Experts participating at Portfolio's recent FM & Hybrid Office conference in Budapest discussed the present and future of the office market. The past 18 months have started a multitude of changes as WFH, the sub-leasing of office space, the change in internal configurations, the return to offices, sustainable management and changing tenant requirements have led to a substantial transformation in the lives of office market players. Experts agree that hybrid office use is currently the most likely outcome, as only a few businesses have adopted WFH full-time.

“An Investment in commercial property is attractive to investors who want to invest their money and generate higher yields. Commercial real estate investments are also becoming more popular with private investors to complement the portfolio”, explains Markus Arnold, CEO of Arnold Investments. This trend led to a strong half-year performance in the commercial sector for the investment brokers. With a transaction volume of about €100 million and 90,000 sqm of space brokered, the company declared a healthy six-month balance. “Two thirds of the transactions were concluded in Austria and one third in our other European branches where further deals are imminent. In most of the deals both buyers and sellers are advised by Arnold Investments”, reports Markus Arnold in greater detail.

Real estate market players in Romania could face new challenges if the current inflation pressures spill into the next years, said executives during an expert panel discussion that marked the launch of Property Forum’s first annual “The 50 Most Influential People on Romania’s Real Estate Market” publication.

Even under the challenging circumstances of the pandemic, Romania’s real estate market continued its dynamic growth. In celebration of this growth, Property Forum has decided to open a new chapter in its local operations and launch a unique annual publication listing the 50 most influential people on the local market which is now available for download.

A recent webinar organised by digital workspace solutions provider workcloud24 hosted three leading experts that shared their point of view on how people will work in the post-COVID-19 period backed up by surveys they recently conducted.

Panellists at our virtual European ESG Forum have pointed out that environmental, social and governance criteria are gaining prominence in property investment. Going forward, as ESG certifications become mainstream, securing funding for green buildings will be streamlined, according to the panellists.

The senior living aspect of the European healthcare market continues to attract new capital according to the “European Healthcare - A Growth Market” just released by Colliers. Strong demographic demand and limited supply of customer options are the drivers of the capital to this sector.

Savills has forecast the key ESG, investment and leasing trends for 2022 in 36 cities around the world as part of its 2021 global Impacts research programme. The international real estate advisor predicts that, globally, tech occupiers are set to dominate leasing activity, offices will be the most popular investment sector, prime real estate yields are set to remain largely static, and Asian cities are seemingly lagging behind others around the world when it comes to prioritising sustainable investment.

Arcadis published its Global Construction Disputes Report 2021 comparing the length, value, and ways of solving construction disputes in particular regions of Europe, Asia and North America.

New York, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo and San Francisco are the top five most resilient cities in the world, according to Savills, as they continue to harness their power as gateway locations, benefitting from a virtuous circle of large companies gathering to take advantage of business ecosystems and large talent bases, thereby attracting more talent, contributing to strong economic performance and robust real estate markets.