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Living (Housing)

The ‘living’ (housing) sector plays an increasingly important role in the wider institutional real estate portfolio, driven by urbanisation, demographic change, and structural undersupply across Europe. As demand for sustainable, affordable housing grows, it offers investors resilient, long-term growth that aligns with both environmental and social goals. The living sector encompasses all forms of residential real estate, including (affordable) housing, senior living, and student housing— addressing the diverse housing needs across different stages of life.

This page brings together all our resources, insights, and data on living real estate — helping you stay informed on market trends, regulation, and best practices in this dynamic and evolving sector.
 

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Insights: painting a clearer picture

In 2024 and 2025, INREV published a series of research papers exploring opportunities, challenges, and solutions for institutional investment in European residential real estate.
 

Housing middle income Europe: The first and only paper of its kind, positioning Private Rented Sector (PRS) within the wider housing market landscape. .
 

Unlocking affordable PRS: This paper outlines the scale of non-listed residential PRS investments using INREV’s proprietary index and survey data — including performance, risk, and the effects of decarbonisation on returns.
 

Solving Europe’s housing challenge: Examination of public and private initiatives shaping the sector — from funding and tax incentives to land availability and planning processes.
 

Coming in Q1 2026: The fourth paper in the series will continue to build on these insights.

In the press

Europe’s housing crisis and how patient capital could help

11 Mar 2025 - funds europe
Despite the political and economic uncertainties of 2025 prompting institutional investors to reassess their strategies and portfolios, appetite for the European residential sector has never been stronger.

The squeezed middle: the role of institutional capital in creating affordable housing

01 May 2025 - Institutional Real Estate
Europe's cities are in the midst of a housing crisis. With growing levels of unmet housing demand, there is a pressing need for a multidecade policy response to expand new supply.

Europe’s housing crisis: institutional capital to the rescue

13 Mar 2025 - REACT news
Expansion of new supply is needed to address shortage of housing

Housing crisis in Ireland cannot be solved by taxpayer funds alone – it also needs capital from private investors

13 Jan 2025 - The Irish Times
Over the past decade, members of Irish Institutional Property, backed largely by domestic and international pension funds, have delivered more than 55,000 new homes for sale and rent
All press releases

Case studies

 



 

Coming your way

Regulations update – coming your way 

Our policy engagement seeks to shape regulatory frameworks, such as the European Affordable Housing Plan and State aid rules for Services of General Economic Interest, fostering an environment that enables private investment to contribute effectively to Europe’s housing objectives.

 

INREV Living Fund Index – coming your way in late November 

The European residential segment has grown to a quarter of the non-listed real estate universe and we will be launching the Pan-European Living Fund Index in late November. According to our latest member survey for 2024, 65% requested a Residential/Living Performance Index.