CBRE has appointed Verka Petkova-Shekerova as Country Head for the Bulgarian market within its Southeast Europe (SEE) office. She is replacing Sladjana Popović, who will continue to lead ESG & Sustainability services department for the region.

The number of employees working in office buildings rose from 40% in Q1 2023 to around 55% in Q1 2024 in the projects managed by Colliers in Romania.

Compared to neighbouring Poland or Slovakia, rental prices for industrial properties in the Czech Republic can run up to one-third higher. Low vacancy rates and a small supply of immediately available space are forcing tenants to prefer more competitive offers from neighbouring countries, as shown in the regular quarterly industrial property market report published by Colliers.

Commercial property investment in Romania amounted to €202 million in Q1 2024, up by 69% compared to the same period of last year, with retail accounting for around two-thirds of the deal volume, according to a Colliers report.

Colliers has promoted Josefina Kurfurstova to the newly created position of Senior Analyst - CEE Business Intelligence covering Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

Workplace adaptation to hybrid working, sustainability and inclusion are some of the biggest office trends and buzzwords at the moment. The implementation of these elements in a new office is, however, a challenge, especially in the current macroeconomic situation. Employers want to bring employees back to the office, while optimising rising costs. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest report, medium-quality fit-outs in Warsaw are priced at an average all-in rate of €1,250 per square metre – almost the same as in Prague or Budapest but half of what average fit-out costs are in London and Hamburg.

Renewable Energy Investments is a proposal from Colliers for investors looking to diversify their property portfolio by expanding into renewable energy projects. The service includes comprehensive transactional advice, investment support for photovoltaic and wind farms and energy storage.

According to data from Colliers, a trend called shell & core is gaining momentum in the Czech Republic. This is a strategy of constructing and building out industrial buildings to the stage of providing basic structures and infrastructure.

Prague is the only city in the CEE region to boast a prime high street, a shopping street with only the most prestigious global brands, according to Colliers. This location is Pařížská (Paris) Street, where currently 46 out of 48 available retail units are occupied.

Romanian developer Genesis Property has purchased a 30,000 sqm land plot from Stizo Invest, for an undisclosed sum, in a transaction brokered by Colliers.