Another year in the commercial real estate market in Poland is coming to an end. Although the figures for the last 12 months are yet to be published, we can safely say that this year was definitely a good one for the Polish market. Experts from Colliers International selected 10 events that had a major impact on the shape of the real estate market in Poland.

According to research conducted by JLL, the flexible office space sector in Europe has more than doubled since 2014, driven by the development of start-ups, creative industries, and small- and medium-sized companies. Furthermore, the combination of high tenant activity with the business plans of the world's largest operators means that the volume of flexible space in most European cities will have likely increased by 20-40% in 2018 alone.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, the total amount invested in commercial real estate will exceed €2.8 billion in 2018 in the Czech Republic. The market has been the most active in the fourth quarter when approximately a half of the total annual volume of investments has been transacted. Czech investors have invested almost €2 billion, accounting for 65% of investments in the Czech Republic. Of the total investment volume, 60% has been invested in Prague and the rest in the regions. The year’s biggest transaction is the sale of CTP’s three industrial parks to Deka Immobilien, a leading German investor, for €460 million.

The European property sector is expected to grow and bring new opportunities, despite continued downside risks, according to CBRE’s 2019 EMEA Market Outlook report.

December is a time for Romania to score positive results for sales at supermarkets, hypermarkets or discounters as well as for gifts, offering generous returns for retailers in shopping centres and preferring apparel rather than electronic goods relative to other Europeans. The season’s celebrations are a recurring highlight each year for the office segment as well, as both landlords and tenants invest in promoting the holiday spirit.

Market sentiment remains positive across Central and Eastern Europe, according to the RICS Commercial Property Monitor. Strong demand from tenants and investors persists in almost all market segments but the number of signs that some markets have reached their peak continues to grow.

Warsaw is experiencing growing demand for offices, absorption of new space, decreasing vacancy rates, and is expected to see rental growth and strong investment volumes. Next year, the city should further cement its dominant position as a thriving business hub and a regional leader in terms of economic growth and office market maturity. These economic fundamentals show no signs of slowing down, according to a report by JLL.

Market players are optimistic of the future of the SEE property market, according to the speakers of Balkans Property Forum 2018, co-organized by Property Forum and RICS in Belgrade, which brought together more than 150 industry experts.

Deals of over €4 billion have been signed during the last five years on the Romanian real estate market, with the most active buyers being investors from South Africa, with a market share of 28%, followed by Greek investors (14%), French (10%) and Romanians (7%), according to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, commercial real estate in the first three quarters of 2018 the total investment volume in six CEE countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Russia) reached €8.9 billion. Investment activity in Poland exceeded the value recorded for the whole of 2017 and is expected to reach a record high of €6 billion by the year’s end. The sustainable and solid performance was recorded in Hungary and Slovakia with volumes hitting those in 2017, whereas Russia, the Czech Republic and Romania are expected to close the year at lower investment volumes, slightly below the 2017 levels.