Institutional investors increase real estate investments

U.S.-based pension, foundation and endowment funds are investing more of their institutional capital into real estate, according to data collected by Real Estate Finance & Investment. Institutional capital allocations to real estate have been increasing since the global financial crisis. In 2016, allocations by these investors climbed to $24.5 billion, a 21 percent increase from the 2006 total.

More than half of the capital was invested in the United States in 2016, which was an increase compared with 2006 levels. The global region was the second region with the most capital invested in 2016, followed by Europe, which increased in total capital compared to 2006.

The largest investor by capital allocation in 2016 was New York State Common Retirement Fund, totaling $2.85 billion. Texas Teachers Retirement System and Washington State Investment Board followed in second and third, respectively.