The uncertainty that prevailed in the Czech commercial real estate market in the second half of 2022 has been reflected in Q1 2023. Although the market is already calmer, according to Colliers' experts, it is still awaiting a relatively long period of stabilization.

Communication consultancy Șerban & Musneci Associates has launched SMA Real Estate Kluster, a new division that is exclusively dedicated to the Romanian property market. 

Analysts at Bencont Investments have recorded sales of only 197 apartments in new buildings in Bratislava in Q1 2023. According to them, the unit price of available apartments remained at €4,900/sqm. In Q1, the supply consisted of as many as 3,229 vacant apartments in new buildings. Realisation prices increased by 20% year-on-year, but there was a 1.43% quarter-on-quarter decrease. Q1 2023 was thus still marked by weakening demand, according to the quarterly real estate market analysis of Bencont.

The commercial real estate market was generally characterised by favourable trends in H1 2022, but in the latter half of the year, risks associated with the business cycle increased in Hungary. Vacancy rates have increased since and are expected to go up for the rest of this year, the Hungarian Central Bank (MNB) reports.

Ѕоfіа hаѕ ѕееn а dесlіnе іn thе numbеr оf residential trаnѕасtіоnѕ fоr a thіrd соnѕесutіvе quаrtеr. According to the latest data from the National Statistical Institute for the first quarter of the year, property sales in the capital shrank annually by 12.2% and reached 6381.

Penta Real Estate plans to diversify its real estate portfolio and is preparing for further expansion within Europe. It wants to establish a real estate fund for this purpose, as Marek Dospiva, co-owner of the group, revealed to E15.cz

JRD is merging two of its divisions. JRD Development, a specialist in sustainable development and healthy living, and JRD Land, a land bank and specialist in subdivision development and urban planning. This creates a division with the new name JRD Real Estate. The CEO of JRD Real Estate remains Alexandra Tomášková, who has been leading the two separate divisions from her position as CEO.

The effects of higher interest rates have yet to cause too much distress within the likes of the Prague market, says Richard Britten-Long, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Českomoravská Nemovitostní, in an interview for Property Forum. He also talked about key market drivers, including ESG.

Arete Group has signed a loan agreement for more than €100 million with the consortium of Czech and Slovak banks – one of the largest banking groups in the Czech Republic and Slovakia - Česká spořitelna and Slovenská sporiteĺňa.  

In their global real estate outlook for 2023, the Savills World Research team says that capital value increases in most real estate sectors around the world in 2023 will be minimal, and rental growth prospects limited, but investment activity may rebound in H2 2023.