Mitiska REIM has announced on behalf of the MEREP 3 fund the acquisition of Europa Centralna, a retail center covering a gross leasable area (GLA) of 67,000 sqm located on a 27ha land plot in Gliwice, Poland. The price has not been disclosed.

The Echo-Archicom Group closes the year 2022 with a strong cash position and further reduced the company's net debt. This is the result of selling seven office buildings worth nearly €320 million. In 2022, the Group generated a net profit of PLN 127 million attributable to shareholders of the parent company, which was mainly the outcome of handing over to customers 2,168 apartments for sale and rent built by Echo Investment and Archicom, as well as an increase in the value of office buildings and apartments for rent.

Czech group of real estate funds ZDR Investments has strengthened its position in the Slovak market. The company has acquired a retail park in Topoľčany for its Public fund. The acquisition expanded the Group’s portfolio to 64 properties with a total value of more than €516 million, ZDR announced.

The mood among investors at MIPIM was mixed: we all expected that the beginning of this year would not be rich in transactions and new projects, and it is true - we are seeing an investment slowdown across Europe, writes Marcin Purgal, Senior Director, Investment at Avison Young. However, in this time of uncertainty, we can say that Poland is enjoying and will continue to enjoy the interest of investors - it is one of the most active markets, across all segments, offering higher rates of return than Western Europe. We have an influx of new capital from the Baltic countries and Scandinavia. Also, the already present capital is still active, such as investors from Central and Eastern Europe as well as a few from Western Europe.

Europe’s largest retail estate fair, MIPIM, which took place in Cannes last week, has shown that the industry was on the move. Interestingly enough, the market mood is by no means as negative as is frequently suggested. On the contrary, Arnold Investments reports lively interest from international investors. The focus is particularly on properties of up to €50 million. “Many deals are about to be finalized”, summarizes Markus Arnold, CEO and sole owner of Arnold Investments.

Industrial halls, which are being built on the site of former poultry farms in Liberec, have a new owner. The investment fund CB Property Investors from the Crowdberry group has become the new owner for more than CZK 1 billion (€42 million), Seznamzpravy.cz reports.

Ervin Palfy, Country Manager Slovakia at Arnold Investments talked to Property Forum about CEE investment market trends and the growing popularity of cross-border deals.

The hypermarket chain has switched on 420 kWp of rooftop solar panels, bringing the total number of facilities to six. The two new sites are located in the southern city of Petrich and in the capital's Mladost 4 district. By the end of the ear, the retail leader plans to put into operation three more photovoltaic installations.

According to Savills latest research, pricing levels are increasingly attracting North American investors to European real estate. In 2022, North Americans invested more than Europeans cross the border, €48 billion compared to €36.6 billion, which is 31% above the five-year average for the former. In the Czech Republic, investors from North America spent €321 million in 2022 (40% above the five-year average), while European buyers (excluding domestic capital) acquired assets worth €459 million.

Kajima Europe and Griffin Capital Partners acquired a 70% stake in HYMON, Poland's leading photovoltaic installation company. This is the second joint initiative by these partners in Poland's renewable energy market, having taken a majority stake in PAD RES, a leading developer in Poland's clean energy asset space, in 2021.