Real Estate International Markets

I'm a huge fan of Prologis' annual predictions for trends in global supply chains. Here's what I would add for the IMEA region. I spent 5 years focused on logistics & industrial real estate in India, Middle East and Africa (IMEA). Given the dynamic nature of these markets, I enjoyed observing global trends to see what would find it's way to our markets. Prologis, the world's largest industrial & logistics real estate leader, publishes some fantastic thought leadership, helmed by Melinda McLaughlin and team. Prologis Research tapped into decades of industry experience, proprietary data, and unique property and customer insights to predict seven supply chain trends for 2025. 1. Bulk space will rebalance first: Vacancy rates will fall the fastest for the largest buildings in U.S. and Europe. A combination of increasing demand and limited new supply will push vacancy rates down by 100 bps or more for buildings 500,000 square feet or larger. 2. Freight will fly: Air cargo volume will surge by double digits, fueled by growing international e-commerce beyond China and the U.S. 3. South America’s turn to take the stage: Brazil’s logistics real estate rent growth will surpass the global average by more than 500 bps as vacancy rates fall to never-before-seen mid-single digits.i 4. All quiet on the construction front: Groundbreakings of logistics real estate buildings will decrease further in 2025, remaining 15% below normal globally. 5. California’s domino effect: New legislation will seek to limit new supply in key locations. Following the passage of State Bill AB98 in California, we expect other states to propose similar measures in 2025. 6. Better together: Freight industry consolidation will accelerate. M&A activity will intensify and drive technology investment and the next wave of expansion. 7. What global trade slowdown? U.S. imports will grow faster than GDP despite new tariffs and the East Coast will take a larger share post-International Longshoreman Association (ILA) contract ratification.  Here's what I would add for the IMEA region: i. More institutional players will enter with speculative supply - From India to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, given the maturity of the Grade A market, more institutional capital will take speculative risk, where attractive development returns are to be made ii. Many emerging markets will (continue) to struggle to transition to Grade A - tenants in most African countries will struggle to make the business case work to transition from Grade B to modern Grade A warehousing. iii. Industrial real estate will have its moment in a few markets - Light industrial manufacturing will grow in a few markets like India, Egypt and Morocco iv. Currency and macro volatility will continue to dampen investment appetite in many African markets v. The first logistics REIT in India? Will Blackstone finally list its India logistics platform? Equites Property Fund Limited was the first logistics REIT in Africa.

I just spent 3 days uncovering trends by analyzing CRE transactions. Here’s what I found 👇🏾 Reflecting on the past few years in commercial real estate, it’s clear that transaction volumes have mirrored the shifting economic landscape. After a steep decline in 2023, we saw a slight rebound in 2024, with volumes reaching $392 billion—an 8% increase. Why does this matter? Because it signals a market that’s finding its footing again. As brokers, it’s our responsibility to not just track the numbers, but understand the story behind them. Several factors are setting the stage for a stronger 2025: - Debt Maturities: Around $600 billion in CRE loans will mature in 2025, pushing many owners to refinance, sell, or restructure. - Easing Interest Rates: Expected cuts will lower borrowing costs, making deals more financially feasible. - Pent-Up Demand: After two years of caution, investors are ready to re-engage, driven by stabilizing fundamentals and better financing options. 2025 could see a continued recovery, with projected volumes reaching $425 billion. Now is the time to position ourselves and our clients to capitalize on the opportunities that lie ahead. What are your thoughts on how 2025 will unfold? Drop your insights below! #CommercialRealEstate #CRE #MarketOutlook #Investment #2025Trends

Urban-Relevant SDG Targets 🌎 SDG11 lays the foundation for a transformative urban agenda that, if fully implemented by 2030, could significantly shift the global trajectory towards sustainability. This goal addresses critical areas such as urban infrastructure, resilience, and inclusivity. As cities continue to grow, the need to align urban development with sustainability becomes increasingly urgent. With the global urban population projected to double by 2050, new urban areas will need to integrate these sustainability principles. Retrofitting existing cities and upgrading informal housing for more than 1 billion people living in informal settlements are also key priorities. Addressing these challenges through SDG11 can lead to improved governance, social services, and better living conditions. The role of cities extends beyond SDG11. An estimated two-thirds of the 169 SDG targets require local government involvement, highlighting the essential role that urban governance plays in achieving the broader 2030 Agenda. Cities, therefore, are critical drivers of progress in areas such as health, energy, and climate action. Local governments are uniquely positioned to address specific urban challenges. For example, they can influence road safety (Target 3.6 under SDG3), implement climate action strategies (SDG13), and manage energy consumption (SDG7). These efforts can significantly impact the global push for sustainability, making cities essential actors in meeting global targets. The interconnected nature of the SDGs means that urban areas are key to unlocking progress across multiple goals. From reducing emissions and improving public health to fostering inclusive growth, cities have the potential to drive substantial global change by aligning with SDG targets. Ultimately, cities are at the heart of the global sustainability agenda. Their leadership in implementing urban-relevant SDG targets is crucial for the successful realization of the 2030 Agenda. The future of sustainable development depends largely on how cities plan, manage, and grow in the coming decades. Source: Australian National University #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #climateaction #sdgs #strategy #urban

