Asia Pacific Real Estate Investors Position for Growth as Capital Deployment Set to Rise in 2026: CBRE Survey

Investors in Asia Pacific are preparing to deploy more capital into the commercial real estate market in 2026, supported by improving occupier fundamentals, reduced supply pipelines and gradually easing financing conditions, according to CBRE’s 2026 Asia Pacific Investor Intentions Survey.

The survey, which covers all asset types, reveals that 57% of investors plan to increase their acquisitions this year. Total net buying intentions—the difference between those looking to buy and those looking to sell— rose to 17%, up from 13% in 2025 and 5% in 2024, underscoring a broad-based recovery in regional investment sentiment.

“In 2026, we expect the well capitalised REITs will be looking to acquire with more conviction on pricing and demand trends. Retail had a very strong 2025 in terms of transaction flow and for 2026 investors are calling out office as the sector of greatest interest,” said Flint Davidson, Head of Capital Markets, Pacific for CBRE. “Global capital continues to favour Sydney, which was ranked 2nd on the list of preferred markets for cross border real estate investment in Asia Pacific. However, we expect this interest will continue to broaden-out to other Australian cities during 2026.”

For the first time in six years, office assets have overtaken industrial and logistics as the most preferred sector for investment. This shift is most evident in Australia, Japan and Singapore, where high occupancy levels, limited new supply and improving rental growth expectations are strengthening investor confidence in well-leased, high-quality assets.

“The emergence of rent growth and a sustained fall in supply across all the main sectors is drawing investor interest. It was interesting to see that data centres, hotels and Grade A office were the sectors most likely to see price growth,” said Sameer Chopra, Head of Research, Pacific for CBRE. “But investors have also called out persisting construction cost inflation as their main concern, particularly for those investing in Australia. The other concern with investing in Australia is a more hawkish stance from the RBA and higher bond yields.”

Top Markets for Investment:

• Tokyo remains the preferred market for cross border real estate investment in Asia Pacific for the seventh consecutive year, supported by accretive debt costs and stable, growing cash flows.
• Sydney, followed by Singapore and Seoul (tied) ranks next, underpinned by sustained investor demand, easing debt costs, and opportunities across core office and an increasingly diversified set of asset classes.
• Hong Kong SAR has returned to the top five investment markets, buoyed by renewed investor demand, particularly from mainland China, and strong activity in the living and hotel sectors, including asset repurposing opportunities.

Preferred Property Types:

• Office is the most sought-after property type with 25% of investors targeting the sector in 2026, driven by pricing adjustments and recovering leasing demand across core markets.
• Industrial and logistics remains a key target, with 21% of investors identifying the sector as a priority, with completions set to decline sharply from 2027 onwards and supported by structural e commerce growth.
• The living sector remains popular, with build-to-rent opportunities attracting strong interest, while data centres placed fourth after the sector’s inclusion in the traditional sector category.

Investment Strategies:

• Core plus and value-add strategies lead investor preferences in 2026, with more than 63% of investors selecting one of these approaches, reflecting increased conviction in rental growth driven returns.
• Opportunistic strategies declined in popularity, amid fewer distressed opportunities, weaker IRR prospects, and elevated construction and labour costs across the region.
• Asia Pacific REITs are expected to be active buyers in 2026, with net buying intentions of +30%, while private investors may become modest net sellers ( -3% net intention) as they recycle assets acquired during earlier pricing dislocations.

Primary Challenges for Investors:

• Rising labour and construction costs have become the top challenge for investors for the first time since the survey began.
• Geopolitical tensions remain a concern, particularly in mainland China and India.
• Interest rate risks have resurfaced in Japan and Australia following recent central bank signals.

To read the full report, click here.