Immofinanz leads the development of retail parks across Croatia, with plans for surpassing Supernova and becoming the market leader in Croatia, while local developers remain active as well, focusing on undersupplied locations and the outskirts of large cities.

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?

GTC signed an SPA to sell its Matrix A and B office buildings in Zagreb to a strong local real estate group from Croatia. This transaction will mark a return on cost exceeding 22% and is about 7% above the book value. GTC’s ability to sell assets well above the book value demonstrates that the current discount to NAV on its share price is not justified.

Radisson Hotel Group announced the debut of its luxury lifestyle Radisson Collection brand in Croatia, with the opening of Grand Hotel Brioni Pula, A Radisson Collection Hotel. This follows an extensive £30 million repositioning of the legendary Hotel Brioni, one of Croatia’s best-known hotels, by Radisson Hotel Group’s partner PPHE Hotel Group and its Croatian subsidiary Arena Hospitality Group.

David Ebbrell, CEO and Mirta Ceranac Poljak, Managing Director for Croatia at M7 Real Estate talked to Property Forum at MIPIM about investment strategy, economic challenges and opportunities for sustainable growth.

For Croatia, as for other EECFA countries, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been both a supply shock and a demand shock. And many of the elements of these shocks are the same for Croatia as for other EECFA countries. On the supply side, energy costs are rising as are the costs of construction materials and of construction finance. Supply chains and labour markets have also been disrupted. On the demand side, inflation has cut into consumers’ real disposable income, consumer confidence has been shaken as a result and finance for real estate purchases has become more expensive, says Michael Glazer, SEE Regional Advisor at EECFA Croatia.

People have started to return to their usual shopping destinations. That is reflected in the positive business development of SES Spar European Shopping Centers during the second year of the pandemic. Compared to 2020, significant growth was recorded in retail partner sales, visitor footfall and average spend per purchase. This positive upward trend was recorded by SES in all countries in which it operates centres. Despite the pandemic, in 2021, a total of €22 million was invested in maintenance and sustainable measures relating to the operation of the centres, as well as in project development.

Revetas Capital, the pan-European real estate investment advisor, has announced the appointment of Michele Small as independent Board Member of Keystone CEE Scp, being nominated by the EBRD. 

GTC is set to further develop the Matrix Office Park in Zagreb by adding another building to the complex. The third building, Matrix C, which received a building permit earlier this year, will be the newest extension to the business centre. Just like the previous two, Building C is meant to provide innovative office space, while maintaining a high ecological standard for an international tenant mix. The shell & core of the building is scheduled for completion in Q2 2023 ready for the fitting out of tenant areas.

Fortenova Group has signed a contract with Agram Group for the sale of the  Cibona Business Tower in Zagreb. The asset comprises office premises on 16 floors as well as garage areas amounting to 6,700 square meters overall. In accordance with the contract, the pruchase price is not being disclosed.