Money from East Asia burst on to the CEE scene in 2016-17, mainly via large industrial sector portfolio deals. The industrial sector received the majority of 2018’s flow as well, though diversification via larger single asset deals is beginning to occur. Asian investors appear to need liquidity: looking by CEE-6 destination, Poland presently dominates.

There is a growing global war chest of capital for real estate, with institutional investors looking to increase their real estate allocations and new sources of capital emerging, according to Colliers International’s latest report. Increasing allocations to real estate from global institutions reached at least $840 billion in 2018, adding to the $370 billion in closed-end funds waiting to be deployed to real estate in 2019.

Real estate transaction volumes in 2018 were the strongest on record reaching US$1.75 trillion; a 4% year-on-year (y/y) growth and surpassing previous highs of US$1.68 trillion in 2017, according to new data from global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.

The local real estate market has begun to attract the attention of major Asian investors, as groups from China and South Korea are exploring the potential to invest directly in the primary commercial markets. It is feasible that the first transaction could occur by the end of this year, according to Cushman & Wakefield Echinox consultants.

Piotr Krawczyński joined the BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland team as Head of Capital Markets CEE. He will be responsible, among others, for acquiring new accounts and coordinating sale/purchase transactions in Central and Eastern Europe. His duties will include advisory in the field of financing real estate investment projects.

Euro Styl S.A. - a Tri-City developer specializing in residential projects and part of the Dom Development S.A. Capital Group - has acquired an investment land parcel located in the Młode Miasto area of Gdańsk, from Atrium European Real Estate Ltd. The vendor was represented by experts from JLL international advisory firm.

Vienna-based FLE GmbH, part of the French LFPI Group, announced the purchase of the Achat Premium Budapest, a four-star hotel with 135 rooms, east of Budapest’s city centre, on behalf of Luxembourg-based fund FLE SICAV FIS.

GLL Real Estate Partners has put the Floreasca Park office project up for sale. The office building is located in the northern part of Bucharest.

M7 Real Estate has completed €75 million of disposals across Central Europe in 2018 on behalf of both in house funds and third party mandates. M7 maintained Assets Under Management in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland at €285 million, with a portfolio comprising 375,000 sqm of multi-let office and industrial space. In addition, M7 completed circa 50 leasing events, including new leases and lease re-gears.

Africa Israel Investments, an international holding and investments company based in Israel, sold the controlling stake in Africa Israel Properties (AIP), the parent-company of AFI Europe.