Strong demand across all investment sectors is expected to continue into 2017 in the Czech Republic and the €3 billion boundary could be exceeded once again. Retail is likely to become the most popular asset class next year, followed by offices and industrial. CBRE has released the Czech Republic Real Estate Market Outlook 2017.

CBRE has published its inaugural Understanding European Technology Clusters report, highlighting the vibrancy and rapid growth of Europe’s tech sector. The report analyses the characteristics of tech clusters and explores future opportunities among high-performing, and emerging, tech cities across Europe. 

Mint Investments, a Central European real estate investment & asset manager sold Panorama Business Center in Prague. The buyer was REDSIDE, manager of real estate open-ended investment fund NOVA Real Estate (SICAV). The seller was advised by CBRE.

Austrian and Romanian real estate developer Invest4SEE has announced the development of a 91,216 sqm warehouse in Dubnica nad Vahom, Slovakia. Invest4SEE Industrial Park Dubnica will spread over 20 hectares.

On 1 December 2016, international real estate developer HB Reavis and Savills Investment Management on behalf of a Global Pension Fund client, concluded the sale agreement of two of buildings within Gdanski Business Centre in Warsaw. In one of the largest transactions of the year in Poland and also in the CEE region amounting to €186 million, Savills Investment Management has acquired buildings A and B of the Gdanski Business Center, totalling 48,000 sqm.

CBRE is the first consultancy in Poland to expand its Hotel Investment Department, thus increasing the number of commercial property market sectors serviced. CBRE has for many years now been operating on the hotel market, where the CBRE Hotels business line has been extremely active in Western Europe. Expanding the business in Poland to include this particular sector constitutes a strategic business decision stemming from the growing interest from investors and hotel chain operators.

CBRE Hungary continued its expansion in 2016: the project management team has expanded to five members, and the work of the retail real estate unit is supported by a new senior professional. The team responsible for capital market operations is also completing significant orders, so this area has also increased the number of staff in 2016. The industrial property experts, in turn, have set a record with the market share of CBRE.

Today one quarter of modern office buildings in Budapest have a sustainability evaluation certification, and even among the older office buildings a growing number apply new technologies. Almost all new real estate entrants offer architectural and environmental management solutions to their future tenant, says a report by CBRE.

Hungarian retail sales and turnover continue to show healthy growth, buoyed by the abolition of the Sunday closing law after barely one year in effect. Retailer demand is unbroken but remains pressed by the lack of available supply resulting in upward pressure on rents. Fashion retailers remained the most active in H1 2016, followed by the footwear and F&B segments which both expanded significantly, according to the latest Retail Market View published by CBRE.

The owner of East-West Business Center, which is the oldest modern office building of Budapest, has decided to start refurbishment of their landmark property.