After a decade of strong returns, the office sector remains the most popular asset class in the Asia Pacific real estate markets — but change is definitely afoot for the sector coming into the 2020s.

This wave of change was well in-train before the “black swan” COVID-19 outbreak flapped its wings to an unwelcome landing right in the middle of the world’s economies, tearing up — or at least forcing a rewrite of — year-ahead preview research pieces, and the operational plans of companies, investors and governments alike.

Coming into 2020, investors were ready to invest in the Asia Pacific real estate market, with office the preferred sector across the region, says Dr Henry Chin, head of research, APAC/EMEA, at CBRE.

“According to our latest Asia Pacific Investor Intentions Survey 2020 result, more than 80 percent of respondents are keen to invest the same amount or more in 2020 compared to the 2019 level,” says Chin. “Office remained the