Press Release
Alternatives Continue to Attract Largest Share of Capital across Europe, Says CBRE
April 28, 2026
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European real estate investment reached €53bn in Q1 2026, according to global real estate advisor CBRE, up 3% from Q1 last year. The UK saw the largest investment volume in the quarter, at €11.7bn, followed by Germany at €8.6bn.
Several countries recorded large year-on-year increases, including Spain, up 93% to €6.3bn, and Belgium, up 89% to €2.6bn, with the latter boosted by healthcare sales. The Netherlands and Germany recorded year-over-year increases of 65% and 20% respectively.
By asset type, the living sector attracted 26% of total investment – the most of any sector – as volume increased 20% to €13.5bn. In CBRE’s 2026 European Investor Intentions Survey, 34% of investors identified living assets as their primary target.
Office investment reached €10.7bn in Q1, or 20% of the quarter’s total and rose 6% from Q1 2025. The retail and industrial & logistics sectors saw €7.8bn and €7.3bn of total investment, respectively. Meanwhile, Healthcare continued to attract strong capital deployment with investment surging 150% to €4.5bn.
In the first quarter, real estate investment volumes have been broadly in line with the same period last year despite a challenging geopolitical backdrop that has altered the interest rate outlook. Yet, investors are mindful of the changing economic environment and its implications for investment and financing strategies. As a result, we saw further deployment into living and healthcare as investors look for diversification and inflation protection in assets with durable demand drivers. Offices also continue to receive investor attention as conviction returns to the sector.
About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm and a premier provider of critical infrastructure services. The company has more than 155,000 employees serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves clients through four business segments: Advisory (leasing, sales, debt origination, mortgage servicing, valuations); Building Operations & Experience (facilities management, property management, flex space & experience, critical infrastructure); Project Management (program management, project management, cost consulting); Real Estate Investments (investment management, development). Please visit our website at www.cbre.co.uk.