Investors in CEE are entering 2026 with higher activity than their Western European counterparts, according to a new survey conducted by CBRE.
Nearly 700 investors across Europe participated in the survey, with every fifth respondent either from the CEE region or actively focused on it.
"The CEE region is entering a phase of increased property portfolio turnover. Investors here show greater courage and are prepared to actively restructure their assets. This trend signals that the CEE market offers attractive opportunities for those seeking higher returns through property enhancement," says Jakub Stanislav, Head of Hotel Investments for the CEE and Head of Investment Properties at CBRE Czech Republic.
While the European average shows 56% of surveyed investors plan to increase purchasing activity, in CEE this figure reaches 58%. The difference is more pronounced on the selling side. Nearly half of CEE investors (48%) plan to sell more assets this year than in 2025, well above the European average (41%). Only 10% of CEE investors plan no sales - historically the lowest share, compared to 22% two years ago.
Warsaw has secured third place in the ranking of most attractive European cities for cross-border investment, its highest position ever. The Polish capital ranks among the top tier behind London and Madrid, surpassing Barcelona, Milan and traditional Western European destinations like Paris, which dropped to sixth place. "Warsaw benefits from stable macroeconomic foundations, strong demand across sectors and favourable property prices. For investors, it represents a combination of liquidity, growth potential and the opportunity to diversify risk beyond saturated Western European markets," says Stanislav. "Prague maintains a strong position on the regional investment map right behind Warsaw. Last year, total investment volume in Czech commercial real estate reached nearly €4.4 billion, with Prague confirming its strong position as one of the most attractive investment destinations globally."
CEE investors show greater interest in property enhancement through modernisation and change of use than Western European investors. This approach is chosen by 41% of them, while the European average is 37%. Investors in CEE focus more on improving buildings, selective redevelopments and higher-yield opportunities rather than already stabilised assets with predictable income.
