The spread of the hybrid model of working, fast-tracked digitalization of business processes, combined with increased awareness about the importance of employee well-being are the main trends that shaped the office market in Poland in 2020. An indirect effect of the Covid-19 pandemic was an increase in lease renegotiations, as well as a rise in the amount of space available on a sublet basis. AXI IMMO presents a preliminary analysis of the key trends in the Polish office market this year.

The 172 million-strong consumer market of the CEE-17 region  should continue to deliver better growth rates and returns than more developed markets in retail and other sectors according to a new report released by Colliers International

The first 3 quarters of 2020 across the CEE-6 have seen a 37.5% decrease (year-on-year) in overall office investment volumes. With positive news of vaccines due for deployment early in the new year, offices volumes are expected to rebound in 2021 according to a new report by Colliers International.

Building construction markets of the Balkan EECFA countries as a whole have shown resistance during the pandemic so far. Nonetheless, the region is foreseen to have yet another negative year in 2021, before expansion can return in 2022. The EECFA (Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association) has released its Construction Forecast Report for winter 2020.

2020 has been dominated on the commercial real estate market in Poland by the pandemic, whose impact varied from sector to sector though. The pandemic has, however, given rise to or accelerated a number of developments, some of which are likely to stay with us for longer. Real estate advisory firm Savills explores future trends in its preliminary summary of 2020 and its outlook for the next 12 months.

The overall volume of transactions in the commercial property sector in the Czech Republic should reach €1.2 billion this year. This means a 63% decrease compared with last year, which in turn was more successful than average. Considering the complications that the coronavirus pandemic caused to the economy, such a result is quite satisfactory and attests to the lasting investor appetite. In addition, an increase to almost twice this year’s volume can be expected next year. The fact that real estate prices remain stable is also positive.

As was the case in the global financial crisis, the number of companies looking for cost savings continues to grow, with some deciding to sublease their offices.

The impacts of COVID-19 have been felt far and wide across industries, and especially so for the travel and tourism industry. Cushman & Wakefield has published its Q3 Budapest Hospitality Marketbeat report.  

The Q3 2020 property investment volume for Romania is estimated at €408 million, a value approximately 68% higher than the one registered in the same period in 2019. Although the road ahead is marked by uncertainty, considering the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions associated with it, there is a consistent pipeline of deals which could be closed soon and throughout 2021. JLL has published its Bucharest City Report for Q3 2020. The report provides a detailed analysis of specific real estate markets in Bucharest: office, retail, industrial and residential.

The occupancy costs of office spaces represent, on average, between 3- 4% of the turnover of services companies in Bucharest, and they may fall even below 2%, in some cases, according to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.