ARTICLES LABELLED WITH TAG PRS

A consortium of banks, Santander Bank Polska and Helaba (Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen), has granted AFI a €120 million loan to refinance four PRS projects under the AFI Home brand in Warsaw, Kraków, and Wrocław. This is one of the largest PRS financing transactions in Poland to date. 

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a regional loan of up to €120 million to AFI Europe to support its development pipeline in Serbia, Poland, Romania, and Czechia. 

At the end of 2024, there were more than 22,300 units in the PRS sector in Poland, of which around 26% were brought to market last year. In terms of project supply, Warsaw's dominance is evident. The sector is expected to grow to over 35,000 units in the next three years. The latest JLL report indicates the rapid development of the institutional rental market and the growing interest of investors in this sector.

Syrena Real Estate has sold its first PRS project at 171 Wolska Street in Warsaw. The new owner is the Belgian company Xior Student Housing NV. The transaction value was €12 million, making it the second successful sale of a stabilised PRS project in Poland.

The CEE Student Housing Fund of 1 Asset Management has secured a project finance loan of over PLN 150 million from mBank S.A. The financing will support the transformation of 21,000 sqm within the A-class Lipowy Office Park, located in Warsaw’s Ochota district, into coliving spaces tailored for young professionals and students.

The Private Rented Sector (PRS) market in Poland has experienced a decade of growth. However, the institutional rental sector is still in its early stages, with the first transaction completed in 2014. The state-owned Fundusz Mieszkań na Wynajem was a pioneer in the market, acquiring the first residential building in Poznań and commencing operations in 2015. Analysts from Avison Young sum up the current situation in the PRS market in Poland.

Mirosław Bednarek, CEO of Matexi Polska has talked to Property Forum about the recent situation in the Polish residential market, the expected revival of the PRS segment and the biggest challenges in 2025.

According to the latest report by Avison Young, after a challenging period of investment slowdown in 2023, the 2024 results signal a return to stability and a hint of optimism. Poland’s total transaction volume in 2024 more than doubled compared to 2023, reflecting a significant resurgence in market activity.

Located in Warsaw's Praga-Północ district, the Białostocka 5D development by Eiffage Immobilier Polska has just been purchased by Heimstaden, one of the largest operators on the European institutional rental market. The price has not been disclosed.

Price pressure and uncertainties still exist in the residential market in CEE. Build-to-sell is dominant and build-to-rent has already started in some countries. According to the panel focusing on the challenges and opportunities in the residential market at CEE Property Forum 2024 in Vienna, stabilised construction costs and lower mortgage prices, however, may boost investments.