UK property losses rack up due to mounting capital value deflation, says IPD

However, it said that the quarterly losses, during the three months to 30th September 2008, are still less than the index’s most significant fall of -7.5% which was recorded in the last quarter of 2007.

But total returns for the year to date have now fallen by -10.5%, compared to 3.5% for the same period last year while the 2007 annual total return fell to -4.3%.

Deepening capital growth value declines are the source of the overall losses, led by office sector declines which returned -6.4%, against the all property average of -6.2%.

The IPD said that income returns held up across all UK property sectors with the all property income returns at 1.4% - the highest quarterly return since the second quarter of 2005.

Losses across the UK’s property sectors were broadly similar, headed by the office market for the second quarter in a row, which fell -5.1%. During the third quarter of this year the industrial sector fell -4.7% while the retail sector dropped by -4.6%.

As a result of further losses over the quarter, the annualised all property total return for the 12 months to the end of September was -17.2%.

‘This figure is best put into context with reference to the equivalent 12 month annualised all property total returns for the capital growth, which now stands at -21.5%,’ it said. ‘Cumulative declines in capital growth since end of June 2007, when capital values began falling, are now -23.3%.’

Malcolm Frodsham, research director at IPD, said: ‘Capital value deflation remains the focal point of concern as real estate investors continue to de-leverage and fund managers meet redemption requests. It is possible that a continued enforced reduction in gearing and need to meet redemption requests will disrupt normal trading activity. In addition, as the UK economy enters a full blown recession it remains to be seen how quickly the effects will impact on the occupier market.’