Robert Snincak, Head of Investment Operations CEE and Krystian Pachowka, Head of Logistics Asset Management CEE at CBRE Investment Management talked to Property Forum about the current investment trends in CEE countries, the rise of the warehouse and PRS markets in Poland and the recent changes in financing conditions.

The pandemic has radically changed the way we relate to workspaces, so the way they are designed and conceived must also adapt. Existing office design patterns must either be forgotten or rewritten as it has become clearer and clearer that the rules of the game have changed and fresh creative ideas are needed to overcome challenges in today’s office lives. Looking forward, 6 major trends are defining the offices of the future, according to Genesis Property’s expert, Dan Bondar.

In 2021, CA Immo Poland signed 29 lease agreements for a total of 36,200 sqm office space in Warsaw. The company also finalized the sale of the Wspólna 47-49 office building.

DL Invest Group has leased nearly 80,000 sqm of commercial spaces in 2021. It embraces activities in the office, retail and industrial sectors. The value of assets that belong to the company increased to over PLN 1.5 billion.

Poland’s investment market continued to attract significant investment activity in 2021 with an annual transaction volume of €5.9 billion. A record number (166) of transactions were closed by 80 active investors, according to Avison Young’s annual investment market summary. The company expects that 2022 will see the great comeback of the office sector through increased interest in core and core+ assets in both Warsaw and regional cities.

Cain International, the privately held investment firm operating in the United States and Europe, and its local development partner, White Star Real Estate, have secured a €36 million financing facility from PKO BP, for the delivery of The Park Kraków office complex.

CA Immo has signed and closed the sale of the R70 office building in Budapest. The sale of the property, which was completed in 2002 and comprises 19,200 sqm of gross leasable area (GLA), has closed in line with the book value as of Q2 2021. The buyer was local construction company Épkar Zrt. which used funds obtained through the National Bank of Hungary's Funding for Growth Scheme.

Avison Young has advised M7 Real Estate in the disposal of the Mokotow Plaza office building in Warsaw. The buyer is Vienna-based investor FLE GmbH, entering Warsaw office market with this purchase.

Investment transactions on the Romanian real estate market could exceed the €1 billion threshold this year, considering the projects in various stages of negotiation, according to Colliers.  At present, there are several transactions in the pipeline worth at least €100 million each, and others are ready to go on the market

Financial companies were the most active in the Bucharest office lease market during 2021, according to a report by real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.