Residential investment volumes across the CEE region have been limited and averaged out annually at just over €200 million in the past 5 years. The balance between private, owner-occupied dwellings and those that are for rent in CEE lean towards ownership according to “The Private Rental Sector: Has it found a home in CEE?” report just launched by Colliers in collaboration with Greenberg Traurig and Kinstellar. From the stock of existing developer/investor-owned, multiple-unit PRS schemes, the Czech Republic is ahead, followed by Poland and the remaining countries behind that. 

Nordic investor NREP has recently made headlines by entering the Polish market with the acquisition of a 130,000 sqm logistics portfolio and over 1,000 apartments. Stefan Wallander, Chief Business Officer of NREP talked to Property Forum about their entry into the local market, rising apartment prices and sustainability commitment.

Budimex SA has signed the final sales agreement of Budimex Nieruchomości. Therefore, the private equity investment firm Cornerstone Partners and Czech development group Crestyl took over the entire shareholding of the company.  This is the biggest acquisition in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The next stage is changing the name of the company - Budimex Nieruchomości is now Spravia.

Heimstaden subsidiary, Heimstaden Bostad AB, is to buy a newly-built residential portfolio with 2,496 homes in Poland for €305 million (SEK 3.1 billion) from leading Polish residential development company, Budimex.

The pandemic has caused a lot of change on the market but these changes can easily be viewed as an opportunity for further growth as Jonathan Hallett, Head of Central & Eastern Europe at Cushman & Wakefield demonstrates. He talked to Property Forum about the results of the last year and shared his expectations for the future of work and the CEE advisory market.

Michał Okoń, Managing Director of Zeitgeist Asset Management in Poland talked to Property Forum about the forecasts for the PRS market in Poland, subscription services and the impact of the pandemic on the rented apartment segment.

Today, global investment capital, looking for safe options on the real estate markets, focuses on housing. Poland is the target of the largest global companies investing in the PRS sector, says advisory company Walter Herz.

The third-largest provider of rental housing in Europe, Swedish company Heimstaden plans to almost double its investments into the refurbishment and expansion of its Czech portfolio.

Polish developer Cavatina Holding, which has been active in the regional cities of Poland, has recently announced plans to go public. Rafał Malarz, CEO of the company talked to Property Forum about investing in large mixed-use projects, the future of the PRS sector in Poland, possible changes in the retail and office markets and shared some details about the upcoming IPO.

In 2020, Echo Investment achieved a net profit of PLN 122 million, which was the result of hand over 1,505 apartments to clients, growth in value of the commercial projects under construction, as well as completed Resi4Rent projects.