JPMorgan plans $1 bln Asia property spree

HONG KONG (Reuters) - JPMorgan plans to invest more than $1 billion in Asian real estate over the next three years, hoping to fill a gap as Indian and Chinese developers crave funds and lenders and rival investors recoil from property markets.

The investment bank, which has fared better than some Wall Street rivals because of smaller exposure to subprime mortgage investments, is using its global special opportunities group to finance Asian property firms and their projects.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for us at a time when a lot of our competitors are scaling down because of difficulties accessing their balance sheet," the group's Asia real estate head, Bryan Southergill, told Reuters in an interview.

"In the next three years we aim to invest north of a billion dollars in this part of the world, if market conditions allow," Southergill said.

"We're cautious about equity, aggressive on mezzanine financing, and we'll take our time during this period of market consolidation to build long-term relationships with companies we're going to invest with."

Many Chinese and Indian developers are struggling to complete ambitious projects because local banks have clamped down on lending to the construction industry and a stock market slump has closed off equity raising through initial public offerings.

Foreign investors are also shying away from markets where risks, as well as returns, are traditionally high. But because of a shortage of funds, developers are starting to offer plum deals.