INVESTORS SHOW THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE IBERIAN PROPERTY INVESTMENT AWARDS

The winners of the Iberian Property Investment Awards 2023 were announced at an impressive ceremony held at the Estoril Casino on 19 September, which brought together close to 400 international and Iberian real estate professionals.

This prestigious award, which has an outstanding panel of judges comprising more than 40 leaders in the real estate sector in Spain and Portugal, highlights the diversity and excellence of the Iberian market, underlining the importance of innovation, sustainability and corporate social responsibility in the sector.

Candidacies were received during the months of May and June, and the investment projects involved sum up to more than 3.4 billion euros – Spain leading with 2.03 billion euros, and Portugal coming up close with 1.41 billion euros.

Having in mind that the Iberian investment volume was around 15.4 billion euros, this mean that the applications submitted represent almost one fifth of the total volume transacted. It should be highlighted the representativeness of the Portuguese market, where in 2022 investment volume slightly surpassed the 3 billion euros mark, meaning that the candidacies being evaluated reflect almost half of that investment.

In partnership with Drooms, Iberian Property technological partner, the jury undertook two voting rounds to come up with the finalists and winners of five categories.

The jury honoured the US firm, which received this prestigious award for the acquisition of a residential portfolio in Madrid, which includes 2,500 units in three buildings (at the time) under development, located in Rivas, San Sebastián de los Reyes and Valdebebas. This acquisition allows Greystar Real Estate Partners to bring to the rental market a new housing solution with state-of-the-art design and high-end amenities, including coworking areas, gym and a BREEAM "Very Good" rating for sustainability. The shortage of rental accommodation in Madrid makes this acquisition particularly significant, positioning Greystar as a key player in the flexible accommodation market in the region with the launch of this new concept they call Be Casa.

On this occasion, Rafael Fernández - Villaverde, Senior Director at Greystar Spain commented: "It’s an honour to receive this award as it represents the recognition of other real estate experts. We have always strived to innovate in the living sector and are proud of the outcome of this property. BeCasa is a flexible and all-inclusive rental solution to cover the existing unsatisfied demand in the metropolitan area of Madrid and we hope this portfolio is just the first one of many more to come. We would like to thank everyone who trusted us with the Rivas asset and are very excited for the Valdebebas and San Sebastian opening in the upcoming month."

Merlin took centre stage at the gala by winning one of the most prestigious awards of the evening, an important recognition for the Spanish firm for its investment in Portuguese territory. The award in question was given to the company for the acquisition of the iconic Liberdade 195 building in Lisbon. This unique transaction was led by Cushman & Wakefield and JLL Portugal, which submitted the candidacy for these awards, and were the consulting firms in charge of selling the asset, standing out for the high number of bids received.

The Liberdade 195 building is strategically located on the corner of Av. da Liberdade. It stands out for its impressive scale, excellent state of preservation and wide range of possible uses, including office, hospitality or residential. In addition, its privileged location and technical specifications make it a "flagship asset" that rarely comes to the market and attracts the attention of several buyers.

The transaction had plenty of challenges, as Merlin had to take responsibility for planning, commercial aspects and refurbishment, as well as managing an investment of over €100 million. The sale process attracted the interest of 125 investors, generating 33 bids. In the end, NovoBanco let go of its former headquarters, and selected Merlin Properties to carry out the acquisition.

Ismael Clemente, CEO of Merlin Properties, expressed his gratitude for this prestigious award and said: "We are very pleased and grateful for this award, as it is a recognition of the magnificent work done by our colleagues in Lisbon, led by João Cristina. We hope not to disappoint our colleagues in the real estate community who voted for us and to develop a unique asset that qualitatively lives up to its superb location”.

The Spanish developer was recognised for its innovative Fioresta project in San Juan de Alicante, which uses a mass timber structure to reduce the carbon footprint and speed up construction time.

This residential development stands out for being the first to be built with a Mass Timber structure in the Valencian Community, significantly reducing construction time and carbon footprint. The two-block, 51-unit residential development in San Juan de Alicante comprises four storeys and well-appointed common areas, with two and three‐bedroom units with an average floor area of over 100 sqm.

Fioresta's construction philosophy is based on three pillars: the development of a standardised component system, a network of quality partners and a digital platform that manages the construction process in real time. This initiative marks the beginning of a series of sustainable developments by Aedas Homes that will use Mass Timber structures.

The jury highlighted the "Kilometers Solidarios" (Kilometers of Solidarity) initiative, with which Lar España seeks to improve the experience of patients at the Hospital de Dénia, Alicante, through the mobilisation of the community around sport and solidarity.

This initiative aims to improve the patient experience at Dénia Hospital by investing funds generated by the community to improve the quality of the hospital's facilities. The project has succeeded in mobilising around sport and solidarity, accumulating more than 100,000 kilometres since its inception in 2020, and creating a more welcoming and hopeful environment in the hospital setting. Lar España has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to positive social impact and has highlighted how real estate can be an agent of change in society.

The jury praised the transparent and effective communication with its investors during the year 2022. The company has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability, transparency and quality reporting, making it a benchmark in the industry. Sonae Sierra has integrated sustainability into its business strategy for decades, linking the terms of its debt to its sustainable impact and adopting the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) framework since 2013, which has been instrumental in connecting sustainability to strategy and business success.

The Iberian Property Investment Awards is a high-impact initiative, with no commercial sponsorship, counting with a broad jury made up of more than 40 prestigious professionals to guarantee total independence.

Find out more about all the Winners and Finalists in the OFFICIAL AWARDS website.