Qatar is one of the top 20 countries in terms of individual property ownership in the UK. Qatari investments in the UK have reached more than £40bn with real estate being the preferred investment choice, said International Investments Managing Director Nadim Mansour.M
Mansour said: “Qatar is one of the top 20 countries in terms of individual property ownership in the UK. London properties owned by Qataris increased approximately by 50 percent between 2018 and 2021. This demand is driven by a combination of strong structurally supportive market dynamics, stable UK economy and evolving services-focused product, as well as an expanding and more discerning occupier base”.
He added: “UK real estate markets appeal so much to the Qatari investors which is driven by several factors and is still intact even after the Brexit. The increasing number of Qatari investors in the UK are eyeing commercial properties. An overlap of different drivers provides a favourable investment environment – from strong student demand, large-scale city regeneration and development as well as strong employment conditions, and a lack of seniors housing units”.
Speaking about the appealing UK real estate market, Mansour noted that the real estate market in terms of growth and long-term returns on UK house prices increased 15 years ago at 10 percent. So, the growth and the long-term returns were significant. “Global destination vacations, business, and universities are also the main attractions. Build to rent (BTR), student accommodations, and healthcare are now big focus for Qatari investors with portfolios moving to UK with their investments,” Mansour added.
When examining the top five cities in BTR market - London, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham emerge as opportunity areas across all three residential BTR sectors.
