and liquidity have been the key driving forces for the Middle East investors transferring capital to these areas.  Institutional investors from the Middle East are investing in commercial developments in these markets while individual investors are looking at residential properties in the UK,” Maclean said.

To learn more about the Middle East and its real estate market, listen to Rochdi Younsi, director in the Middle East and Africa practice of Eurasia Group, analyze the major players in real estate and the new investment opportunities in the Middle East.

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