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.
Introducing: INREV Living Fund Index
INREV has launched the Living Fund Index, a quarterly index measuring net asset value performance of commingled European non-listed Living real estate funds targeting institutional investors. Launched in 2025, the index includes historical data going back to 2001 and provides a robust index for performance analysis and decision-making across the rapidly growing Living segment.
IQ Blog: The rising importance of the living sector in non-listed portfolios
If you’ve been watching trends in the European non-listed real estate, one thing is clear: the Living sector is dominating the scene. Comprising residential and student housing funds, living is now the largest segment within the INREV Fund Index.
IQ Blog: European living sector outperformed wider fund index in both short- and long-term
With 25 years of historical data, the Living Fund Index offers a comprehensive view of historical performance in this segment. And the results speak for themselves: showing living funds have outperformed the wider Fund index not only in recent quarters but consistently over time.
Insights: painting a clearer picture
Since 2024, INREV has 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.
Institutional Investment in European PRS: Identifies the conditions under which different types of institutional capital can most effectively contribute to solving Europe’s housing supply crisis
What members say about the Residential Paper series
New snapshot: Bridging the housing crisis gap with institutional capital
Europe faces a structural housing shortage, with chronic undersupply driving up prices and rents across all segments. Policies such as rent controls may alleviate symptoms, but long-term solutions require a sustained increase in housing supply, supported by consistent frameworks and the mobilisation of private capital.
INREV’s latest snapshot on affordable housing explores the scale of the challenge and how institutional investors can help deliver affordable, sustainable housing.
New IQ blog: The impact of tax and regulation on investor appetite
Tax and regulation play a decisive role in shaping investment decisions and capital flows across Europe. INREV’s latest IQ blog, ‘The impact of tax and regulation on investor appetite’, explores how regulatory clarity and policy alignment can unlock investment at scale.
Read the article
Case studies