Irish commercial property values, which fell by more than 65% since the recession, rose by 0.3% during the third quarter of 2013 according to the
IPD/SCSI Ireland Quarterly Property Index. The first capital value rise seen in six years was due to improving sentiment
around the value of discounted property assets, as well as gradually increasing occupier demand.
After 23 quarters of capital decline, the latest figures also show the highest quarterly total return
for Irish commercial real estate since September 2007, at 2.6%.
However, the index results mask a far from standard recovery despite positive topline figures. Demand for offices in central Dublin, from both investors and tenants, are
driving returns, while recovery across the retail and industrial sectors is slower.
Office total returns were 3.2% during Q3, driven by rising capital values of
0.9%, but returns for industrial and retail lagged at 2.3% and 1.7% respectively. Both sectors
continued to see falling capital values of 0.5% and 0.3%, though these represent a substantial easing in
their rate of decline.
Discounted property assets have been on the radar of bargain hunting private
equity investors for almost two years now, while the launch of Ireland’s first real estate investment
trust (REIT) in June 2013 cemented this positive outlook.
High-income yields have been the key driver for investors returning to the
market. All property annual income returns of 9.7% to September 2013, are the highest measured
globally by IPD, and are over a third higher than that of the 6.0% offered on UK property.
Annual income returns were 10.2% for offices, 12.2% for industrials and 8.5%
for retail units. IPD said that provided tenants can be secured, these are tempting targets for investors
willing to take on additional risk.
Occupier demand remains crucial for the recovery of the sectors. Rental
values declined by 0.4% overall, almost entirely due to lacklustre demand in the retail sector, which
saw falls of 1.9% despite a notable, but muted, uptick in consumer spending and sentiment.
Comparatively, rents rose by 0.5% for offices, bolstering the confidence of
investors looking to secure income returns, while in central Dublin, office rents increased by 1.0%.
Promisingly, occupier demand is also rising from tenants for industrial assets, which saw
rental values increase by 0.3%.
Annual returns to September 2013 for all property now amounts to 7.3%, higher
than those in the UK (6.5% according to the IPD UK Monthly Property Index), or indeed much of
Europe, essentially due to these higher income returns. Comparatively, Irish bonds and equities have
returned 14.0% and 24.6% over the same period (JP Morgan 7-10yr/MSCI Ireland).
Ray Hanley, chairman of the Valuation Professional Group of the Society of
Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), said, “Further encouraging reports over the state of
Irish economy are giving property investors, both at home and abroad, confidence about the
promising recovery in the property market.”
Phil Tily, executive director & head of UK and Ireland, IPD, said, “Growth is
creeping back to Ireland’s property market after six very difficult years, but they are six years
that have also seen an enormous effort on the part of government and the property industry to reinstate
confidence in the market.
“The rewards of lowering stamp duty, the ridding of rent review legislation,
maintaining corporation tax levels, and successfully implementing austerity measures are now
starting to pay off, and hopefully what is emerging is a fitter, leaner and more sustainable
property sector.”
Colm Lauder, associate & consultant for UK and Ireland, IPD, added, “Occupier
demand remains a critical component of growth, and has driven the recovery in the office sector
and improving returns for industrial units.
“However, neither of these sectors is wholly affected by weak domestic
demand, being driven largely by international corporate tenants and exports. Last weeks seventh
austerity budget made it clear that there is still a long way to go before domestic spending will
significantly increase, which may have some effect on the recovery of the retail sector.”
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