Investing in property
There are many ways of investing in property: directly, by buying real estate, or indirectly, for example through the kind of open-ended real estate funds offered by Union Investment. Compared to other forms of indirect property investment, open-ended real estate funds offer even greater risk diversification.
Open-ended real estate funds and more
Union Investment provides a broad range of investment opportunities. For private investors, our open-ended real estate funds take the form of broadly diversified retail funds. We also offer institutional investors open-ended real estate funds structured as retail funds. For a fixed group of institutional investors, we additionally offer open-ended real estate funds as special funds and thematic funds. Since open-ended real estate funds typically display less volatility, they are especially suited to risk-adverse investors with a medium- to long-term investment horizon.
An important feature of our funds is strict separation of private and institutional investors. Institutional investors wishing to invest in broadly diversified real estate solutions can choose between two retail funds designed specifically around their needs.
Alongside open-ended real estate funds, institutional investors can invest in tailored real estate solutions, including Service KVG mandates and pooling vehicles.
Find out more about your investment options here
Our real estate funds for private investors
Our product range for private customers comprises four open-ended real estate funds with a current total value of EUR 33.1 billion. Our three funds which primarily target the commercial real estate markets, investing in office, retail, hotel and logistics properties, each have a different regional focus: Germany, Europe and worldwide. Complementing our offering for private customers is a fund dedicated to German residential property. In order to diversify risk, the assets held by our funds are widely distributed across many locations, properties, tenants, building sizes and use types.
Rental income is the key driver of performance and can be passed on to investors via future distributions to generate an attractive distribution yield. By looking after properties and tenants alike, Union Investment’s professional asset management team ensures a sustained income stream. Expert property and tenant support for the residential fund is provided by ZBI.
2017
UniImmo: Wohnen ZBI
The fund was launched on 28 July 2017. The UniImmo: Wohnen ZBI investment universe comprises residential property of varying sizes and many different structures across Germany. The investment focus is on living space for the broad population.
2004
Unilmmo: Global – a world of real estate
Unilmmo: Global was launched on 1 April 2004. As our newest commercial property fund for private investors, it is a highly dynamic fund with a global remit, unlike the other two funds. The fund invests in cities across the Americas and Asia-Pacific, but also in Europe.
1985
UniImmo: Europa – focusing on European real estate
Our Europe fund was launched on 1 April 1985. Its focus is on European real estate locations, with ancillary investment in the Americas and Asia-Pacific.
1966
UniImmo: Deutschland – German real estate with attractive prospects
Launched on 1 July 1966, Unilmmo: Deutschland was one of Germany’s first open ended retail funds. As the name suggests, the investment focus is on Germany. The fund also holds real estate assets in European cities such as Vienna, Paris and London.
Our solutions for institutional investors
Real estate is an attractive asset class for institutional investors. Alongside classic funds, we offer this target group solutions tailored specifically to their requirements. Our offering ranges from open-ended retail and special funds to customised risk-adjusted solutions, from thematic funds, club deal solutions and individual mandates to administrative Service KVG mandates.
With all these solutions, our customers benefit from our deep expertise and management skills around the various real estate markets and vehicles.
2017
Special fund with a focus on micro housing
This fund was launched on 1 April 2017 and acquires micro apartment complexes with a granular residential structure in fast-growing cities in Germany and other core European countries.
2016
Special fund with a focus on core plus properties in Germany
This fund, which was launched on 1 April 2016, invests in solid midscale properties in terms of location quality, building specification and users.
2016
Special fund with a focus on campus real estate
Launched on 1 January 2016, this special fund invests in office real estate with a campus structure in established German cities and metropolitan areas.
2013
Special fund for hotels
This fund was launched on 1 April 2013 and invests in hotel real estate with a focus on the high-growth budget segment.
2012
Renewable energy fund
As well as onshore wind farms in Europe, this special fund for infrastructure invests selectively in solar plants. It was launched on 14 December 2012.
2012
Institutional retail fund
This fund was launched on 17 October 2012 and is focused on German cities and regional centres with good growth prospects.
2012
First pooling vehicle
In July 2012, the product range for institutional investors was expanded to include special funds for pooling indirect property investments.
2011
First thematic fund
This special fund was launched on 15 June 2011 and focuses on European retail properties.
2011
First Service KVG mandate
Since June 2011, we have also offered institutional investors administrative services in conjunction with third-party asset managers.
2004
First retail fund for institutional investors
Launched on 2 January 2004, this fund invests exclusively in Europe. The fund has assets under management of more than EUR 3 billion, including office, retail, hotel and logistics properties.
1989
Special fund focusing on Germany
This actively managed fund was launched for a small group of investors on 10 October 1989.
1977
First actively managed real estate special fund
This fund was launched on 1 July 1977 for a closed circle of investors one year after DEFO GmbH (now Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH) was founded.
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Our product promise
For more than 50 years we have been delivering on our promise to investors: to make reliable investments with a sound risk/reward ratio. As a major provider of open-ended real estate funds in Germany, we have the experience and the foresight required to carefully assess and take risks at the right time and in the right conditions. We want to take full advantage of the opportunities for our investors on the markets and in the properties in our portfolio.
