Despite the ongoing disruption of the pandemic, investment volumes for the first three quarters of 2021, totalling €7.3 billion, are down just 10% year-on-year and ca. 20% lower than the same period of 2019.  Colliers estimates that 2021 year-end volumes will reach similar levels as in 2020 of between €10.0 and €11.0 billion.

Colliers has just launched a new report titled Commercial Real Estate – our industry today, tomorrow, and beyond: Engage, Evolve, Accelerate. By publishing this report, Colliers is providing a comprehensive guide for corporate occupiers and industry stakeholders on how to approach the commercial real estate and workplace landscape as we emerge post-pandemic. This will enable the adaption of occupational strategies, rethinking of organisational operating models and the delivery of enhanced growth in the next cycle.

Shopping malls need to boost their leisure propositions, while retailers must enhance their omnichannel strategies, mentioned speakers during the retail panel of SEE Property Forum 2021, Property Forum's annual event in Bucharest. 

Rising construction costs and strong demand from investors are at play, of course, but the picture is a lot more complicated than that. Players of the dynamically growing private rental sector (PRS) discussed market trends at Living Investment Forum 2021, Property Forum's annual event in Warsaw. 

Banks loans dominate the financing market for property development, but the stock exchange, EU funds and state aid are emerging instruments, suggested speakers during the lenders vs borrowers panel of SEE Property Forum 2021, Property Forum's annual event in Bucharest.   

The performance of sectors relevant to the commercial real estate market improved in the second quarter of 2021, while the positive impact of growth on the real estate market fell short of that observed in previous cycles, partly due to the direct impact of the pandemic (lasting drop in tourism) and partly to uncertainties resulting from the trends accelerated by the pandemic (penetration of home office and e-commerce), the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) said in its latest Commercial Real Estate Market Report. In addition to an overview of the office, warehouse, hotel and retail markets, the report also reveals that the ratio of domestic investors in all property deals was nearly 80%, even higher than in the especially active year of 2019.

Croatia’s remarkable recovery from the brutal impact that the COVID-19 epidemic had on the country in 2020 is, like its construction boom, both real and smoke and mirrors, both temporary and long-term, according to Michael Glazer (SEE Regional Advisors) and Tatjana Halapija (Nada Projekt), the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association’s members in Croatia.

The Romania property sector could use more institutional investors, suggested speakers during the international investors’ panel of SEE Property Forum 2021, Property Forum's annual event in Bucharest.

The global drive to advance sustainability is creating considerable uncertainty in the investment market for real estate, according to a new report by Colliers EMEA. The report, ‘ESG: A Tipping Point’, points to an urgent need for policymakers to agree on pragmatic, actionable targets that will support the creation of clear, consistent technical standards and benchmarks enabling the reallocation of both capital and skills as investors rush to factor new ESG realities into decision-making.

Prices for new homes will grow as developers are facing higher construction costs and deal with surging inflation, mentioned speakers during the residential market panel of SEE Property Forum 2021, Property Forum's annual event in Bucharest.