Seven experts discussed investment and financing strategies for the new normal at the online edition of Prague Property Forum 2020. How has the investment market changed in the last 6-8 months? What major changes have been observed in investment and financing preferences? We summarised the highlights of the discussion, moderated by Luke Dawson (Colliers International).

A German rating agency Scope Ratings has assigned a first-time issuer rating of BBB-/Stable to Globe Trade Centre S.A. and its subsidiary GTC Real Estate Development Hungary Zrt. GTC Group also announces green bonds issuance within the framework of the Bond Funding for Growth Scheme launched by the National Bank of Hungary. The senior unsecured debt rating is BBB-. The outlook on the ratings is stable.

Mitiska REIM has secured a €33 million senior debt facility with Erste Group Bank AG for four Romanian retail parks, representing a combined gross leasable area (GLA) of 30,500 sqm.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the property investment market in Romania? What are the biggest challenges companies face these days? Is the wait and see period really over in Romania? Four experts tried to answer these questions and more at SEE Property Forum 2020, a hybrid event organised by Property Forum and RICS. We summarised the highlights of the discussion, moderated by Codrin Matei (Crosspoint Real Estate).

The industrial/logistics asset class is presently the most attractive for a majority of banks in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) following the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to results from the latest edition of KPMG’s Property Lending Barometer (PLB), an annual study by the global audit and advisory firm that attempts to measure banks’ lending sentiments in Europe’s property markets. That preference lies in contrast to where most bank finance in Europe has typically landed prior to COVID: the office segment.

Experts of the international investors’ panel at SEE Property Forum 2020, a hybrid event organised by Property Forum and RICS, agreed that Romania’s property investment market has matured a lot in recent years but the lack of liquidity is still an issue. They also confirmed that COVID-19 makes it difficult to forecast the future direction of the market and it makes certain market players, especially banks, more cautious.

CA Immo successfully placed a €350 million fixed rate senior unsecured green bond with a 5-year maturity and an annual coupon of 1.0%. The issuance was oversubscribed more than 5.4 times at final terms with strong demand by more than 150 investors.

VÚB banka and UniCredit Bank have provided developer J&T Real Estate with a €105 million syndicated loan for the construction of Eurovea’s extended residential part, which will include approximately 500 apartments in Eurovea Tower - Slovakia’s very first skyscraper - and waterfront residences (Eurovea Riverside). This loan is one of the largest granted for a Slovak development project in recent years. Dentons prepared the contract documentation.

Immofinanz successfully placed €500 million fixed-rate senior unsecured notes with a 7-year maturity and a 2.50% fixed coupon on 8 October 2020. The net proceeds of the issue of the notes will be used to refinance existing debt, capitalize on value-creating growth opportunities, and for general corporate purposes. The issuance was oversubscribed around 2 times with strong demand by more than 110 investors.

CTP successfully issued a debut green bond for €650 million on 1 October 2020. CTP’s inaugural green bonds became the largest debut issuance by a CEE real estate company.  The bonds received a strong reception from investors and were several times oversubscribed with a peak order book in excess of €2 billion.