Whether you rent or own, having the right home is more than just a necessity: the location affects our immediate surrounding, work opportunities, and commute, while the size and features of the place dictate our comfort at home. For many people, buying a home is a major milestone and financial decision.
In 2020, the sector saw strong interest by aspiring home buyers due to record low mortgage interest rates combined with government incentives like the stamp duty land tax holiday in the United Kingdom (UK) introduced as a response to the coronavirus (COVID) pandemic. As a result, residential real estate prices are on an upwards trend. Meanwhile, rising unemployment levels and the overall difficult economic climate can be a valid reason for concerns to both mortgagors and renters.
In 2019, house sales in the U.S. reached 681,000 following several years of year-on-year growth. Just over a decade ago, during the Great Recession, the housing market collapsed, leading to a wave of foreclosures and record low house sales volumes. Despite the economic downturn and rising unemployment caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, house sales and house prices continued to soar throughout 2020 fueled by low mortgage interest rates and stimulus packages.
U.S. housing marketOwning an apartment in some of Europe’s biggest and most prosperous cities can get expensive. While the availability is limited, perpetual demand drives prices up. Buying a 75 square meter apartment in London could cost up to 16,000 euros per square meter – approximately twice as much as in Munich and ten times as much as in Riga.
Global luxury home marketIn just a few months, after the first measures to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) kicked in, real estate agents started anticipating shifts in the demand for properties with various features. According to more than two out of three respondents in the United Kingdom (UK), in the next two years, people will be looking to buy more properties with greater private space, located near a green area, with gardens and balconies.
U.S. senior housingOne of the ways to invest in real estate is through Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). REITs are public companies that own and lease income generating real estate. Instead of buying the properties, investors buy shares and receive dividends in return. In Canada, the leading REIT as of December 2020, CDN Apartment UN, had a market cap of almost 7.8 billion U.S. dollars. The company is an apartment properties investment trust that specializes in midtier and luxury multiunit rental properties.
Gross revenue of leading U.S. home buildersResidential real estate is real estate that has been developed for living purposes. Housing comes in different shapes and sizes and varies across countries and regions. It includes apartments and multi-family housing more common for dense urban areas and city centers, as well as single-family or semi-detached housing typical for areas with predominantly residential use. While student housing, coliving, and build-to-rent properties also have a residential aspect, they are often developed and operated primarily for commercial purposes which classes them as commercial real estate. Further facts on the supply spectrum of the market can be found in our Construction section.
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