Australia’s major office sales markets could be headed for a record year in 2022 led by the return of Melbourne after its long lockdown, the weight of capital chasing long leases on quality buildings and the growing impact of environmental, social and governance considerations on investment decisions.

Benjamin Henry-Martin from Real Capital Analytics said $16.7 billion in office deals above $20 million had settled by late December, well up on the 2020 tally of $11.2 billion, setting the scene for a strong year ahead.