High inflation and rising interest rates seem to have bitten in overall consumption. And although Serbia is likely to avoid recession in the short run, its real GDP growth is estimated to be a moderate 2%-4% this year and next with a downside risk being the looming recession in the EU. The rental housing market has been supported by the Russian and Ukrainian citizens settling down in Serbia, keeping rent rates high. Housing construction is still strong and although the volumes in building construction are already consolidating, big infrastructure projects could sustain civil engineering on all-high levels in the mid-term, according to Dejan Krajinović (Beobuild Core d.o.o.) at EECFA which conducts research on the construction markets of 8 Eastern-European countries, including Serbia.

In Q4 2022, Hungarian residential property prices fell by 3.6% compared to the previous quarter. The Central Bank of Hungary (MNB) reports the sharpest decline was seen in smaller municipalities.

CEE, much like the wider European market, continues to experience subdued market sentiment, while Romania remains a positive light in the region, the RICS Commercial Property Monitor for Q1 2023 reveals.

According to Savills’ latest research, European offices and logistics are the two commercial real estate sectors most shielded from energy shocks as utility costs account for a relatively small share of total business spending.

GTC’s adjusted EBITDA was at €101 million in 2022 (€113 million in 2021), while the net profit amounted to €25 million (€43 million in 2021). This mainly resulted from lower gross margin from operations, higher loss from revaluation and foreign exchange loss, partially offset by lower finance costs.

Geneva has overtaken London at this year's edition of Arcadis International Construction Costs Index 2023. The report 'New Horizons'' covers 100 cities. The index is based on a survey of construction costs which covers 20 building functions.

Despite the general slowdown of investment activity in Europe, properties in Poland remain attractive to both local and foreign investors. Avison Young Poland summarised the current situation in the Polish investment market.

Ukraine’s logistics real estate segment has suffered significant losses and destruction since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Russia targeted warehouses and about 500 thousand square meters of warehouse space was destroyed during the attack on the capital in the Kyiv region. Iryna Nastych summarised the situation in an article prepared by the Ukrainian Real Estate Club for Property Forum.

According to Savills' latest European logistics outlook, the take-up of industrial and logistics space across the continent totalled 37.5 million sqm in 2022. Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, this signifies a fall of only 6% on 2021’s total of 40.2 million sqm, which was a record high for the sector.

For the first time, Zagreb Property Forum was organised in the Croatian capital, bringing together real estate experts from the local market and beyond. The event confirmed increasing interest by investors and developers for Croatia, especially following the country’s admission to the Eurozone and the Schengen Area. However, given the global macroeconomic climate, uncertainty persists.