On 4 December 2018, Balkans Property Forum 2018, a conference and networking event for real estate professionals from all over Southeastern Europe will be held in Belgrade. Over 100 guests will come together in the Serbian capital to discuss key issues and explore the latest trends influencing the future of the real estate industry. Key speaker of the event, co-organized by Property Forum and RICS, answered questions about the local real estate market.

With reduced tolerance for risk in property acquisitions, the use of title insurance has increased. Fifteen years after its introduction, it continues to play a growing role in the CEE real estate market. Jean-Bernard Wurm, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Secure Legal Title, London talked to Property Forum about the title insurance market in CEE.

The world of retail is transforming rapidly with key market players predicting the fall of secondary locations and the continued strong performance of prime locations in major cities. Rik Eertink, Retail Fund Manager of CBRE Global Investors’ talked to Property Forum at Expo Real about the future of retail investments.

As we’re approaching the end of the current cycle, investors allocate more capital to more crisis-resilient asset classes, including student housing. Samuel Vetrak, CEO of StudentMarketing, talked to Property Forum about recent developments on the CEE student housing market. Samuel will also present about the student housing asset class and chair a panel discussion at the upcoming Portfolio Property Investment Forum 2018 in Budapest.

Facility managers are no longer the ones that only change the light bulbs or make sure the toilets are clean. FM has grown up and is creating a work environment that supports its users to be able to work productively. Lara Paemen, Director of IFMA Europe, who recently spoke at Property Technology Forum Europe in Warsaw, talked to Property Forum about new trends in facility management.

While investors in CEE are figuring out what is the best operating model for maximising hotel investments and returns, international investors are flooding the market to acquire assets. Marius Gomola MRICS, Managing Director of Horwath HTL Hungary and Founder of HOTCO talked to Property Forum about recent developments on CEE hotel markets.  

One of the most active commercial property developers of Budapest is expanding its portfolio. In addition to several office projects, it started the Hungarian capital’s first retail development in nearly a decade. Tibor Tatár, Futureal’s CEO talked to Property Forum about new projects and the challenges a developer needs to face.

A new player has entered the advisory market in Hungary and it intends to become a dominant player on the country’s dynamically growing investment market. Chris Bell, Knight Frank’s Managing Director for Europe talked to Property Forum in Budapest about the new office, promising business lines and the effects of new technologies.

The first six months of 2018 haven’t been the strongest for the Hungarian investment market but the current pipeline of deals leaves much room for optimism regarding the remaining months of the year. Benjamin Perez-Ellischewitz MRICS, Regional Director and Head of Capital Markets Hungary at JLL talked to us about new investments, rising asset classes and game-changing technologies. 

Before 2016 nearly all transactions related to the acquisition of property in Poland were conducted in the form of asset deals. By now, share deals have become a popular alternative. Sylwia Toczyska, Director of Client Services at Vistra Poland talked to Property Forum about the current structure of transactions concluded in Poland.