German funds have always been one of the main players on the investment market in Poland and the CEE region. However, in recent years their share in transaction volume has been decreasing. Currently, they stand at around 15% of the total value invested annually. New entrants from the USA, Asia and South Africa have increased competition for commercial property in the region. Poland and the Czech Republic are still the CEE markets of choice for German investors seeking to locate their capital in commercial real estate.

As we’re approaching the end of the current cycle, investors allocate more capital to more crisis-resilient asset classes, including student housing. Samuel Vetrak, CEO of StudentMarketing, talked to Property Forum about recent developments on the CEE student housing market. Samuel will also present about the student housing asset class and chair a panel discussion at the upcoming Portfolio Property Investment Forum 2018 in Budapest.

Immofinanz is driving the expansion of its Stop Shop retail park brand and has now purchased eight retail parks in Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia. The purchase price totals approximately €90.5 million. The newly acquired properties are fully rented and generate an annual rental income of roughly €7.2 million, which represents a gross return of 8.0%. These transactions increase Immofinanz’s Stop Shop portfolio to 80 locations in nine countries with over 567,000 sqm of rentable space and a carrying amount of approx. €800 million. Further acquisitions are currently under evaluation, and two Stop Shops in Poland and Serbia are now in the active development phase.

For the first time in five years, Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay has replaced New York’s Upper 5th Avenue as the world’s most expensive retail street by rental value, according to data from Cushman & Wakefield. The Czech Republic has made it into the top 20 world’s most expensive retail streets. With rents of €230 per sqm per month, Prague’s Na Příkopě Street is at No. 19, leaping three positions up from the last year

CPI Property Group unveiled its new plans and projects at MAPIC. The Group plans to refurbish the Campona shopping centre in Budapest, extend Královo Pole in Brno and Olympia in Pilsen and remodel the food court in the Ogrody shopping centre in Elblag, Poland.

Construction has begun at Infinity, a modern office project developed jointly by Avestus Real Estate and European Property Investors Special Opportunities 4 (EPISO 4), a fund advised by Tristan Capital Partners. Located in the very centre of Wrocław at John Paul II Square (at the intersection of Legnicka and Nabycińska Streets), Infinity will offer 22,036 sqm of lettable area. The ground works have commenced with completion of the building scheduled for Q3 2020.

Between Q1 and Q3 2018, demand for office space in Poland reached nearly 1.1 million sqm, signalling a continued strong market momentum. JLL summarised the situation on the Polish office market at the end of Q3 2018.

Technology is not going to completely reshape the property business overnight, mentality and infrastructure developments will define the speed of adaptation in different parts of the world. Over 120 real estate professionals came together at Property Technology Forum Europe 2018 in Warsaw, co-organised by Property Forum and RICS, to discuss the future of the profession.

Skanska and local developer Prime Kapital might share the 11-hectare Griro platform in Bucharest, controlled by businessmen Nicolae Badea and Fatih Taher, in a €50 million transaction, according to market sources.

Panattoni Europe plans to transform the former Škoda Plzeň complex in the Borské terasy area in Pilsen into a modern technological centre. The extensive 28-hectare brownfield is currently empty, but it has great infrastructure and is well connected to the surrounding industrial plants. Panattoni Europe’s plans are in line with the current development strategy of the city of Pilsen and are currently undergoing an EIA environmental impact assessment. The total amount of investment is estimated at more than €77 million (CZK 2 billion).