Reits should go beyond minimum disclosure standards

WHEN the manager of Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust (A-Reit) announced the purchase of a property in Australia last week, it provided just about all the information an investor could want.

It said the prime grade logistics property located in Sydney is currently under development by a company called Larapinta Project. It gave the purchase consideration of A$23.5 million (or S$21.2 million), which comprises the land and development cost as well as 9.5 months of rental guarantee by the vendor.

It also explained that the price tag for the property is 19.8 per cent lower than its "as if complete" market valuation, which Knight Frank NSW Valuation & Advisory had estimated to be A$29.3 million as at June 30, 2020.