European property funds: Shall I stay or shall I go?

When fund managers and property analysts tag property returns in the UK and some other European jurisdictions as the worst ever, it’s no wonder investors are seeking to cut their losses. Last year, UK commercial property values dropped by 26%, according to IPD. In the fourth quarter there was a record 14% decline. With the outlook for 2009 looking uncertain at best, some institutional and retail investors still in property have reconsidered and want out.

The rush for the exits started in late 2007 when in the UK alone £1.6 billion (then $3.1 billion) left commercial property funds. Fund providers moved to limit the damage by freezing redemptions for three to six months. The latest round of disheartening results has prompted some to renew this strategy. The FTSE Real Estate index was down 46.6% as of year-end 2008 and the IPD Balanced Property Unit Trust index was down...