Southeast Europe is entering a new cycle: investment strategies are shifting, digitalisation is accelerating, tourism is reshaping demand, and developers are navigating a more complex macro environment. Against this backdrop, Balkans Property Forum 2025 returns to Belgrade on 9 December for the ninth time to bring together the people shaping the region’s real estate future.

At CEE Property Forum 2025, a panel of senior real estate leaders examined how investors can build resilience in a rapidly changing market. Moderated by Clare Sheils, Managing Director of CBRE in the Czech Republic, the discussion explored how ESG, technology, shifting customer expectations and evolving legal frameworks are redefining what it takes to maintain strong, future-proof portfolios in the region.

The value of projects entering construction in July-September 2025 exceeded HUF 1,000 billion at current prices, the second highest level in the past ten years, according to the latest EBI Construction Activity Report Hungary.

Although rental deposit alternatives have long been standard across many Western European markets – as in Switzerland, where the "Mietkaution" model is widely established – in Poland, such solutions are still relatively new. Bingo-Rent is the first Polish fintech working to change this by introducing a rental deposit surety service.

GTC reported rental revenues of €152 million in the first nine months of 2025, up 9% from €139 million in the same period of 2024. The increase followed the acquisition of a residential portfolio in Germany, which contributed €18 million, partially offset by a €4 million decrease after the sale of the GTC X and Matrix C properties.

The investment panel at the 2025 CEE Property Forum brought together leading dealmakers to examine how the flow of capital into the region is being reshaped by a mix of global uncertainty and local opportunity. Guided by moderator Philipp Zschaler, Managing Partner and Head of the Real Estate Industry Group at Andersen Germany, the discussion moved beyond headline trends to explore how investor profiles, pricing expectations, and cross-border strategies are shifting as markets across Central and Eastern Europe recalibrate.

AFI has secured a €537 million refinancing package for three projects in its portfolio: AFI Cotroceni, AFI Brașov, and AFI Ploiești. This represents the largest real estate refinancing transaction in Romania, reinforcing AFI's commitment to the growth and development of its projects in the country.

The financing panel at CEE Property Forum 2025, chaired by Dorota Wysokińska-Kuzdra, Senior Partner and Head of Corporate Finance & Living Services CEE at Colliers, offered a sharp look at how lenders and investors are navigating a more complex capital environment. Rather than revisiting familiar challenges, the discussion focused on the practical shifts reshaping funding strategies across CEE — from the rising cost of debt and the search for liquidity to the evolving role of bonds, banks, and alternative capital sources.

Property Forum is proud to present the second edition of its annual publication, once again celebrating the movers and shakers shaping the constantly evolving CEE real estate market. To access the publication, please click here.

Confidence is returning across CEE real estate markets, with investor sentiment shifting from cautious optimism to execution, according to Colliers. The region continues to demonstrate resilience, supported by moderating inflation, solid household consumption, and strong employment levels.