After the dinner I organised between Chinese investors and Saudi officials, a Saudi advisor messaged me. "The dinner was excellent. But the Chinese laughing loudly at how the Arabs were eating hot pot was inappropriate. It could damage the partnership." I had already noticed this during dinner and quietly addressed it with the Chinese delegation. They were genuinely surprised, in Chinese culture, laughing together over food mishaps builds rapport. They thought they were being warm and inclusive. But in Arab business culture, laughing at someone's unfamiliarity with food can be read as mockery, not friendliness. Both sides had good intentions. Neither understood how the other would interpret the moment. This is why I spend so much time on cultural briefings before bringing delegations together. One moment of misunderstood laughter can undo months of relationship building. The Saudi officials remained professional throughout, and the Chinese investors sent enthusiastic follow-up messages about collaboration. To an outside observer, the dinner looked successful. But I know that trust develops or breaks in these small cultural moments, not in formal negotiations. My Saudi contact is now arranging cultural training for Chinese workers joining an Aramco project next month. We'll use this as a case study, not as criticism, but as learning. After twenty years of facilitating cross-border partnerships, I've learned that cultural intelligence determines deal success far more than financial terms. The consultants who studied the Middle East will never catch these moments. Cultural fluency comes from being in the room, reading the signals, and managing both sides in real time. Successful partnerships require someone who understands what each side actually means, not just what they say. #CrossCulturalBusiness #MiddleEastBusiness #SaudiArabia #ChinaBusiness #CulturalIntelligence #InternationalPartnerships #BusinessStrategy #GCCMarkets #DealMaking #BusinessNegotiation #GlobalBusiness #MarketEntry #BusinessLeadership #StrategicPartnerships #CulturalAwareness

New research from JLL and MIT challenges some of the assumptions the market has been making about AI's impact on commercial real estate.   The findings draw on JLL's 2026 Future of Work survey and our research partnership with MIT's Sloan School of Management and Center for Real Estate. Four things stand out.   Markets with the highest AI exposure are not necessarily those under most pressure. ·      San Francisco is a good example - nearly 30% of leasing since 2025 has come from AI companies, despite carrying among the highest job dislocation risk in the US. ·      AI is generating four distinct trajectories, not a single outcome. The balance of augmentation, displacement and job creation varies significantly by geography and by industry, separating markets with the capacity to adapt from those without. ·      Supply dynamics are doing considerable work in the background. Office construction in the US and Europe is at historic lows, pushing trophy rents to all-time highs - even as US tech employment dipped 1.5% in early 2026. ·      Industries are diverging sharply. Logistics and healthcare are augmenting workforces; professional services are restructuring delivery models around AI. Globally, 60% of companies still plan to grow headcount over the next three to five years.   The question has moved on from whether a market has AI exposure. What matters now is whether it has the talent, infrastructure, and quality real estate to be better placed to capitalise on the opportunities AI creates. While the headlines and the macro trends are important, for investors and occupiers alike, the analytical edge will come from getting genuinely granular - on markets, on submarkets and on individual assets.   Read the full research: https://lnkd.in/e6h2AqQs #JLL #AI #CRE #CommercialRealEstate #FutureOfWork

The Japanese Real Estate Money Printer That No One Is Talking About Japanese family offices are quietly executing the most sophisticated real estate strategy I've seen: They're buying "akiya" (abandoned houses) for $10-30K and converting them into $500/night luxury ryokans. The numbers are staggering: 9 million vacant homes in Japan 13% of all Japanese properties are abandoned Foreign investment in Japanese real estate up 400% since 2020 Yen at 20-year lows making entry prices irresistible The Mori family (who built Roppongi Hills) is teaching other FOs their model: Buy distressed traditional properties in Kyoto/Nara Partner with local craftsmen for authentic restoration Market to luxury Western travelers seeking "authentic Japan" Generate 20-30% annual returns One property in Takayama bought for ¥3M ($20K) now generates ¥15M annually. They're booked solid through 2026. The arbitrage opportunity exists because Japanese banks won't lend on these properties, but family offices can pay cash. Local governments are actually paying buyers to take these properties - up to ¥1M in some prefectures. One FO has assembled a portfolio of 200 properties. Estimated value in 5 years: $500M. Sometimes the best opportunities are hiding in plain sight. What overlooked real estate opportunity in your market has similar dynamics: distressed supply meets emerging demand? References: Japan's Akiya Problem: https://lnkd.in/dWMSpm-x Akiya Banks & Opportunities: https://lnkd.in/dsQ85J9q #Japan #RealEstate #FamilyOffice

