The Central Bank of Hungary (MNB) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors relaunched the questionnaire-based survey research on Budapest’s commercial real estate market, with the review period of H2 2017. Over the preceding two years the typical rent for commercial properties observed for most property types has increased by more than 15 percent until the end of the second half of 2017. Prime yields for the office market and shopping centres approached the historical minimum observed in 2007 with 10-25 basis points. Most of the survey respondents expect an increase in demand in both the investment and the tenant markets for commercial properties in the next 6 months, however, with regards the development activity, the majority of respondents foresee an unchanged level or a drop in demand for several types of property.

Landlords and tenants have become more educated in recent years. Landlords know better what to request from PM providers and tenants know what they should expect in a modern office building. Mariana Stamate, Associate Director, Head of Property Management at JLL Romania provided an overview of the property management business in Romania.

Hungarian entrepreneur Sándor Demján has died at the age of 74 on 26 March, Gránit Pólus, of which he was the Founder and Chairman, announced.

Alesonor, a Greek-held property development company, plans to invest €100 million in an energy-efficient residential project in the northern part of Bucharest.

Bistrita Retail Park will be inaugurated in May 2018, Element Development, the park’s announced. The list of tenants for the nearly 8,000 sqm retail park include, among others, Carrefour Market, JYSK, Decathlon and Top Shop.

A new Class A office building in downtown Budapest was inaugurated on this week. The building under Markó Street 9, originally used as an electrical transformer house, has now received a new identity. The 2,630 sqm floor area of the five-storey building – two of which come with a loft – is tailored primarily to meet requirements of creative workshops, start-up companies and other undertaking taking an up-to-date approach in general.

Mulberry Development, a real estate developer controlled by businessman Ovidiu Sandor, has announced the launch of the second phase for ISHO Offices, a mixed-use project in Timisoara.

Last week an affiliate of U.S. private equity firm Starwood Capital Group (SOF-11 Starlight 10 EUR) announced that it intends to make a voluntary partial public takeover offer for the acquisition of up to 5% in Immofinanz. The Executive Board of Immofinanz determined that the offer price is too low.

Ikea plans to build its third store in Romania next to the city of Timisoara. The Swedish retailer has reportedly applied for a permit to build a roundabout that would allow access to the future store. Ikea also plans to open stores in Brasov and Cluj-Napoca.

Real estate developer Werk Property Group is planning to invest €14 million in Vox Vertical Village, a residential project in Timisoara. The development of the 120 housing units is scheduled to start soon with completion scheduled for the end of 2019.