Central London real estate continues to be a prime target for international investors

Investors from Asia have spent £628 million (€698 million/$822 million) on real estate in London in the first six months of 2020, up 74.4 percent on the same period in 2019, reported BNP Paribas Real Estate.

Asian investors were also responsible for 31.4 percent of all real estate transactions in Central London during the second quarter, compared with just 9.8 percent in second quarter 2019.

As lockdown has eased in the United Kingdom, a number of high-profile deals have been concluded. These include One New Oxford Street, bought for £174 million ($228 million) by Singapore-based Sun Venture, and U.S. Private Equity Group Stars REI’s acquisition of 103 Mount Street for £80 million ($105 million).

Despite concerns that real estate prices would drop due to the global pandemic halting investor activity and causing huge uncertainty over how to price in risk, there is little evidence of pricing for prime-quality assets slipping. Instead, while the supply