The property sector is relying more on bank financing than bonds at present and this trend is likely to continue across Europe, concluded speakers in the dealmakers panel of SEE Property Forum 2022, held in Bucharest.

Property Forum is excited to announce the winners of its annual SEE Property Forum Awards for 2022. The winners of each category were selected from our shortlist by the jury committee, comprising the crème de la crème of the Romanian real estate industry. The awards, celebrating the best projects, most impactful transactions and most inspiring personalities of the Romanian market, were presented at our awards gala in Bucharest last night, part of the annual SEE Property Forum conference.

Almost ten years after becoming the 28th EU member state, Croatia is set to join both the Eurozone and Schengen Area at the beginning of 2023, integrating the country even deeper into the EU. But how will this affect the local real estate market?

In Q3 2022, the speculative industrial stock in Greater Budapest was expanded by eight buildings, a total of 145,390 sqm, while four new buildings were handed over in Regional Hungary, with a total of 33,380 sqm, Budapest Research Forum (BRF) reports.

Poland has one of the most attractive tax systems for innovators in Europe. According to the JLL report 'Made in Poland', a comprehensive guide for investors prepared in cooperation with partners: Polish Investment and Trade Agency, Hays and ALTO, when doing business in Poland, companies have many opportunities to obtain financial support from both domestic and EU sources. Reliefs and subsidies translate into increased interest in the Polish market. Last year was a record year in terms of investment, with projects in Poland with a total value exceeding €3.5 billion implemented with the participation of PAIH. This is €800 million more than last year and €700 million more than in the record year so far in 2019.

The volume of Czech real estate investment transactions in Q3 2022 reached €149 million, which represents a 61% drop in comparison with Q3 2021. Cumulatively the investment volume totalled €1.4 billion. If we added transfers of single assets and portfolios among related parties, the quarterly volume reached €390 million, almost the same as in the same period last year, says 108 Agency.

Student housing, co-living and hospitality properties continue to shine in the CEE region. Despite some legal discrepancies, heavily undersupplied, they remain the assets sought-after by investors, claim the experts of CEE Property Forum 2022.

According to CBRE Ukraine, the warehouse and logistics segment demonstrated higher resilience than the rest of the commercial real estate market against the backdrop of military aggression in Ukraine. However, it suffered large-scale destruction from rocket attacks on Kyiv and the Kyiv region. Iryna Nastych summarised the situation in an article prepared by the Ukrainian Real Estate Club for Property Forum.

Build to rent or build to sell? The participants of CEE Property Forum in Vienna were sure that in the current residential market environment of high inflation and rising interest rates, building for PRS purposes is the only valid option.

ESG is rewriting the rules of office leasing with the attitude of landlords, tenants and service providers gradually changing. During a panel discussion recently organised by CEE-based flex space provider New Work at Science Park in Budapest, market experts discussed the topic in detail.