Accolade expands its presence on the Polish market. The company has acquired two new industrial locations in Szczecin, with the intention of investing in the development of modern, Class A warehouses totalling 73,000 sqm GLA. The investment continues Accolade’s strategic expansion in the Szczecin region.

Colliers has issued a new report examining the surge of investment into life sciences and its implications for the property sector across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), identifying landlord and investor opportunity across established and growth markets as the sector is primed to grow significantly. 

CBRE Global Investors has secured an additional commitment of €200 million from South Korea’s Public Officials Benefit Association (POBA) to build a diversified European real estate portfolio. After leverage, this equity commitment provides additional investment capacity in excess of €400 million.

Residential investment volumes across the CEE region have been limited and averaged out annually at just over €200 million in the past 5 years. The balance between private, owner-occupied dwellings and those that are for rent in CEE lean towards ownership according to “The Private Rental Sector: Has it found a home in CEE?” report just launched by Colliers in collaboration with Greenberg Traurig and Kinstellar. From the stock of existing developer/investor-owned, multiple-unit PRS schemes, the Czech Republic is ahead, followed by Poland and the remaining countries behind that. 

According to the last few months’ most active investor on the Slovak market, investment activity is returning to normal. Martin Šmigura, investment manager of WOOD & Company’s real estate operations in Slovakia, talked to Property Forum about the company’s recent investment deals and shared his market expectations.

M7 Real Estate has acquired the Terrapark office complex in Budaörs, Hungary, on behalf of M7 CEREF II. The purchase is in line with the Fund’s strategy of targeting value-add and core plus office, logistics and industrial investments in the key Central European markets of Hungary, Croatia and Poland.

Diófa Asset Management has appointed Roland Bogár as its new Real Estate Investment Director, the company said in a press release. Bogár has nearly 15 years of real estate experience, during which time he has taken part in numerous property deals in Hungary and in the CEE region. He will now play an active role in coordinating activities related to Diófa's real estate portfolio and in setting the direction of the company's property strategy.

Nordic investor NREP has recently made headlines by entering the Polish market with the acquisition of a 130,000 sqm logistics portfolio and over 1,000 apartments. Stefan Wallander, Chief Business Officer of NREP talked to Property Forum about their entry into the local market, rising apartment prices and sustainability commitment.

Total investments in commercial real estate in Slovakia in the first half of 2021 reached €478 million, which almost equalled the volume of investments for the entire previous year.

The sentiment of Hungarian real estate investors is becoming more and more optimistic, which is reflected in their continuously increasing willingness to invest, according to CBRE's survey. Offices are expected to remain the most traded asset type, but demand for alternative investment opportunities has increased significantly. The biggest challenges of the coming year may be pricing asymmetry between sellers and buyers, as well as a lack of stock for sale.