Prague is becoming increasingly more expensive than Bratislava. Employees continue to earn more in the capital of the Czech Republic, though the cost of living is also rising, especially in regards to housing. This is evidenced by the results of research done by JLL, which compared the prices of apartments in both capitals.

VD Invest, subsidiary of Vantage Development, has signed a preliminary conditional agreement with IKI Poland, subsidiary of M7 Czech Republic group, for the sale of Wroclaw office building Delta 44. GVA Polska represented the seller in the transaction.

Praga Studios, the new Karlín office building by Skanska, has progressed significantly on its way to completion. In October 2018, the builders placed a topping out flag on the site of the future roof terrace to symbolise the completion of the superstructure. The building, with a total area of almost 12 000 sqm, will be completed in Q2 2019.

In response to growing demand in the Czech property market for specialist asset and market analysis, Cushman & Wakefield has expanded its Advisory service line with a newly established team of 3 dedicated professionals headed by Richard Hogg MRICS. In conjunction, Michal Naskos MRICS, a veteran of the valuation industry, becomes Head of Valuation Czech Republic.

Transactions in the logistics sector have been dominating the Prague market this year. In the first half of 2018 alone, the take-up was 24% higher than in the full year 2017, precisely 226,600 sqm. During the same period, the overall gross take-up reached in Prague 408,000 sqm, showing an increase of 56 %. Besides the logistics sector, more than 90,000 sqm was taken by production and 76,000 sqm by distribution. The biggest new deal in Prague in the logistics sector was done by cargo-partner ČR, which signed a lease agreement for 12,450 sqm located in a stand-alone industrial building in the Logicor Prague Airport logistic park. The company will start operating from the new premises at the beginning of 2019. Cushman & Wakefield facilitated the lease of the premises.

CPI Property Group announced the appointment of Radek Zeman as Division Director and Barbara Topolska as Country Manager for Poland, in addition to the refinancing of the IGY shopping centre located in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. The newly secured loan of €60 million was provided by Komercni banka for a term of five years.

Over the next six months, Prologis will bring to market nine modern, sustainable buildings in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The developer currently has nine logistics facilities under construction in CEE totalling around 200,000 square meters of space.

LiNK Hradec Králové, the first of a number of planned industrial and logistics projects by LinkCity Czech Republic and Cromwell Property Group, has been completed.

Colliers International Czech Republic has expanded its services with the launch of its Design & Build service line. The new division offers clients a wide and integral range of services directly linked to occupiers’ needs starting with fit-out consultancy, to drawing and planning space plans including the interior designs up to complete realization and turnkey handovers. The services offered under Design & Build are relevant to landlords and new occupiers, as well as to existing ones who wish to redesign existing premises and improve the productivity and retention of their employees. The latest office trends and technology are implemented to create a working environment that both inspires and motivates employees.

JLL has successfully rented out the Albatros Business Centre in Prague 1. Almost 3,500 sqm of space on Národní třída will be occupied from spring 2019 by Spaces, a global coworking giant of Dutch origin, which will become a major tenant of the building next to Česká spořitelna. This opening of the first branch in the Czech Republic indicates a growing interest in this type of office.