Chinese net sellers in UK since 2021 MSCI data
Developers need cash, potential buyers see a bargain
Commercial property value fall makes deals harder

LONDON, March 5 Reuters Some big Chinese developers are set to offload more real estate in Britain to raise cash, property agents say, making the most of a slowly thawing market and buyers betting on a recovery.

Data compiled by MSCI Real Assets for Reuters shows that Chinese developers have been net sellers for three years, shedding UK real estate worth 1.4 billion pounds 1.8 billion.

That contrasts with the 12.8 billion pounds Chinese developers splashed out in Britain between 2014 and 2020.

The impetus to sell stems largely from a collapse in China39;s property sector since 2021, when a regulatory crackdown on debtfuelled construction triggered a liquidity squeeze.

The ensuing financing crunch has hit some of China39;s biggest property players, including Country Garden and Evergrande, and led to a retreat from markets including Australia and New York.

Commercial property values have also tumbled globally due to steep borrowing costs and the postCOVID home working trend, leading to a collapse in deal activity.

Right now you wouldn39;t be selling unless you really had to, said Chris Gore a veteran London property adviser at Avison Young, highlighting that commercial real estate prices in London had corrected by 1520 in the last couple of years.

In Britain, net selling activity by Chinese developers peaked at…