Investment flows into the CEE region rose 70% year-on-year in Q1 2017. The level of €2.8 billion is some €0.5 billion higher than the preliminary estimate of €2.3 billion Colliers International published at the beginning of April. Money invested into the Czech Republic  (56% share) and Hungary (19% share) contributed particularly to the significant jump. Looking within the numbers, the retail sector accounted for nearly half (47%) of the flows, leaving the office sector trailing with a 21% share. Of interest and also a sign of buoyant economic growth, the fastest growth was seen in the hotel sector with a portfolio transaction contributing to the €415mn total (a 15% share). 

We live in the era of smart phones, smart watches, smart cars and smart homes. But are we ready for super smart office buildings? An article by By Stefania Baldovinescu, Senior Partner, Real Estate Management Services at Colliers International Romania.

The Czech property market saw exceptionally strong investment flows into commercial real estate in Q1 2017 worth €1.57 billion, which was almost double the transaction value compared with the same period of last year, according to Colliers International.

PZU’s office building in Wrocław – Komandorska 12 – has been recognized with an LEED Gold certificate. The building includes systems that control water, heat and energy consumption. Furthermore, its architecture ensures access to natural daylight on 80% of floor space. 

Poland’s industrial and warehouse sector recorded the strongest first quarter in its history. Schemes with the total area of 592,000 sqm were delivered to the market between January and the end of March, which represents as much as 45% of the total volume of 2016. BNP Paribas Real Estate highlights that the invariable driving force behind the market’s growth for the past several quarters have been businesses from the e-commerce sector.

The Budapest office market is booming and as the needs of tenants are changing, developers need to pay attention not only to sustainability but to employee well-being as well. Panelists at Portfolio’s FM & Office 2017 conference in Budapest talked about the future of the office market in the capital.

Eight months after earthworks began and the foundation stone was laid, all the floors of the first airport hotel in Hungary with direct terminal access have been constructed, and the highest point of the structure has been reached. During the traditional topping-out ceremony, the managers of developer Wing Zrt. and Budapest Airport announced that the hotel is due to receive the first guests at the end of this year, as planned.

CTP is launching a new mural art competition for illustrators, visual artists, painters and graphic designers – CTP Art Wall. For this project, CTP will provide enormous space – the walls of their own industrial buildings. In doing so, selected CTParks will create an outdoor art gallery.

SAP Slovakia, is renting over 3,000 sqm of office space within the Twin City office complex in Bratislava. SAP also included in its new lease contract approximately 120 underground parking spaces. The branch moved from the BBC V office building after having its seat there for the past 10 years.

In Q1 2017 a total of 970,000 sqm was leased on the warehouse market in Poland, 42% more than in Q1 2016. Developers put into operation 475,000 sqm and over 1.4 million sqm are under construction. Results for the first quarter of 2017 allow optimistic forecasts for the coming months according to AXI IMMO’s latest report.