Total demand on the Budapest office market in Q4 2017 reached 144,365 sqm, representing a 13% decrease year-on-year. The office vacancy rate has decreased to 7.5%, the lowest rate on record. The Budapest Research Forum published its latest figures.

In 2017 the Bucharest office market has posted results close to the 2016 record ones, taking into consideration transactions in Class A and B buildings. 2018 is expected to bring growth and new demand from players that are going to enter the market, but also of the existent ones who will extend or relocate. The annual Knight Frank report – European Commercial Property Outlook – estimates that European commercial property markets enter 2018 with positive momentum.

Skanska’s commercial development business unit in Central Eastern Europe will be the first developer worldwide to cover office buildings with semi-transparent perovskite solar cells on a commercial scale. Saule Technologies will be the technology provider. The initial implementation tests are planned for 2018 in Poland.

pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank provided an investment facility of €41.4 million to companies owned by a professional private real estate investor and managed by development and investment company Amesbury s.r.o. The funds will be used to refinance the Zlicin and Chrastany business parks near Prague. Thereby pbb extended the maturity of its financing by another five years. The transaction closed in December 2017.

Colliers REMS Hungary has been assigned by Skanska for the role of property manager for Mill Park Offices, from 2018. Mill Park is Skanska’s latest office project in Budapest, consisting of two buildings, Mill Park A and Mill Park B, with a total GLA of 36,000 sqm, divided over 7 floors and 538 parking places. Building B will be delivered in Q2 2018, while building A in Q3 2018.

From its handover in January 2018, Cushman & Wakefield has been assigned with the property management of the 15,647 sqm Váci Greens D office building developed by Atenor.

Microsoft has launched a tender to consolidate its Bucharest offices in a new location. The company is looking for 20,000 sqm of modern office space and is willing to pay around €3 million a year for rent, zf.ro reports citing market sources.

Skanska invests €50 million in the second phase of Generation Park, an office project located in Warsaw, Poland. The second building, with a total leasable area of about 18,300 square meters, will comprise 16 stories above ground and two stories of underground parking. The investment will also include four underground parking levels for the planned third building.

Spaces, a global concept from the Netherlands and offering solutions from the area of flexible workplaces and co-working, has leased 4,200 sqm of office space in Centrum Marszałkowska. As a consequence, Warsaw will become the brand’s first location in Poland. Experts from JLL advised Spaces on the process of negotiating lease terms. Baker & McKenzie supported the company in all legal aspects. The developer of Centrum Marszałkowska - BBI Development - was represented by CBRE and Markowska - Materla law firm.

Berlin Hyp and Erste Group Bank have jointly provided Immofinanz a five year secured loan in the amount of €205 million. The syndicate is providing Immofinanz a “one stop” portfolio-refinancing for their office portfolio in Warsaw and is thus replacing seven existing, individual real estate loans. Agent for this transaction is Berlin Hyp.