In 2023, Central Europe’s commercial real estate market faced a notable decline in investment volumes. Dropping by 55% year on year, the region’s total investment volume accounted for €5.02 billion. Of the six countries surveyed by Cushman & Wakefield, Poland experienced the most significant downturn of 68%, with its share of the total CEE volume also dropping. The highest proportion of the capital went into the office sector, which also recorded the sharpest outward movement in terms of yields. Local and regional investors accounted for two-thirds of the investment transaction volumes, a significant increase from the previous years. Despite challenges, the market demonstrates resilience, particularly in the logistics and residential sectors, spotlighting areas of growth potential.

Industrial demand has shifted from logistics service providers to manufacturing companies. CBRE is reporting a year-on-year increase of 22 percentage points to a 53% share of total demand in the Czech Republic.

Higher borrowing costs and the price gap between buyers' and sellers' expectations are some of the reasons why transaction volumes are significantly below the 10-year average level of ca. €10 billion. This is according to a commercial real estate investment volumes survey by Colliers presented at a February meeting of Czech and Slovak investors and other financial experts.

Although office leasing opportunities are already very limited in Prague, the good news is that Colliers' survey has reported rather stable rental prices throughout the last year.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is launching a new data list, alongside a thought leadership paper which explores and aids valuers in incorporating ESG into their work.

After an unprecedented rise in interest rates, the CE REIF fund has reassessed the price of real estate in its portfolio. Last year's loss is reaching almost 30%, reports DennikN.sk. It is the first real estate fund in Slovakia that has admitted the problems of commercial real estate.

PropertyTalents is excited to announce its flagship BE Mixer Amsterdam Edition, a premier networking event tailored for the real estate industry's luminaries. Scheduled for 19 February 2024, from 18:00 to 22:00 at the iconic Dickys Grand Café, Gustav Mahlerplein 110, Amsterdam.

Despite the not-very-encouraging forecasts made by experts at the end of 2022, the office market in the Kyiv region in 2023 demonstrated stability and strengthening demand. Iryna Nastych talked to market experts and summarised the situation in an article prepared by the Ukrainian Real Estate Club for Property Forum  

Slovenia is currently grappling with a pressing need for affordable rental housing as demand continues to outpace available supply. Thus, the Minister for Solidarity and the Future, Simon Maljevac, has unveiled an ambitious public policy plan aimed at constructing additional housing units. Dr Aleš Pustovrh, the EECFA’s Slovenian researcher,  has delved into the key components of the government's strategy, examining the challenges it faces and the potential impact on the housing landscape in Slovenia.

Whilst significant ink has flowed in relation to the ‘E’ pillar from the vast ESG spectrum, the ‘S’ pillar is beginning to catch up in prominence particularly in the office sector across the UK and Continental Europe. Post-Covid behaviours have had a massive impact on the office offering and workforce demands - the office is by no means dead, but its role has certainly had a significant rethink, writes Mirela Calota, Director, Deal Advisory - Real Estate and Infrastructure at KPMG, in an article prepared for Property Forum.