The activity on the Bulgarian real estate market was strongly affected by the COVID-19 crisis, but we saw more resilience for the investment and industrial sectors which registered both an increase during the last year. For 2021, the forecasts are still positive for the investment property market and for the industrial development sector, according to the Sofia City Report H2 2020, released by JLL Romania with the support of IPC Partners Bulgaria.

Budapest’s housing market is becoming more eventful for used and newly-built homes alike as sales have started to pick up in early 2021. As a result, developers sold more than 1,600 new homes between December 2020 and February 2021, nearly half the total number of new homes sold last year. At this rate, total sales figures may even double this year. As usual, most new homes were sold in Budapest's District 13, but the Inner Pest districts have also attracted large numbers of buyers. Data from the Budapest Housing Market Report by Eltinga and Ecorys reveals the number of new homes sold early this year in various locations.

Investors and developers from all over the world are in a race for a slice of Poland's rapidly-developing warehouse market cake. Property Forum takes a look at the new and expanding players that have made headlines in recent months.

Part of the Glamox Group, ES-SYSTEM, a producer and supplier of professional lighting systems, has decided to let nearly 11,500 sqm of modern warehouse and office space in the 7R Park Poznań East logistics centre. The tenant was represented in the negotiation process by AXI IMMO consultants.  

In 2020, the total volume invested in land acquisitions in the Bucharest – Ilfov region reached €194 million, reflecting a 6.5% decrease compared to 2019, according to Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.  

Trei Real Estate’s development portfolio grew by 33 percent to €1.2 billion in 2020 from €900 million in 2019. The sum total breaks down into €1.0 billion in residential real estate and c. €200 million in retail real estate. The proprietary portfolio of Trei maintained its total of c. €1.2 billion and it includes 349 assets.

Czech development group Horizon has a record year behind it, despite the uncertainty and difficult conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the company's total revenue from the sale of 337 units in five different projects reached €100 million (CZK 2.7 billion). Horizon plans to build around a thousand more units this year and will put another 550 apartments on sale.

The Jumbo toy retailer invests €35 million in its first warehouse in Romania, Profit.ro announced.

OTP Bank announced that it is granting a loan of approximately €9 million to Oasis Retail Development & Consulting, for the construction of the Prima Shops Sibiu retail park.

Public transport expert Dávid Vitézy, CEO of the governmental organisation Budapest Development Agency (BFK), was recently invited by RICS to join its ranks as a Fellow Member, recognizing his unique professional knowledge. On the occasion of this new appointment, he talked to Property Forum about the future he imagines for Budapest.