Unlisted property funds that invest in Australian Real Estate Investment Trusts (A-REITs) are another yield option. The Atlas High Income Property Fund, for example, has a 14 per cent return over 12 months to end-May 2022.
The fund’s top-five holdings are SCA Property Group, GPT Group, Charter Hall Retail REIT, Dexus Industria REIT and Arena REIT.
Hugh Dive, chief investment officer at Atlas Funds Management, favours neighbourhood and regional shopping centres, such as those owned by SCA.
He says food inflation benefits neighbourhood shopping centres. “As people cut back on discretionary spending, such as eating out, they cook more at home and buy more of their alcohol from liquor retailers in shopping centres.”
Dive also favours Arena, an owner of childcare properties. “On our numbers, Arena is on a cash-flow multiple of about 8 times and yielding around 5 per cent, after heavy price falls this year.”
ARENA’s weighted average lease expiry is 20 years, it mostly rents space to not-for-profit organisations and the Albanese government has committed to making childcare more affordable. “That’s good for demand for childcare property,” says Dive.