According to JLL, CEE's real estate investment transactional volume for 2018 was in excess of €13.23 billion and recorded an 11% increase over 2017 (€11.92 billion). JLL has registered continued appetite from investors for the full range of assets across the entire region. Poland smashed its previous record volume set in 2006 (€5.05 billion) with a spectacular €7.2 billion traded, and secured a massive regional share of 54%. Poland was followed by the Czech Republic (€2.51 billion - 19% share), Hungary (€1.85 billion - 14%), Romania (€900 million - 7%) and Slovakia (€820 million - 6%).

The Budapest office market enjoyed a dynamic year in terms of gross take-up, equating to nearly 535,000 sqm of office space transacted, effectively in line with the record year of 2015 which saw circa 538,000 sqm.

Codic International, a Brussels-based developer, announced that construction has commenced on the office component of Green Court, their latest mixed-use development to be realized in partnership with the Hungarian Pesti Házak and the Austrian Venta Group. The project is located in Budapest on the Váci office corridor. The project incorporates Green Court Office, a 21,000 sqm GLA premium office development, and Green Court Residence, comprising two residential buildings with 275 apartments. The apartments will be occupied by the end of this year, and the office project is scheduled to be handed over in Q4 2020. Colliers International and Jones Lang LaSalle have been appointed co-exclusive leasing agents for the office development.

Total demand on the Budapest industrial market amounted to 105,070 sqm in Q4 2018, marking a 51% decrease from the figure noted in the same period last year. The Budapest Research Forum published its quarterly industrial market analysis.

Total demand on the Budapest office market reached 171,490 sqm in Q4 2018, representing a 19% growth year-on-year. The office vacancy rate stands at 7.3%, representing a 90 basis points increase quarter-on-quarter and a 20 basis points reduction year-on-year. The Budapest Research Forum published its latest figures.

CTP is starting 2019 with the announcement of ambitious development plans in three of its markets, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Hungary.

The largest privately owned hostel-chain in Europe a&o Group will open its first quarters in Budapest in 2019. The German group creates a modern hostel by simultaneously restoring and transforming a historic property into a 108-room hostel. ConvergenCE is to lead the complete reconstruction of the selected property in Csengery Street.

Hungarian bank OTP reportedly plans to purchase the largest real estate project from Gránit Pólus in the Slovenian capital through the acquisition of project development companies, according to local media. The Emonika project, valued at €250 million, would see the construction of 196,000 sqm of office, retail, residential and hotel space.

Just before the end of 2018, GTC S.A. signed €94.6 million new loan agreements certifying the financial solidity of the company. The refinancing was granted to three prime projects of the developer and asset manager – GTC White House in Budapest, FortyOne in Belgrade, and Artico in Warsaw.

Indotek Group has come to an agreement with CA Immo on the purchase of the 16,500 sqm DunaCenter retail park in the Hungarian city of Győr in November 2018. The seller was represented by Colliers International during the deal.