The living sector in Asia Pacific, encompassing student housing, co-living, serviced apartment, rental housing/multifamily and senior living, is attracting investor attention, driven by growth of the region’s expatriate population, low homeownership affordability and the effectiveness of rental residential investments as an inflation hedge, according to a September report from CBRE Research, Asia Pacific Living Sector: Case for Investment.

While the living sector in Asia Pacific is still in its early stages, accounting for only 6 percent of commercial real estate investment volumes since 2019 — compared with 27 percent in Europe and 44 percent in the United States — there is a vast opportunity for investors looking to diversify their portfolios across the region.