Susanne Eickermann-Riepe FRICS has been elected to join the RICS Presidential Team as Senior Vice President for 2026, commencing her term on 1 January 2026.

Romania stands out in the European fiscal landscape with property taxation levels significantly lower than the EU average, according to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox based on Eurostat data. This position has enhanced the attractiveness of the local real estate market and established a favorable tax framework for owners and investors.

German residential investors are increasingly turning to foreign markets, with Poland emerging as a particularly attractive destination. High construction costs, long approval processes, and regulatory uncertainty in Germany are pushing investors to look abroad. In countries like Poland and the USA, planning and permitting procedures can take just a few months, compared to years in Germany. Trei Real Estate, for example, has shifted its focus to Polish cities such as Poznań and to fast-growing areas in the southeastern United States to take advantage of clearer and faster approval systems. Rueckerconsult GmbH summarised the trend in a recent press release.

Industrial developer CTP will build a 9,500 sqm custom-built production facility for DEHN within CTPark Pitești, a strategic industrial hub in Southern Romania.

Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG (pbb) is accelerating the execution of its Strategy 2027 by withdrawing from the US market and focusing entirely on Europe. The move is intended to streamline operations and channel resources into more profitable, stable markets. The bank will wind down, securitise, or sell its €4.1 billion US portfolio, which has an average remaining maturity of 2.5 years.

The cycle of soaring rent rates in Europe’s top logistics markets has ended, shows research by Garbe. During H2 2024, the average prime rent increased by just 6 cents, rising from €7.30 to €7.36 per sqm.

B+N Referencia Zrt., present in eight CEE-based markets, has signed an agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Koberl Group, the leading facility management and building services provider in Germany. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2025. 

Investors across Europe will continue to focus on sectors with strong structural tailwinds, such as living and logistics, according to a Knight Frank report. 

CA Immo recorded a 4% increase in rental income to €179.1 million in the first nine months of 2024 versus 2023 despite the sale of non-strategic properties, while it posted a net loss of €33.4 million compared with a profit of €61.1 million in the same period of last year.

Wing has announced the sale of the Honvéd Center office buildings in the Central Business District of Budapest to Greve Honvéd Kft, a subsidiary of Hamburg-based Greve Group, for an undisclosed amount.