The economical environment for PRS investments in Poland has never been so favourable. However, foreign investors cannot spread their wings because of the general uncertainty, planning difficulties and high debt costs – these are just some of the topics that were covered in a panel discussion with international investors during Living Investment Forum 2022, organised by Property Forum yesterday in Warsaw.

According to a report published by Newmark Polska, the vacancy rate held firm in Poland’s regional city office markets throughout the third quarter of this year along with moderate occupier and developer activity. The need to look for savings due to high inflation and rising service charges is set to be a major challenge facing the office market in the coming quarters.

Savills forecasts that rising energy prices will be a major challenge for commercial property landlords, managers and tenants in 2023. In response to market expectations, Savills has launched an interdepartmental service line dedicated to improving energy performance and helping identify ways to reduce annual energy consumption in buildings by up to 14%.

The volume of investment transactions recorded in the hotel sector on European markets in the first half of 2022, reached a similar level to last year's. The UK remains the most active market, followed by France, Italy, Spain and Germany, says Walter Herz.

CEE-based flex office operator New Work continues to expand in its key markets. In Budapest, the company opened the second phase of its business centre in the Science Park office building in South Buda, adding 2,000 sqm of high-quality flex office space to the local market. In Warsaw, New Work opened a brand location, offering 1,135 sqm, in the Tulipan House office building in the city’s Służewiec district.

The third quarter of 2022 completes the dynamic new supply period observed in the Polish office market in recent years. Between January and September 2022, developers delivered 39 new investments, which increased the sector’s total stock by 560,100 sqm to over 12.7 million sqm. The period under review also registered intense activity on the demand side. At the end of Q3 2022, more than one million sqm was leased across Poland. However, the office market, like other sectors of the commercial real estate market, faces many challenges, including rising energy costs or the expected supply gap and rising rents. AXI IMMO presents data summarizing Q3 2022 in the Polish office market.

Łużycka Office Park (buildings A, B, C and D) and Łużycka Plus, all located in Gdynia, have a new owner - a joint venture of Czech open-ended real estate fund Investika and Luxembourg-based private equity investor Bud Holdings. The price has not been disclosed. 

Kamil Kowa, Member of the Board and Head of the Corporate Finance & Valuation Department at Savills Poland, talked to Property Forum about the current slowdown in the Polish residential market, PRS funds' expansion and the forecast for private student accommodation in that country.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Place Kraków, marking the first Hyatt hotel in the city. The hotel represents the return of the Hyatt brand to Poland.

Panattoni has passed 130,000 sqm delivered for LX Pantos in Poland. The Korean logistics operator has increased the space it occupies within Panattoni Park Wrocław XIII to 50,000 sqm.