Purpose-built student accommodations are in short supply across the region, but some investors and developers find them very attractive. However, due to the recent dramatic economic changes, companies need to adapt to tougher business conditions and adjust their development pipelines accordingly, says Bálint Botos, Managing Partner of Forestay Group.

We can see many significant changes, architectural achievements and positive trends in the Czech real estate market. Nevertheless, there is still much to do, says Zdenka Klapalová who is the President of the Association for Real Estate Market Development (ARTN) and has followed the Czech real estate market as an expert for more than 30 years.

Ryan Wray, Managing Director and Principal at Avison Young, Czech Republic, talked to Property Forum about the perils of today’s macroeconomic conditions investors may reckon with in their decision-making and looked at possible scenarios and working strategies for office occupiers in the Czech office market.

Andrzej Potyra, Head of Żabka Property Fund has talked to Property Forum about his investment strategies and recent developments, both retail and warehouse ones.

Silviu Stratulat, Managing Partner, Stratulat Albulescu spoke to Property Forum about the impact of the crisis in Ukraine on the CEE real estate market, but also about the bank financing environment for developments amid rising interest rates. The law firm is planning to boost the logistics segment in its portfolio and expand with a new office in Moldova.

Propetch is far more than buying a gadget to replace humans. It is a disruptive tool to think over the whole value chain in managing commercial properties. No players in this chain can avoid using it properly, says István Rézsó, Head of Business Development at Cushman & Wakefield Hungary.

Property Forum talked to Andrew Sim, Managing Director for Europe and Horațiu Florescu, Chairman & CEO Knight Frank Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece & Serbia, about the segments driving property investments in CEE and the impact of rising inflation and interest rates on transactions.

As of May 2022, Alena Liškay Králíková is the new ESG Manager of Czech development company Crestyl. According to her, while thinking about ESG in real estate businesses, it is important that buildings are not only serving the company´s ESG goals but also their residents, tenants and the entire neighbourhood too.

Classical shopping centres should adapt to the latest trends in retail to survive. That includes establishing strong ties between the digital and physical world and defining the tenant mix more accurately. Entertainment is also a must as these centres will have to become beloved community centres as well, says Márk Balástyai, Project Director of the recently opened Etele Plaza, built by Hungarian developer Futureal.

Małgorzata Cieślak-Belgy, Chief Investment Officer at MNK Partners talked to Property Forum about the current attractiveness of Polish the property market among investors and the growing popularity of ESG-compliant buildings.