Markets are expected to remain subdued in H1 2023 due to the negative sentiment in the economy, the significantly higher financing costs and the subsequent pricing correction that is currently playing out in both CEE and many other global markets, reveals a report by Colliers.

bnt attorneys in CEE, an international business law firm with 10 offices in Central and Eastern Europe, and BSJP, one of Poland’s full-service legal practices, have teamed up to create a legal powerhouse. The new firm will operate under the combined brand of BSJP | bnt in Poland.

Real estate investment volumes in CEE reached almost €10.7 billion during 2022, up 6.6% compared to the previous year, with Poland accounting for 54% of all transactions, trailed by the Czech Republic and Romania with shares of 14% and 12%, respectively, according to a report by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. 

Hospitality group Accor has signed 47 properties in Eastern Europe and the ‘New East’ in 2022, going as far as Georgia and Kazakhstan for a total of 5,476 rooms. 

Property groups Immofinanz and S Immo said they are reviewing further alignment, coordination, merger or other forms of integration, with CPI Property Group (CPIPG) as supporting shareholder. 

As the European Union has proposed the move towards zero-emission buildings by 2030, a significant portion of the energy consumption of these projects should be covered by energy from renewable sources. This includes renewable energy produced on-site or nearby so property companies are starting to invest in such facilities in a bid to lower operating costs and meet targets under their ESG agendas. The investments in such capacities have been boosted by the high energy price environment and the need of property companies to enhance the security of power supplies.

A key challenge facing many real estate corporates, who historically have been reliant on the bond markets, is the quantum of near-term maturities. This includes the Nordics where JLL estimates circa 32% of real estate corporate bonds are due to mature within the next 2 years. 

Demand for renting and buying real estate should remain decent over the longer term in Romania and its neighbors, despite 2023 most likely being a bit more challenging than a regular year, according to experts of Colliers. 

The current economic downturn may result in more mergers and acquisitions in most of the CEE countries. Owners of some hotels and retail centres may divest their assets to minimize loss. Property Forum asked Csaba Polacsek, Partner, Advisory Services at PwC Hungary about the mood of the possible buyers and the remaining risks in the coming years.

The war in Ukraine has affected the economic situation of all countries from the CEE region, ESG moves from “nice to have” to a market standard in all real estate market segments and increasing construction, operation and transportation costs translate into increasing costs in all real estate sectors. These are some of the key findings discussed in the latest Colliers summarising the year 2022 in CEE.