Avison Young has significantly increased its CEE presence in recent months and the company is planning further expansion. Gerry Hughes, Principal and President of Avison Young Europe talked to Property Forum about the firm’s strategy for CEE and shared his expectations regarding the future of the advisory business.

Between January and March 2021, nearly 93,000 sqm of retail stock was delivered in Poland, a result comparable to the same period last year. The structure of new supply included only two large-scale formats: stand-alone retail warehouses (55% of new space) and retail parks (31%). Convenience centres claimed the remaining 14%. The largest scheme delivered was an Agata Meble store (11,000 sqm) in Jelenia Góra. JLL summarised the conditions on Poland’s retail market at the end of the first quarter of 2021.

Radisson Hotel Group announced the opening of Hotel Imperial Plovdiv, a member of Radisson Individuals. The newest addition to the portfolio of the Radisson Individuals brand, which initially launched in Europe in Q4 2020, also marks the group’s return to the Bulgarian market.

An increase in European Union funding available to Central and Eastern European governments will boost GDP growth, suppress debt burdens and improve debt affordability, although implementation challenges will hinder gains in some countries, Moody's Investors Service said in a new report.

Hungarian real estate brokerage firm Otthon Centrum has completed an €8 million (HUF 2.9 billion) bond issue under the National Bank of Hungary's (MNB) Bond Funding for Growth Scheme. This marks the first time the company has taken part in the central bank's bond programme.

Budapest’s office market statistics for Q1 2021 continued to reflect the uncertainties and economic slowdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. While quarterly demand remained somewhat weaker than in previous years, the gap narrowed as the number of transactions showed recovery, according to the Budapest Research Forum (BRF).

Nhood Services Hungary, the operator of Auchan hypermarkets in the country, will embark on the renovation of Auchan Korzó retail asset in Soroksár, Budapest.

International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the Word Bank Group, is providing a €72 million loan to a subsidiary of Iulius Holding for the development of a new green office project in Iași, northeastern Romania. 

Radovan Patrick Vítek, the son of CPI Property Group’s Radovan Vítek, acquired an 8.38% stake in Austrian real estate group Immofinanz. He acquired the shares through Mountfort Investments, according to a major holdings notification published by Immofinanz. This purchase makes 23-year-old Vítek the third-largest shareholder of Immofinanz-

In light of the pandemic, HB Reavis is reassessing its approach to divestments. Peter Pecnik, Poland Country CEO and Group CFO of HB Reavis talked to Property Forum about COVID-19’s impact on the Polish office market and also shared details about the company’s financing strategy.