The bull run in the European residential sector that was fueled by low interest rates in the past decade has been coming under strong pressure from ECB rate hikes, with valuations stagnating due to the wide gap in expectations between most buyers and sellers, according to research by property fund Catella. 

The Lastavice development project in Belgrade, Serbia, has just completed its rough construction. The first building of the project, which will offer almost 500 flats and require an investment of more than CZK 2 billion (€84 million), will be completed by the Czech developer UDI Group in spring 2024, while the construction of the second of the project's two buildings will begin at that time.

The period of stagnation and waiting on the Prague residential market is over. Along with the spring came a revival in the Prague housing market. The demand is rising, and interest in buying and renting is also growing, according to the latest Knight Frank report.

NEPI Rockcastle, Europe’s third largest listed owner, developer, and manager of retail properties by portfolio market value at €6.6 billion, recorded a 27% rise in net operating income (NOI) in the first quarter of 2023 to €120 million compared to the same period of last year.

Yitzhak Hagag, Co-Founder and Shareholder of Hagag Development Europe, spoke with Property Forum about the ongoing developments in Romania and the company's plan to invest around €130 million in the local property market in the upcoming years. Hagag also outlined the growing potential of the newly launched private offices division, which has already reached an occupancy rate above 60%.

Romanian developer One United Properties recorded a turnover of €89.3 million in Q1 2023, up 27% compared to the same period of last year, while the net profit more than doubled to €30.8 million in the first quarter over higher residential sales and growing rental income. 

According to Dr Aleš Pustovrh at the EECFA, which conducts research on the construction markets of 8 Eastern European countries, residential construction boom in Slovenia continues and is set to peak this year. Nevertheless, with increasing interest rates on mortgage loans, residential construction will be facing significantly lower demand in the second half of 2023.

Aleksandra Gawrońska, Director, Head of Residential Research at JLL Poland talked to Property Forum about the current recovery of the Polish residential market, the stance of banks financing new investments and the possible scenarios for the nearest future.

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.

Asking prices for homes in Romania fell on average by 0.6% in April compared to the previous month to €1,425 per sqm, according to data from Imobiliare.ro.