Based on the data from the Central Statistical Office of Hungary's (KSH) 2022 census, it seems that an A/C revolution is taking place in the Hungarian residential property market. The figures suggest that there will soon be areas where air cooling will be as much a part of the expected comfort of homes and rental properties as flush toilets and hot water. According to an expert at OTP Real Estate Point, this process was triggered by a particular confluence of circumstances at the beginning of the decade.

GTC Hungary and GTC S.A. have entered into a mutual employment contract termination agreement with Zoltán Fekete and János Gárdai. Both have also resigned from their seats on the Management Board of both entities. The resignation is effective as of 31 August 2023. Gyula Nagy and Zsolt Farkas were appointed Management Board members of GTC Hungary as well as the Management Board and Supervisory Board of GTC S.A., effective 31 August 2023.

A new building, Liget Center Vitrum, will join the existing office buildings, Liget Center Classic and the iconic Auditorium. At the same time, the visual identity is being updated: it will be modern and distinctive while reflecting the history of the building complex.

The first phase of the Le Jardin residential complex has reached its highest point. The residential park with 165 apartments is located on the shore of the Rákos stream, in a green zone location and developed by the Hungarian company Wing.

Offices might become hotels, hotels can be converted into apartment buildings and warehouses may serve as retail centres. But location, revenue-generating capacity and environmental considerations are the most important factors in converting successfully an existing commercial property, say experts of Hungarian developer Wing. Ernő Takács, Deputy CEO, responsible for hotels and retail at Wing and Chairman of the Association of Hungarian Property Developers and Gábor Angel, Deputy CEO, responsible for offices at Wing, talked to Property Forum about the challenges of changing the use of a property.

Austrian company CA Immo has concluded a long-term lease agreement for approx. 8,000 sqm of office space in Millennium Tower I, situated in the Millennium City Center, a large complex just off the river Danube. Cushman & Wakefield and Newmark VLK acted as agents and advisors on the deal.

The yield shift began in Hungary with a bit of a delay compared to the regional countries, where repricing has already become evident. Office maintains its dominance but investors have started to see retail assets as more attractive than before, says Attila Balogh, Head of Capital Markets at Hungarian property advisor firm Eston International.

Consumer prices in Hungary were 17.6% higher on average in July 2023 than a year earlier. The highest price rises were measured for electricity, gas and other fuels as well as food over the last twelve months. In one month, consumer prices increased by 0.3% on average, within which, however, clothing and footwear cost 1.4%, food 0.9% and consumer durables 0.5% less, the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) reports.

The mixed-use property development Liberty by Hungarian developer Wing has reached a major milestone. The office area in the south wing has received its use permit, and the first tenants have already moved in. At the same time, a sports store is now open on the ground floor.

Some forms of government support may temporarily ease the current tough conditions for part of the construction sector in Hungary. But companies may not count on outside help only. All have to invest in new technologies and extend their in-house competencies, especially to reach ESG compliance, says Pál Dános MRICS, Associate Partner at KPMG Hungary in an interview with Property Fourm.