Europe’s largest retail estate fair, MIPIM, which took place in Cannes last week, has shown that the industry was on the move. Interestingly enough, the market mood is by no means as negative as is frequently suggested. On the contrary, Arnold Investments reports lively interest from international investors. The focus is particularly on properties of up to €50 million. “Many deals are about to be finalized”, summarizes Markus Arnold, CEO and sole owner of Arnold Investments.

According to Savills latest research, pricing levels are increasingly attracting North American investors to European real estate. In 2022, North Americans invested more than Europeans cross the border, €48 billion compared to €36.6 billion, which is 31% above the five-year average for the former. In the Czech Republic, investors from North America spent €321 million in 2022 (40% above the five-year average), while European buyers (excluding domestic capital) acquired assets worth €459 million.

European convenience real estate investor Mitiska REIM has announced a strategic joint venture partnership with Belgium-based self-storage company, STORO. As part of the agreement, Mitiska REIM, on behalf of the MEREP 3 fund, has purchased a stake in STORO’s self-storage sites.  

While the property investment volume in the European Union fell by 23% year-on-year to €211.5 billion in 2022, the market in Germany shrank by around 44% in 2022 compared to the previous year, says a market analysis conducted by Arnold Investments

Garbe Industrial Real Estate is moving ahead with its Europe-wide expansion, benefiting from the persistently strong demand for logistics space. For the 203 assets under its management with around 5.7 million square metres of lettable area (including open space), the company achieved rent increases averaging 11.7 percent through indexation provisions and by negotiating new lease agreements. The occupancy rate of the portfolio equals 98 percent. Moreover, the company responded to demand across Europe by delivering new sustainably designed logistics properties.

Industrial and logistics developer VGP said its contracted rental income stood at €303.2 million in 2022, up 18.4% compared to 2021, while its volume of new delivered projects reached a record 1.1 million sqm. 

In 2022, KGAL’s new business volume reached almost €1.9 billion across all asset classes. The renewable energy funds exceeded their return targets by approximately 100 percent on average, the impact residential real estate fund, KGAL Core 5 LIFE, got off to a strong start and the aviation team took advantage of the industry’s comeback, securing 16 aircraft operating leases. KGAL also made a number of important internal decisions within the company, further providing for a successful future.

The most successful outlet centres in Europe have a new leader. Cheshire Oaks, located south of Liverpool in the industrial town of Ellesmere Port, is the second English centre to top the list of the most successful outlet centres in Europe. Until now, this rank in England was reserved for Bicester Village, which is located near the university city of Oxford as well as the tourist attraction Stonehenge. This is a result of the "Outlet Centre Performance Report Europe" (OCPRE), which has been updated annually since 2008 and whose latest edition has just been published. The third place has been taken by Designer Outlet Warsaw in Piaseczno near the Polish capital.

The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), the coalition representing over 5,000 organizations from across the building value chain, has asked Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to back amendments to the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) designed to accelerate building renovation and to address total lifecycle emissions of buildings. 

The PBSA sector has registered another strong year with occupancy rates and rents rising,  according to the newly released Student Housing Annual Report by Bonard. While soaring inflation, interest rates and rising costs in the last quarter of 2022 have slowed down investment transactions, the overall outlook is positive and experts expect the sector to keep growing in the next two years.