Key Takeaways
- • Family offices are shifting from wealth preservation toward active cross-border real estate investment, moving beyond trophy assets into living sectors, logistics, digital infrastructure and private credit, according to EdgeProp.sg citing the Asia Pacific Real Assets Association (Aprea).
- • Aprea's trend report and a Knight Frank family office survey both point to thematic, targeted strategies, with respondents favouring data centres, value-add projects, student accommodation, logistics and healthcare-linked real estate.
- • CapitaLand Investment's Yvonne Siew says rising interest in living sectors is supported by urbanisation, mobility and lifestyle shifts, while logistics, essential infrastructure and private credit remain core for steady cash flows.
- • Ho Group's Ho Ninghao calls Australia "one of the most compelling" Asia Pacific markets for family office capital, citing first-mortgage private credit tied to high-end Sydney residential developments.
- • Singapore and Hong Kong remain the preferred Asia Pacific family office hubs, per Siew, given regulatory clarity and deep professional ecosystems.
Summary
Family offices are evolving from wealth preservation vehicles into cross-border investors with growing influence over global real estate markets, according to a report published by EdgeProp.sg. The shift reflects a more institutional approach among affluent families, supported by professional investment teams, formal governance structures and global networks. New family office leaders are looking beyond passive holdings and traditional trophy assets, the iconic, premium-priced properties in prestigious locations.
The Asia Pacific Real Assets Association (Aprea) reports growing focus on opportunities where operational expertise, local knowledge, cross-border partnerships and long-term capital can generate resilient income. Capital is flowing into living sectors including residential, co-living, student housing, hospitality and self-storage, as well as digital infrastructure, logistics, private credit and operational real estate. Yvonne Siew, managing director and head of product development and wealth markets at CapitaLand Investment, says family offices are balancing growth with resilience. She notes that alongside technology themes such as digital infrastructure, AI and healthcare, interest in living sectors is rising. A Knight Frank family office survey found respondents becoming more targeted and thematic, favouring data centres, value-add projects and operational real estate supported by demographic or economic trends.
In Southeast Asia, family offices are pursuing growth across multiple markets rather than concentrating in one country. Knight Frank's latest wealth report, released in April, projects the region's ultra-rich population will grow faster over the next five years, driven by entrepreneurship, maturing capital markets and expanding domestic economies. Goh Wee Ping, chief investment officer of Wee Hur Holdings and CEO of its fund management arm Wee Hur Capital, says a new generation of leaders with international education and global networks is reducing barriers to cross-border investment. Ho Ninghao, group managing director of Ho Group, says sustainability and long-term relevance are gaining weight alongside returns, adding that "intergenerational wealth preservation requires both discipline and adaptation."
In Australia, Ho argues that the market's appeal extends beyond direct property ownership. He points to private credit backed by first mortgages, particularly loans financing high-end residential developments in Sydney. Elevated interest rates, conservative lending structures and a chronic shortage of premium housing have created favourable conditions for asset-backed income, he says. Ho cites the market's transparency, liquidity, institutional-grade property sector, political stability and tech-skilled workforce.
Tax considerations, geopolitical diversification and lifestyle preferences are also prompting wealthy families to build international footprints, reinforcing the role of Singapore and Hong Kong as wealth hubs. Siew says both cities remain the preferred Asia Pacific family office hubs. Ho cautions that cross-border partnerships depend on shared investment philosophies, compatible risk appetites and transparent decision-making, and are "not for every family office."
The Asia Pacific Real Assets Association (Aprea) reports growing focus on opportunities where operational expertise, local knowledge, cross-border partnerships and long-term capital can generate resilient income. Capital is flowing into living sectors including residential, co-living, student housing, hospitality and self-storage, as well as digital infrastructure, logistics, private credit and operational real estate. Yvonne Siew, managing director and head of product development and wealth markets at CapitaLand Investment, says family offices are balancing growth with resilience. She notes that alongside technology themes such as digital infrastructure, AI and healthcare, interest in living sectors is rising. A Knight Frank family office survey found respondents becoming more targeted and thematic, favouring data centres, value-add projects and operational real estate supported by demographic or economic trends.
In Southeast Asia, family offices are pursuing growth across multiple markets rather than concentrating in one country. Knight Frank's latest wealth report, released in April, projects the region's ultra-rich population will grow faster over the next five years, driven by entrepreneurship, maturing capital markets and expanding domestic economies. Goh Wee Ping, chief investment officer of Wee Hur Holdings and CEO of its fund management arm Wee Hur Capital, says a new generation of leaders with international education and global networks is reducing barriers to cross-border investment. Ho Ninghao, group managing director of Ho Group, says sustainability and long-term relevance are gaining weight alongside returns, adding that "intergenerational wealth preservation requires both discipline and adaptation."
In Australia, Ho argues that the market's appeal extends beyond direct property ownership. He points to private credit backed by first mortgages, particularly loans financing high-end residential developments in Sydney. Elevated interest rates, conservative lending structures and a chronic shortage of premium housing have created favourable conditions for asset-backed income, he says. Ho cites the market's transparency, liquidity, institutional-grade property sector, political stability and tech-skilled workforce.
Tax considerations, geopolitical diversification and lifestyle preferences are also prompting wealthy families to build international footprints, reinforcing the role of Singapore and Hong Kong as wealth hubs. Siew says both cities remain the preferred Asia Pacific family office hubs. Ho cautions that cross-border partnerships depend on shared investment philosophies, compatible risk appetites and transparent decision-making, and are "not for every family office."
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