The housing loan stock is now growing by only 1.2% in Romania, with the slowdown becoming noticeable starting with the second half of last year, while the number of apartment transactions fell by almost 30% in Bucharest and regional cities in the first five months of the year, according to Colliers. 

Hungarian property developer and investor Indotek Group currently owns real estate in Hungary and eight foreign countries and is actively screening opportunities in five others. The portfolio consists of office, retail, hotel and industrial properties. Property Forum asked Krisztián Hornok, Managing Director of International Transactions and Asset Management about the reasons for the large-scale expansion and ways of handling risks in this region.

Turbo Garant, the Bulgarian subsidiary of Belgium's Turbos Hoet Group, opened a remanufactured turbocharger plant near Sofia on June 15th, an investment project worth €2.8 million, the company said in a press release.

Despite numerous challenges, businesses in retail and manufacturing view their current state better than they did a year ago. The sentiment of warehouse tenants is presented in the latest Confidence Index report jointly prepared by CBRE and Panattoni.

Żabka Group has unveiled its automated logistics centre in Radzymin, just outside Warsaw. This facility is the largest and most technologically advanced addition to Żabka Group's logistics infrastructure. Enhanced with an automated high-bay warehouse and an internal transport system, the centre has been specifically designed to expedite logistics services for the Group’s stores.

According to a new report by JLL, total retail space under construction in Poland totalled 387,000 sqm at the end of Q1, with 69% generated by retail parks. In addition, nearly 94,000 sqm of the first quarter’s total was attributable to shopping centres with the largest projects being the Sukcesja shopping centre in Łódź (currently undergoing renovation), the Bawełnianka shopping centre in Bełchatów (already opened in April), and Galeria Goplana located in Leszno. The convenience retail format had the sector’s smallest percentage share in space under construction.

The first tenants have moved into the new logistics park at Maglód and Fót which has been developed by the Hungarian company HelloParks, a subsidiary of Futureal Group. The MG3 building at Maglód offers 46,000 sqm of modern industrial space while at Fót 26,000 sqm of logistics space is available in the FT6 building.

Romanian lender Banca Transilvania has leased 10,000 sqm of office space in Green Court A, the building in northern Bucharest owned by Globalworth.

Skanska has launched the sale of the second phase of Modřanský cukrovar, which will offer 126 apartments in four residential sections. The developer is applying sustainability principles in the construction and the planned construction of the apartment buildings is approaching the passive standard in the highest PENB energy performance category - A. Each apartment will already draw energy from photovoltaic panels on the roof and will be able to use recycled water. The developer expects to start construction this winter with completion expected in 2025.

Internet retailer Amazon has opened its new robotic distribution centre in Kojetin, Přerov region, where it plans to employ up to 2,000 workers. This is Amazon's second distribution centre in the Czech Republic, but the new one is equipped with the most advanced robotic technology, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reported.