New technology, accompanying economic structural change, and changing consumer habits are all shaping the real estate sector. Here is a selection of promising specialty real estate options:
Data centers
Data and computing centers are secure places for data storage that make the IT infrastructure as a whole more secure. They provide a number of services, including cooling systems for servers, an uninterrupted power supply, physical security measures for data records, cloud-based document-management options, and software solutions. Demand among businesses for a modern IT infrastructure and cloud solutions is the most significant driver; private and public cloud applications for end users represent additional growth areas.
Self-storage
In contrast to traditional storage spaces, self-storage facilities give tenants individual access to their goods – often around the clock. The storage units are often individual lockable boxes, containers, or outdoor spaces that can be rented on a short-term (monthly) basis. The digitalization trend is having an impact here too – from online booking all the way through to digital access systems that allow 24/7 access to the storage units and make processes more straightforward for clients and storage providers alike.
Radio communications towers
The antennas in radio communications towers with the relevant ranges make mobile and wireless communication possible. As the telecommunications industry and new mobile communication standards such as 5G continue to grow around the world, so too does the demand for specialty real estate options for antenna systems. The US and Europe are the core markets here, with developing countries becoming increasingly more significant as data communication there is often only possible via mobile radio.