Speakers at 2021 Property Investment Outlook 2021, an online event organised by Property Forum, have indicated unbroken market optimism. From living investments through the retail market to the office segment, participants in panel discussions expected positive changes and further growth in the CEE property market.

At the end of 2020, GTC’s property portfolio reached €2.1 billion while total revenues were at €160 million. Profit before tax and fair value adjustments reached €66 million in 2020, down from €73 million in 2019. Occupancy across the whole portfolio was steady at 91% despite a very challenging environment. GTC presented its 2020 financial results.

Multifamily investment has proven to be the most resilient real estate sector in Europe during 2020 and the new core, with a 6% increase year on year and a 17% increase on the past 5-year average, according to Savills.

2020 was a record year for industrial and logistics investment volumes with ca. €3.3 billion transacted and a 32% share of the total annual volumes, according to “The CEE Industrial Scene 2020-2021” released by Colliers.

Despite the difficulties caused by COVID-19, the year 2020 was a turning point, in a positive sense, for most Czech Proptech companies. as the pandemic situation created strong pressure to automate and digitize processes using modern technologies. These technologies include machine reading, artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things. Many companies have expanded to foreign markets, where Czech solutions for residential and commercial development are receiving positive responses. The Czech-Slovak Association of PropTech Companies has received feedback from 5 progressive companies.

The Austrian Takeover Commission notified Immofinanz that a review procedure is being initiated with respect to Immofinanz as the target company.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed the model of work around the world, attitudes on this matter are still visibly evolving – since the first wave of the lockdown until today the number of people working only from the office has increased by 26%. Almost half of employees go to the office every day, despite over 60% of respondents claiming that they do have comfortable working conditions at home. Employees in all surveyed countries indicated the ability to maintain a work-life balance and have direct conversations with co-workers as the biggest advantages of working in the office. These are only some of the conclusions drawn from a study conducted on behalf of Skanska office development unit in CEE.

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.

On 12 March, Belgian developer Atenor is launching an issue of 4-year and 6-year green bonds for a minimum amount of, respectively, €15 million and €50 million in the form of a public offer in Belgium open to retail investors and, to a certain extent, qualified investors.

Organiser Reed MIDEM announced that MIPIM 2021 has been moved from June to September due to continuing health and safety concerns. MIPIM September Edition, a hybrid event, is now scheduled to take place in Cannes, September 7-8, 2021.