Private equity funds targeting distressed real estate have already raised more money this year than the last two put together, as they anticipate a property slump.
Funds planning to invest in troubled property assets raised $8bn in the first quarter of 2019 alone, according to figures from the data provider Preqin. They raised less than $1bn last year and $3.3bn in 2017.
The funds target juicy returns through a variety of strategies, including providing debt or equity to property owners facing a cash crunch. They can also adopt a “loan to own” strategy of buying the debt of ailing property companies and then taking them over as they default.