Albania remains a dynamic real estate market, growing in both the retail and office sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic had a definite impact in the first quarter of 2020, but with the ease of the quarantine restrictions, the real estate market picked up and recorded higher than usual transaction volumes, particularly in the residential sector. Colliers Albania published its top 5 predictions for the Albanian property market in 2021.

The total stock of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Prague exceeds 28,400 beds. 91% of these capacities are in the ownership of universities and the remaining 9% is provided by the private sector, according to the latest Savills “Student Housing in Prague” report.

Over 230 real estate projects in Romania have been certified to meet health, safety and sustainability standards and the pandemic has boosted the efforts of developers to meet targets for such ratings, according to Colliers. 

The hunt for logistics properties is intensifying, many investors are looking for strip malls and specialised stores, new and premium office buildings are increasingly leaving obsolete ones behind. Commercial real estate advisor VLK Cresa summarised the last few months on the Hungarian property investment market.

Czech development group Horizon has announced the successful completion of the acquisition of 240,000 square metres of land from the Manghi Group in the village of Statenice in the district of Prague-West. The Aura - Bydlení Statenice residential project will be built on the newly-acquired plot, eventually offering over 500 units in the form of family houses and flats, while helping to strengthen local civic amenities. The start of development, as well as the sale of semi-detached houses and villas from the first phase of the project, is planned for this autumn.

Czech billionaire and businessman Petr Kellner died on Saturday in a helicopter accident in the Alaskan mountains, the New York Times reports. Petr Kellner, whose net worth has been estimated at $17.5 billion by Forbes, was aboard the Airbus AS350 B3 helicopter when it went down near Knik Glacier, Alaska. It is assumed that the group wanted to do heli-skiing in the mountains.

CPI Property Group plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030 and commits to transition all electricity purchases by the Group to 100% renewable sources by 2024. The company announced changes to the Group’s environmental strategy and targets.

Globalworth has released its Annual Report and Audited Consolidated Financial Results for the year ended 31 December 2020. The company’s approach to the COVID-19 business recovery process has resulted in balanced growth, with a net operating income increased by 6.5% to €157.3 million and a total combined portfolio value that remained effectively unchanged at €3.0 billion.

For 2020, CA Immo reported increased operating profit and a positive consolidated net profit. Portfolio growth through own project completions and portfolio acquisitions in combination with the continued high occupancy rate of the investment portfolio (occupancy rate: 95%) led to a further increase in net rental income (+8% compared to the previous year) and the operating result (+14%).

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.