The Prague office market in Q1 2022 experienced a further increase in vacancy, across the entire city. However, gross take-up recorded a year-on-year increase of 44% and thus returned to pre-pandemic levels. The increase in prices throughout the city is still felt especially in construction projects, mainly due to rising costs for materials and construction work, reports the Czech branch of Colliers in their regular survey.

The number of completed flats in the Czech Republic increased in the year 2021 by half a percent. A total of 34,581 flats were completed last year. However, the rising figures are due to extensions, while the number of flats completed in detached and apartment buildings fell. In the future, according to statisticians, it can be assumed that new construction will decline for many reasons, writes the Czech News Agency (ČTK) based on the statistics published today by the Czech Statistical Office (CSO).

The demand for office space in Prague increased by 29% quarter-on-quarter for the first quarter of 2021 and by 44% year-on-year. Although the largest transactions of the quarter were lease renegotiations – including Seznam.cz (14,800 sqm) in Palác Křižík in Prague 5 or MSD Czech Republic (6,800 sqm) in Riverview in Prague 5 – the share of newly leased space increased to 58%. The increase in newly leased and pre-leased space indicates confidence and healthy growth of the Prague office market. Despite the fact that leasing activity posted record numbers, the vacancy rate rose by 60 basis points quarter-on-quarter to 8.4%. JLL recorded an increase in vacancy rates in almost all Prague districts, as announced in the last report.

Geopolitical and economic challenges are not leaving the commercial real estate market unaffected. But how will these major global changes impact the Czech investment market in 2022? This is the question an expert panel, moderated by Mark Richardson (Colliers), at Prague Property Forum 2022 tried to answer.

Czechs are still afraid of cooperative housing. It is the preferred form of ownership for only 3% of those who plan to buy a flat or house, while 13% do not even consider it when buying a property. However, due to the rise in mortgage rates and property prices, cooperative housing is more affordable and thus 22% of respondents have recently improved their opinion on it, according to a survey by Komerční banka and Modrá pyramida, a building society.

The City of Prague wants to build cooperative flats where the city could continue to rent out one-third of the flats. However, the councillors disagree on the conditions under which the entire project should be implemented in Prague 5. If they agree and construction begins, the project would offer cooperatives favourable conditions for financing housing without a mortgage and cheaper prices for construction by the developer. The councillors are now trying to find a compromise to get the project off the ground, reports Seznamzprávy.cz.

Property development and investment group Crestyl appointed Alena Líškay Králíková as its ESG manager in May. In her newly created position, she will be responsible for developing and overseeing the company's environmental, social responsibility and corporate governance policies and practices.

Due to the high prices of flats and houses, less availability of mortgages, extreme inflation, as well as the rising price of building materials and labour, people in the Czech Republic are now looking more for rental housing. The influx of refugees from Ukraine has also significantly increased the interest in renting. Under the influence of the enormous demand, rental prices are thus starting to reach the pre-Covida level, and in some places have already exceeded it. According to PSN, the availability of apartments is decreasing and the company is now preparing entire projects for rental housing.

The EU Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) could become the first tenant after the completion of a dilapidated building in the centre of Prague's Palmovka district. The Prague City Council plans to approve the terms of a key contract in June that will kick-start preparations for the completion and ensure the agency moves into the building. Deník E15 reports that Petr Hlaváček, Prague's deputy mayor for territorial development, confirmed the news.

ESG can lead to a fundamental transformation of today’s business environment but for that to happen the approach of both landlords and tenants must change, according to the participants of the ESG panel at Prague Property Forum 2022.