News & Analysis

The European Union-focused infrastructure fund is expected to hold a second close early next year. DIF’s first infrastructure fund, DIF PPP, is now almost fully invested and its renewable energy fund is expected to be fully invested by the first quarter of 2009.

The Chicago-based US property investment manager is reportedly planning to pick up bargain properties in the UK, with an expected close scheduled for the first quarter of next year.

While fund managers have been busy raising distressed property vehicles, the bitter pill to swallow is that some LPs are unable to allocate equity to such funds at the moment, according to research by a prominent private equity real estate expert.

The Irvine, California-based firm is expanding its human capital following the initial close of its Western National Realty Fund II earlier this year.

The deal is the latest in a recent spate of US multifamily apartment acquisitions by private equity real estate investors. The acquisition was made through the firm's property vehicle, LRG Capital Real Estate Partners I Fund.

With 30 of the nation’s transit agencies at risk of bankruptcy due to AIG-guaranteed bank loans, some members of Congress are beginning to ask for stronger oversight of PPP financings to make sure they don’t cause similar troubles for the public sector.

When Barack Obama is sworn into the White House in 2009, private equity real estate can expect some changes, among them likely increases to capital gains tax and, with it, carried interest. However his election could also prompt a greater willingness by overseas investors to invest in the US.

The $147bn US pension will decide today whether it will respond to the denominator effect by increasing the amount it is allowed to invest in real estate to 17% of total assets.

The $147bn pension has responded to the denominator effect by increasing the amount it is allowed to invest in private equity to 15% of total assets. CalSTRS has similarly bumped its real estate allocation.

The China-focused fund will invest in residential and commercial sectors to capitalise on the country’s real estate growth.