Managers

‘Window of opportunity’ in Latin America

Latin America is fertile ground for real estate GPs thanks to repricing in the wake of the credit crunch, according to JER president and COO, Michael Pralle speaking at the PERE conference in New York today.

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Emerging markets in Latin America are presenting a “very good window of opportunity” for real estate fund managers as the region undergoes a repricing in the wake of the credit crunch.

Speaking at the PERE Forum in New York today, Michael Pralle, president and chief operating officer of JE Robert Companies, said compared to a year ago, investments in Latin America were very attractive.

“Now it’s being re-priced, and coupled with the long term prospects in that part of the world, it’s a very attractive opportunity,” Pralle told delegates.

Markets like Mexico, Peru and Colombia were all seeing re-pricing, he said.

JER currently has operations in both Brazil and Mexico. In September, global real estate investment firm ING Real Estate opened an office in Brazil as it looks to gain a foothold in Latin America.

Pralle also said the coming months would be a prime time for private equity real estate investors to seize on opportunities. The next six to eight months, he said, would offer the “best investment opportunity of our lifetime.”