The Q1 2021 results of the RICS Global Commercial Property Monitor indicate a slightly less negative market sentiment across Europe compared to the previous quarter. Rental growth expectations remain negative within the office and retail sectors across all European nations covered, while the outlook for industrial markets has never been more positive.

The volume of new real estate investments in Romania amounted to €98 million in the first quarter of 2021, driven by the office and industrial segments. The investments were down 19% compared to the same period of 2020, according to a report by CBRE. 

The industrial and logistics sector continues with strong momentum while large scale office transactions have slowed in European investment volumes, as many countries saw overall activity halve in comparison to Q1 2020, notes Colliers. In Poland, liquidity is returning to the office market, which can be confirmed by the number of transactions.

On 14 April 2021, CPI Property Group S.A. and Aroundtown SA unilaterally announced a firm intention to make a cash offer for the share capital of Globalworth not already owned or controlled by them at €7.00 per Globalworth share. On 19 April 2021, Globalworth announced the formation of an independent committee of the Board to evaluate the offer.

Revenues of Impact Developer & Contractor totalled €42.3 million in 2020, up 28% year-on-year, driven by higher residential sales for its Bucharest-based projects. 

Indoor air and water quality is not something many people give too much attention to when it comes to the office buildings where they work and spend most of their time during the day. At home, they invest in products like air purifiers and water filtration systems; at work, they rely on their employer or building owner and, most of the time, they take what they get without sometimes even considering if it may or may not affect their health, writes Dr. Darren Allen, Director of the Healthy by Design Building Institute, in an opinion piece for Property Forum

The Czech market is still slow in comparison to previous years. Market fundamentals remain good, as does the demand for core and core+ assets, but the market is experiencing limited supply of the right investment product, according to the latest capital markets report by Colliers.

Close to a year into the pandemic, we have reached an inflexion point. COVID-19 has accelerated the world in ways that will undoubtedly alter the course of business for decades to come, transforming conventional notions of where and how we work. While approved vaccines hold the promise of a return to normalcy when the pandemic recedes, exactly what will our world of work look like and how can companies set themselves up for success? New reports from JLL explore the next chapter of the future of work. They demonstrate that companies with the agility to adapt to new and changing conditions across work, the workforce and the workplace will successfully build their competitive advantage in a post-pandemic world.

New research released by JLL shows that the investment allocation to living assets is set to grow throughout 2021, following the robust performance of the market throughout 2020, which resulted in €83.4 billion being invested into the sector. 59% of investors set to increase investment allocation to European Living assets in 2021, but nearly 80% highlight lack of suitable product as a main barrier to investment.

Immofinanz recorded an increase in rental income and results of property sales in 2020 despite the COVID-19 crisis. FFO 1 (before tax and incl. the S Immo dividend) rose by 0.6% year-on-year to €126.1 million, supported by cost savings. Profit before tax equalled €-160.4 million (2019: €350.1 million). After the deduction of €-5.5 million (2019: €-2.5 million) in income taxes, net loss amounted to €-165.9 million (2019: €352.1 million).