The residential market in Prague continues to grow strongly. According to data from BuiltMind, over 2,100 newly built units were sold in the first quarter of 2025, almost 15% more than in the previous quarter.

The share of renegotiations of lease contracts on the Czech office market is increasing, currently hovering at around 50% of all concluded transactions. A growing number of companies are preferably extending their existing lease rather than moving to new premises after their lease expiry, reports Colliers. 

The GBCI Europe Circle conference was established to provide the LEED community in Europe with a space for professional and social exchange. The next edition is scheduled to take place in Prague from May 14-16 and Property Forum is proud to be joining the event as Media Partner. More about the event’s significance and program has been shared by Kay Killman, Managing Director of GBCI Europe, Vessela Valtcheva-McGee, Director Market Development EE and Simona Kalvoda, Executive Director of the Czech Green Building Council (CZGBC).

Over the past year, leasing activity in the industrial real estate market in Slovakia has slowed with demand shifts in the automotive, retail and e-commerce sectors. The starting point for insights into logistics trends at Bratislava Property Forum 2025 has been well set taking the discussion further touching the risks, opportunities, new construction law and adaptability.

During a geopolitically turbulent period, the core capital is usually focusing on the domestic market. However, CEE investors do not hesitate to seek opportunities in neighbouring markets, bearing in mind the importance of diversification and the need for strategic partnerships to manage risks and maximise returns. These strategies and challenges have been discussed at Bratislava Property Forum 2025 in the panel focused on commercial real estate, chaired by Rudolf Nemec MRICS, Partner & Head of Capital Markets at Cushman & Wakefield Slovakia.

Family offices are eager to expand their real estate investments, viewing the sector as a strong opportunity for both growth and wealth preservation, finds Knight Frank's Wealth Report. 

The Ukrainian housing sector continues to face significant challenges due to the ongoing conflict. However, the Government of Ukraine is actively implementing various initiatives to support citizens affected by the war. As of early April, over 100,000 homes have been restored, as announced by Oleksiy Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community and Territorial Development, during a meeting of the Ukrainian Donor Platform in Kyiv. The Ukrainian Real Estate Club has summarised the situation for Property Forum.

The residential market remains a solid pillar of the real estate development business in Slovakia. However, as the discussion at Bratislava Property Forum 2025 revealed, it is rather sensitive to inflation, changes in interest rates, and government policies impacting affordability and the potential of alternative residential models.

President Donald Trump announced new import tariffs on all goods entering the US effective as of April 2, hitting equities, long term yields and CEE-based currencies. In response to these global tariffs, growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026 are being revised in the CEE, according to a report by Erste Group. 

Development financing in Slovakia has been challenging recently because of banks‘ high equity requirements and stringent pre-lease/pre-sale conditions, revealed panellists during a discussion at Bratislava Property Forum 2025 about property financing. On the good side, interest rates are expected to remain stable, with Slovakia's financing costs closer to Western Europe than Southern markets.