The housing loan stock is now growing by only 1.2% in Romania, with the slowdown becoming noticeable starting with the second half of last year, while the number of apartment transactions fell by almost 30% in Bucharest and regional cities in the first five months of the year, according to Colliers. 

Skanska has launched the sale of the second phase of Modřanský cukrovar, which will offer 126 apartments in four residential sections. The developer is applying sustainability principles in the construction and the planned construction of the apartment buildings is approaching the passive standard in the highest PENB energy performance category - A. Each apartment will already draw energy from photovoltaic panels on the roof and will be able to use recycled water. The developer expects to start construction this winter with completion expected in 2025.

Brokers report a 30% drop in inquiries for purchasing a new home in Sofia. On an annual basis, the decrease in concluded deals is 15 %.

Doron Klein, the CEO of AFI Europe Romania and The Czech Republic, has been appointed as Deputy CEO of AFI Europe group, in addition to his current position. 

Proxenta's latest residential project, Kesselbauer, is being finalised these weeks. The luxury residence right in the centre of Bratislava has already completed all the construction works and only the landscaping in the courtyard remains. The project is now in the approval phase and the approval process is expected to be completed in a few weeks, real estate portal YIM.BA reports.

In 2023, the residential real estate market in Bulgaria is expected to remain calmer and more balanced than during the dynamic previous year. According to real estate agency Arco Real Estate, the forecast is for a slight cooling of interest due to factors such as inflation, the change, and the rise in mortgage rates, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine.

On the occasion of Property Forum’s Living Investment Forum 2023 and under the umbrella of the RICS CEE residential working group, an online survey was conducted among large residential developers and management companies from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania with help from industry organisations and RICS professional network to get insight on what importance ESG considerations play in the residential sector in the CEE region. In the survey, 80% of respondents claimed that ESG is an important factor in their business decisions at the “strategy level”.

Investment group DRFG has announced the acquisition of the new multifunctional development project Tři Dvory, with a market value of CZK 1 billion (€42.3 million). The project will be located on the site of a former royal mill on the outskirts of Újezd u Brna, in close proximity to the Stara Hora vineyards. Construction is due to start in spring 2024 and final completion is planned for spring 2026. 

The Prague City Council has approved the investment preparation of the Beranka residential project in Prague Horní Počernice. The construction of 300 flats on an area of 63,000 sqm is being prepared under the management of the Prague Development Company (PDS). Architectural competition and tenders are being prepared. PDS plans to build between 2025 and 2030.

Although not long ago the PRS market seemed to be the obvious choice, thanks to the sudden improvement in economic conditions and the optimism of buyers, the construction of apartments for sale in Poland is today a more profitable solution - this is the main conclusion of a panel discussion at Living Investment Forum 2023, an event organized by Property Forum in Warsaw in May.