Political risk seems not to be affecting the performance of CEE markets. Members of the investment panel at the Portfolio-RICS Valuation & Investment 2018 conference in Budapest are confident about the future of the market and view industrial/logistics and retail as the most attractive asset classes.

JLL's industrial real estate portfolio has expanded with the warehouse development called DOCK, owned by Dock Ingatlan Kft., in the Csepel Free Port area of Budapest. Following the real estate development in the 3.5-hectare area, a total of 15,000 square meters will be available for rentable warehouse space. Additionally, as a further development potential, the owners also highlighted the area of 80,000 square meters located on the northern part of the Free Port.

CTP continues to grow its industrial and logistics portfolio in Romania, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The developer also secured €35 million refinancing for two of its Czech hotels. CTP posted an update on its operations in several countries.

On May 29th, 2018, Budapest’s Ericsson House was officially handed over. This new building, developed by Wing, features not only offices but also one of the Swedish company’s largest European Research & Development centres. The 24,000 sqm property, built in the first phase of the development project of the Hungarian Nobel-Prize Winners’ R&D Park, satisfies both the needs of today and tomorrow due to its cutting-edge technology and execution. As shown by its LEED Gold certification it upholds the highest standards of environmental consciousness. The new HQ will house 1800 workers. Now, with the handover of the Ericsson House, the development of the adjacent site may commence as the second phase of the project.

Orbis Hotel Group signed a sale and management back agreement with Budapest-based Novoop Ingatlanüzemeltető Kft. for the Novotel Szeged hotel. As part of the transaction, the hotel was handed over to the new owner on the 9th of May, to be continued to operate under the “Novotel” brand by Orbis in the frame of a long-term management agreement for 15 years.

The CEE hotel market experienced rapid growth in the last three years both in terms of hotel performance and transaction volume due to the dynamically expanding tourism industry. Within the region, the Budapest hotel market has seen exceptional growth, as its RevPAR (revenue per available room) growth outpaced the key regional capital cities, according to Colliers International's latest hotel market study.

The construction works of Etele Plaza has begun next to the Kelenföld railway station at the western gate of Budapest. As Futureal Group’s latest commercial development, the shopping and entertainment centre with a gross building area of 155,000 square meters will be the biggest of its kind on the Buda side of the city. The mall, combining unique architectural solutions and digital services will feature more fashion brands in one place than any other shopping centre in Hungary.

Market players still look positively toward the future of Central and Eastern European property markets but they are visibly less buoyant than they were during most of 2017. Results for Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary are the most positive, while in Romania the picture is rather mixed. All data points to the Czech investment market being in a state close to peaking.

ECE plans to develop a new shopping centre in Budapest. The project area is located in the North-western part of the Hungarian capital, close to the Danube River, on the site of a former textile factory in the Óbuda district. It is planned to have over 170 shops on three levels and a leasable area of more than 50,000 sqm. Construction start for the project is scheduled for 2019, and the opening is planned for 2021.

Futureal Group is developing its biggest office project in Budapest, next to Hungary’s largest multimodal transportation hub. Budapest ONE Business Park will expand the capital’s office market with more than 65,000 square meters of GLA. The first phase of the WELL Building Platinum pre-certified complex designed as a ribbon building will be handed over in H2 2019.