However, the direct route may prove too costly - or too risky - for the average investor. Fierce competition at commercial auctions is pushing bid prices up, and rental yields down. At Cushman & Wakefield's last commercial sale, the average lot size was £900,000 - a lot of money for a private investor to tie up in a single, illiquid asset.
However, auctions are not the only way to gain access. Rising interest in commercial property investment has prompted property adviser Strutt & Parker to launch an enhanced range of services for private clients who have a minimum of £100,000 to invest.