An international perspective on real estate research priorities

Surveys of real estate research priorities for real estate fund managers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany over 2000-03 are examined. Thirty-nine real estate research priorities are assessed, with much closer alignment for real estate research priorities in the U.K., Germany and Australia than seen for the U.S. The role of real estate in a mixed-asset portfolio and real estate and portfolio risk management figure prominently amongst the general real estate research priorities. The top specific real estate research priorities were the impact of capital flows, real estate cycles and real estate portfolio diversification. The underlying general real estate research priorities "dimensions" highlight the strategic issues involved in real estate research, particularly the changing real estate environment, strategic real estate issues and the role of real estate in the portfolio.