The sharp rebound of the Hungarian real estate investment market witnessed in H2 2015 has gained further momentum during the first half of this year. According to JLL the transaction volume of the first semester reached more than EUR 910 million, already more than during the full 2015 year, highlighting the increasing weight of capital targeting Hungarian assets.

CTP has recently signed an agreement to purchase two logistics sites with a combined floor space of 66,000 square meters from Raiffeisen Group member DAV Property Kft. The new properties acquired using a loan from Raiffeisen Bank Zrt. have increased the total floor space of CTP’s warehouse facilities in Üllő to 100,000 square meters and that of its total Hungarian industrial property portfolio to 135,000 square meters. 

Prologis has signed a new lease agreement for 4,800 square metres with Inter Cars Hungária, the largest passenger and truck parts dealer in Central and Eastern Europe, at its DC7 building now under construction at Prologis Park Budapest-Sziget. CBRE facilitated the transaction.

Diófa Fund Management has announced the purchase of Europark shopping centre in Budapest from Unibail Rodamco. The acquisition is a result of a one year long and constructive cooperation between the parties and was entirely funded by own capital. Due to new investment fund restrictions it is highly possible that this was the first and last shared deal on the market.  

Within two months OTP Real Estate Investment Fund has already added the second logistics property to its portfolio. The 35,000 sqm warehouse complex is located in South-Pest, within the Gyál Business Park, near the M5 motorway and several multinational companies. The transaction is part of OTP Real Estate Investment Fund Management’s ongoing portfolio development, therefore further transactions can be expected in 2016.

German asset and investment manager KGAL has purchased the Eiffel Square office building located in Budapest, representing the largest office transaction in Hungary in 2016 and marking the return of core investors in Hungary. 

In 2016 commercial real estate investment activity seems to be picking up again in Southeastern Europe after a slightly weaker 2015. Although financing conditions are continuing to improve a lack of high quality product and liquidity still presents a big challenge for all countries of the region. We report from Bucharest where Portfolio Conferences and RICS have organised SEE Property Forum for the second time.

International real estate developer HB Reavis has announced the acquisition of the BEM Palace in Budapest from Europa Property Fund. Located in the heart of Buda, BEM Palace is the company’s third development site purchased in the Hungarian market and their first redevelopment project across all markets. 

Horizon Development’s re-conceptualized historic building Váci 1 in Downtown Budapest has fully opened. The 13,750 sqm UNESCO World Heritage listed neo-classicist palace - constructed between 1911 and 1915 - is home to the newest flagship store of H&M.

The fact that Budapest is competing for the right to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics has now Been decided, as the capital submitted the initial application materials in the middle of February. The next big question is, will the choice of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) really fall on Budapest, and if so, will the city manage to prepare for the games in time and in a sustainable manner.