Investments in Asia Pacific totaled $126.7 billion in 2013.

Commercial real estate markets in Asia Pacific had their best year on record, with investments totaling $126.7 billion by year's end. real estate qatar

According to a study from Jones Lang LaSalle, commercial transaction volumes in Asia Pacific increased by 29% in 2013, surpassing the previous peak of $120.5 billion set in 2007.

In the paper, Stuart Crow, head of Asia Pacific capital markets at Jones Lang LaSalle, said, "2013 proved to be an excellent year for Asia Pacific commercial property markets, exceeding our revised estimates of $120 billion." 

"Despite macro concerns about China's growth outlook, EU stability, and the US government's fiscal policy, unwavering demand has prevailed."

According to a separate JLL survey, global commercial real estate investment volumes totaled $549 billion in 2013, up 18% from the previous year.

The region's core markets of Japan, China, Australia, and Singapore led the region's record-breaking investment growth in 2013, as investor optimism increased due to ongoing reforms in both debt and equity markets.

According to JLL, the resurgent Japanese economy saw a 67 percent increase in investment year over year, reclaiming its spot as the world's third most successful market after the United States and the United Kingdom. In the fourth quarter of 2013, transaction volumes in Japan hit $12.2 billion, led by portfolio transactions, taking the year's total to $41.7 billion.

China's investment volume increased by 72 percent from 2012 to $8.5 billion in the fourth quarter and $25.1 billion by the end of the year. Australia was another market that saw record levels of investment, with $6.4 billion in the fourth quarter and $21.9 billion for the year, up 33% from 2012.

Despite analysts' lower confidence in the Singapore sector, investment activity increased to $3.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013, bringing the total for the year to $11.8 billion, up 40% from 2012.

According to JLL, Hong Kong's investment volumes in 2013 totaled $7.3 billion, down 35% from 2012, with the majority of domestic operation coming from end-users and local/PRC developers.

"In 2013, we continued to see a supply-demand imbalance in a number of markets across the country. As a result, investors pushed up the risk curve in pursuit of higher yields and to protect themselves from future global fiscal policy pressures "According to Dr. Megan Walters, head of research for Asia Pacific capital markets at JLL, "We expect markets to perform as well as, if not better than, 2013 for the remainder of 2014."