Total demand on the Budapest industrial market amounted to 88,230 sqm in Q4 2019, indicating a 16% decrease on a yearly basis. Leasing activity was driven by renewals (86%), followed by expansion (12.8%) and new leases (2.6%). The Budapest Research Forum published its quarterly industrial market analysis.

Optima Investment Ltd., which manages the assets of the Central Bank of Hungary’s Pallas Athené Foundation, has sold the majority stake of its Budapest development project, located on the Váci Road office corridor, to internationally-based Chi Fu Investment Group.

Hungarian developer Infogroup has acquired the 33 ha Heliport Industrial Park in Kecskemét. The property offers nearly 40,000 square meters of industrial and logistics space, making this the largest acquisition in the company’s history. The transaction was made with the co-investment of the Kecskemét Development Fund.

Total demand on the Budapest office market in Q4 2019 reached 202,510 sqm, representing an 18% increase from the corresponding period in 2018, according to BRF’s latest figures. The vacancy rate has decreased to a record low of 5.6%, representing another 0.3 pps reduction quarter-on-quarter.

EPAM Systems, a global product development, digital platform engineering, and digital and product design agency signed a 2,100 sqm new office lease contract in Debrecen’s newly developed Forest Offices in December 2019. EPAM Systems will be moving to the first floor of the five-storey office building in February 2020. Cushman & Wakefield advised Capstone Befektetési Alapkezelő Zrt representing, Garda Ingatlan Fejlesztő Befeketetési Alap the owner of Forest Offices, in the lease negotiations.

CPI Hungary has rolled out a new brand for its Hungarian retail park. Buy-Way Soroksár and Buy-Way Dunakeszi will now operate under the City Market brand.

The acquisition of the second phase of Advance Tower located on the Váci road office corridor has been closed. With the current purchase, the entire office complex with a total GLA of over 20,000 sqm developed by Futureal Group has joined Erste Real Estate Fund’s portfolio. This is the first transaction in the Hungarian market which includes a WELL pre-qualified office building.

The area of Budapest’s Arena Mall could grow from its current 42,000 sqm to 60,000 sqm, following the property manager’s application for an extension last December, local daily HVG reports. If the plans are realised, Arena Mall will become the largest shopping centre in Hungary.

Cushman & Wakefield contributed to the leasing of over 6,600 sqm prime retail warehouse area, and to the sales of 7,000 sqm countryside retail area in Q4 2019. 

REM Group has acted as property advisors, project managers and now as property manager of the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) located at 30-34 Frankel Leo Street, in District II of Budapest. The building of more than 5,000 sqm was extensively refurbished to house the Korean Cultural Center as part of a relocation from their previous premises in the MOMentum Office building in District XII of Budapest.