The District real estate show has doubled its space this year at Fira de Barcelona, up to 14,000 m2 “and we have managed to fully internationalize it as a forum for global investors, this time especially Anglo-Saxon investors because the United Kingdom is the guest country,” he said. Albert Planas, general director of Nebext, the organizing company of the event that was presented yesterday at the Cercle d’Economia.
Juan Velayos, president of the show, explained that the event will bring together more than 10,000 managers and 250 companies, such as investment funds, sovereign and private capital, financial entities and asset managers in an edition that will be held from September 20 to 22 in the Gran Vía site, in L’Hospitalet del Llobregat. A better-connected venue with more security guarantees against protests like those that marred the last edition, according to the organization.
The big funds
Among the participants are companies such as Azora, Blackrock, Blackstone, Castlelake, Frux, Goldman Sachs, Invesco, JP Morgan, King Street, or TPG. “It is a much more international edition,” said Gema Travería, general director of The District, in which the participants from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark will predominate, compared to the previous edition, in which the Spanish were more numerous . In 2022, the organizers noted, The District generated an economic impact of 12 million euros in the city of Barcelona.
The show is being held this year at a time when expectations regarding the evolution of interest rates are beginning to become clearer, which could reactivate real estate activity after several months at half speed.
Capital, waiting
Carmina Ganyet, corporate director of Colonial, assured that there is “a lot of capital retained” waiting for a catalyst element. “The level of interest rates has been clarified and this allows investors to define the cost of capital and make decisions.” Also Enrique Martínez-Laguna, vice president of the CBRE consultancy in Spain, stressed that although “there is no recovery yet, the rules of the game have been clarified”, which in his opinion will create buying opportunities. Among the sectors in which there are more opportunities, both professionals highlighted office buildings, when they meet sustainability criteria and are well located. The show, for its part, will give visibility in this edition to some specialized segments, such as properties for healthcare, research and data centers.
