Investor guide
Business real estate, residential, and the line between them
Business real estate usually means offices, retail and industrial. But the line with residential is increasingly blurred — and the most interesting yield is often right on that line.
The hybrid categories worth knowing
- Branded residences. Hotel operators (Four Seasons, Aman, Six Senses) attach their brand to residential units. Higher price per m², strong resale, hotel-grade services.
- Serviced apartments & aparthotels. Residential units operated like a hotel. Income-producing, often sold to individual buyers with a rental program attached.
- Mixed-use towers. A few floors of retail, hotel above, residential on top. Residential buyers benefit from the amenity base; the developer benefits from cross-subsidy.
Why this matters for a global portfolio
Pure-residential second homes generate appreciation but rarely cash flow. Pure-commercial assets generate cash flow but are operationally heavy. Hybrid products try to combine both — and they're a growing share of what serious developers actually launch in tourist-driven markets.
What to look for on a listing
Rental program terms, projected occupancy assumptions, who operates the asset post-handover, and what owners actually receive net of operator fees. ProjectIQ listings surface these alongside floor plans and pricing.