The vacancy rate has climbed again in the second quarter on Budapest's struggling office market, reaching 12.6% after 12.2% in the previous quarter. Total demand reached 119,890 sqm in Q2 2023, which is 56% higher than the value registered in the previous quarter, the Budapest Research Forum reports.

The former Ballet Institute has been transformed into the five-star W Budapest hotel offering 151 rooms and suits in the very heart of the Hungarian capital. The new facility is part of the global portfolio of the Marriott Bonvoy brand. 

IWG, the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions with brands including Spaces, Regus, HQ and Signature, is expanding its Hungarian portfolio with four new openings, adding a total area of 5,944 sqm to its footprint. The openings are being delivered in partnerships with different locations that have chosen the IWG flexible workspace platform and have entered into a management agreement with the Regus and HQ brands.

The latest Hungarian house price index for Q1 2023, which includes preliminary data, shows that the sharp fall in the number of sales transactions has not yet been followed by a similar decline in prices. The preliminary figures published by the Central Statistical Office (KSH) show prices stagnating in nominal terms: after a 2% drop in the previous quarter, prices have now risen by 2%, essentially returning to their Q3 2022 level. But what does this mean in relation to market fundamentals and what could be in store for the rest of the year?

The Hungarian Parliament voted in favour of the law on the public construction and investment regime with 136 votes in favour, 49 against and 9 abstentions. The law, among other things, makes the use of BIM mandatory for projects at or above the EU public procurement threshold, requires greater control over design and construction than before, and puts the whole life cycle of public works on a new footing.

In June 2023, only 7,120 residential properties changed hands in Hungary, according to the the monthly Transaction Number Estimate (DH-TB) of Duna House Group. This is a very low number again, so even though May was stronger, it seems that buyers are still waiting. We last saw so few sales in the first half of this year in 2014.

Panattoni has signed a new lease contract for the Panattoni City Dock Törökbálint complex, which opened in May. Food wholesaler and distributor Bidfood will lease two-thirds of Building A.

CTP has signed three new deals totalling 31,750 sqm at CTPark Budapest West and CTPark Komárom, both located close to Hungary’s capital city Budapest.

MBH Bank, a newly established Hungarian player in the local financial market, will launch a huge development project aiming to build its new headquarters in the most important office destination. The handover of the first phase is scheduled for Q1 2026.

Despite the pandemic, travellers and businesses have seen several large-scale real estate-related developments at Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest during the past few years. There will be more huge investments over the coming years. Property Forum asked Rene Droese, Chief Development Officer about each of them, including reopening Terminal 1 and preparations for a new Terminal 3.