🔔 New article: Investing in Poland’s Real Estate Market in 2026 Poland’s commercial and residential real estate markets are moving into a new phase: recovery with far more complex parameters. In our latest piece we look at what this means for informed capital and long‑term strategies. 🌍 We explore how investors should think about Poland’s market towards 2026: • why growth is becoming selective, not broad‑based, across cities and sectors, • how ESG and new regulations are turning into hard constraints on value, liquidity and financing, • where technology, AI and PropTech are already creating an information and execution edge, • how geopolitics and the cost of capital are reshaping risk appetite and leverage, and • why asset adaptability and alternative uses matter for both commercial and residential portfolios. 🔑 We also outline the evolving investor skillset needed to navigate this environment: • hyper‑local intelligence across key Polish cities and regional hubs, • structured assessment of regulatory, ESG and financing risk, • genuine digital and analytical literacy in underwriting and asset management, • practical ESG competence – from building‑performance data to retrofit planning, and • flexible, multi‑source capital‑markets capabilities aligned with each business plan. With 10+ years in cross‑border brokerage and capital markets advisory, Frost International Real Estate supports private investors, family offices, developers, funds, institutions and occupiers across Poland and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in: • sourcing on‑ and off‑market commercial and residential opportunities, • structuring transactions and coordinating technical, legal, tax, commercial and ESG due diligence, • repositioning, converting and ESG‑optimising existing assets across offices, logistics, retail and living sectors. Message me for tailored insight, market‑tested pricing views or discreet off‑market introductions aligned with your strategy in Poland and CEE. #Poland #RealEstate #CommercialRealEstate #ResidentialRealEstate #PRS #Logistics #Offices #Retail #ESG #PropTech #CEEproperty #RealEstateInvestment #CapitalMarkets #FrostInternationalRealEstate Frost International Real Estate 🔗 Full article:

Cities are both the problem and the solution in the climate crisis. As we head toward COP30 in Belém, the message is clearer than ever: we cannot meet global climate goals without cities at the centre of action. Urban areas consume over 70% of the world’s energy and produce more than 60% of emissions. Yet, they also hold the greatest potential for transformation. The joint report by UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme), UNDP, and SDU revealed that only 27% of countries’ NDCs included strong urban elements. That means most nations are still missing a critical opportunity. With new and updated NDCs being submitted this year, there is still time to change that. We urge countries to strengthen the urban dimensions of their NDCs — financing for cities, integrating adaptation and mitigation locally, and empowering local governments to act. Urban elements are not optional. They are essential to achieving the Paris Agreement and building a resilient, low-carbon future. Discover how your country incorporates urban priorities in its NDC here: http://bit.ly/4nlJlVt UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience (SDU_Resilience), ICLEI, Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM)

My biggest international deal almost failed because I misread a pause. Different cultures negotiate differently. Early in my international career, I sat across from senior executives in the Middle East presenting a major partnership proposal. I finished my pitch. Silence. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds. In the West, that silence means doubt. So I started talking again, adding more details, more benefits, more reasons to say yes. The lead executive’s expression changed. Not in a good way. I later learned that pause was respect—they were carefully considering my proposal. By filling the silence, I looked desperate. I almost lost the deal by applying the same approach everywhere. Traditional global business thinking: → One pitch works everywhere → Confidence means filling silence → Speed shows decisiveness However, strategic global leaders adapt their approach. Cultural intelligence isn’t about political correctness. It’s about business effectiveness. Master these 3 principles for cross-cultural negotiation success: 1. Silence Has Different Meanings In some cultures, silence signals respect and thoughtful consideration. In others, it signals disagreement or discomfort. Learn to read the room, not your playbook. When negotiating across cultures, resist the urge to fill every pause. Sometimes the pause is where the decision happens. 2. Hierarchy Protocols Matter More Than You Think Who speaks first, who makes decisions, how disagreement is expressed—these vary dramatically. In some markets, contradicting a senior executive publicly kills deals. In others, robust debate shows engagement. Observe the dance before you join it. 3. Relationship Timeline Expectations Differ Western business culture often pushes for quick decisions. Many other cultures build trust first, transact later. Rushing the relationship phase can cost you the business phase. When you apply this consistently, you don’t just close international deals. You build lasting global partnerships. When you respect cultural nuances, you become the partner of choice, not just another vendor. Cultural intelligence allows you to operate confidently across borders, build trust faster, and avoid costly misunderstandings. 💬 What’s one cultural lesson you learned the hard way in business? ♻ Repost to help someone navigate global negotiations better. ➕ Follow me for insights on international business and leadership. #CulturalIntelligence #GlobalBusiness #InternationalNegotiation #CrossCulturalLeadership #BusinessStrategy