Global integrated real assets fund manager, ARA Asset Management Limited (ARA) announced on September 8 the close of over US$460 million of real estate transactions in the first half of 2019 by its private funds division, ARA Private Funds (APF).

APF has a further US$700 million of pipeline assets, subject to due diligence, scheduled to be signed by the final quarter of 2019.

This marks a strong acquisitive year for APF, which acquired an office building in Singapore’s fringe CBD and a B-Grade office building in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD earlier this year.

The team is now focused on a further US$700 million pipeline of assets by the end of 2019. These include two office buildings in prime locations in their respective markets, a landmark community retail mall and co-living.

These assets present compelling investment opportunities in key cities where the firm has a significant local presence and the value-add expertise, in line with the group’s investor-operator model.

David Kim, acting CEO of APF, says, “Our robust pipeline highlights our ability to source attractive deals, especially off-market opportunities, in key gateway cities of the Asia-Pacific where we have ‘boots-on-the-ground’ and a well-established investment track record, enabling competitive advantages and the ability to deploy investor capital judiciously.

“Looking ahead, the team will continue its de-risked value-add strategy, seeking underperforming, undervalued income-generating assets in the deep, liquid gateway markets in the Asia-Pacific. The group’s vertically integrated investment, asset and property management platform allows us to offer significant yield enhancement and investment returns for our investors,” adds Kim.