Partially due to the pandemic, demand for office space on Poland’s largest regional markets from January to September was 11% lower year-on-year. Many tenants are temporarily postponing expansion plans and relocation decisions, according to JLL’s summary.

In the third quarter of this year, residential developers operating in the six largest cities in Poland sold 13,300 units, which is 94% more than in the previous quarter. In most markets, these units were sold at higher asking prices than in the second quarter. Thanks to new launches, which returned to the level seen at the beginning of 2020 of 13,000 units, the offer remained stable, according to the latest JLL report on Poland’s residential market.

Demand in Q1-Q3 2020 was 35% lower on Warsaw’s office market than in the corresponding period last year, while another trend is a growing volume of office space available for sublease.  JLL summarised the Warsaw office market at the end of Q3 2020.

JLL announced the appointment of Andrew Peirson as Managing Director of its Czech Republic business effective January 1st, 2021. Based in Prague, Peirson will lead the senior management team, supporting and growing the various business lines in leasing, sales, investments, consulting and strategic advisory. As part of the CEE leadership team, he will help navigate the evolving business environment in this prospering and rapidly growing region and continue delivering exceptional value to our clients.

The share of internet sales has returned to near pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, Polish customers are more willing than before to turn to convenience shopping in smaller retail formats. JLL summarised conditions on Poland's retail market at the end of Q3 2020.

JLL has appointed Mateusz Bonca as CEO of Poland, effective mid-November. He will be based in Warsaw.

Trei Real Estate GmbH and JLL jointly published a new market report on retail parks and convenience centres in Poland, according to which the segment has followed an upward trend for years, and not even the coronavirus pandemic has impacted its performance. One of the reasons for this is that the stores located here often stock food and everyday products. Moreover, the retail units generally have their own entrances and are directly accessible from the parking lot. Shoppers appreciate this aspect because it makes it easier for them to minimise exposure.

Tatra banka, a member of the Raiffeisen Bank International Group, has decided to reflect on the latest development in global workplace trends by changing its corporate real estate strategy which currently includes disposal of one of Tatra banka's office buildings on Černyševského street no. 48 in Bratislava.

JLL announced the first edition of the Sofia City Report, a semiannual publication which provides a detailed view of specific real estate markets in Sofia: office, retail and warehouses. It offers information on the economic situation in Bulgaria, including the investment climate. The report was made with the support of IPC Partners Bulgaria.

According to the latest JLL report, in the first half of the year, companies leased over 60,000 sqm of space in Wrocław. Although this result significantly exceeded 2019’s results, tenants are more cautious in the second half of the year and have put their expansion plans on hold. However, an expected influx of investments from the service sector and, the dynamic development of R&D centres, IT centres and gaming industry brings with it the promise of a market rebound.