The hunt for logistics properties is intensifying, many investors are looking for strip malls and specialised stores, new and premium office buildings are increasingly leaving obsolete ones behind. Commercial real estate advisor VLK Cresa summarised the last few months on the Hungarian property investment market.

MOL Group announces the acquisition of 100% of Normbenz Slovakia s.r.o. by Slovnaft that includes 16 service stations in Slovakia operated under the Lukoil brand. MOL has also concluded a deal with Marché International AG to buy the company that operates 9 restaurants in Hungary under the Marché brand. The agreements fit the Group’s “Shape Tomorrow” 2030+ updated long-term strategy, which lays special emphasis on the development of consumer services.

Spektrum shopping centre, CPI Property Group’s latest retail development in the Czech Republic, opened its doors on 25 March. Located in Čestlice, in Prague’s south-eastern agglomeration, Spektrum is a convenience-focused retail park comprising over 20 units and over 6,500 sqm of space.

Mountfield, Europe’s largest specialised retailer of garden machinery, swimming pools and home and garden equipment, has chosen the Shopping Palace centre as the site of its new store in Slovakia. Managing the shopping centre since 2013, the MVGM team has created a compact retail space for Mountfield, which covers 1,500 square metres and also includes a warehouse and suitable office space. On the occasion, MVGM summarised the state of Slovakia’s retail market.

Speakers at 2021 Property Investment Outlook 2021, an online event organised by Property Forum, have indicated unbroken market optimism. From living investments through the retail market to the office segment, participants in panel discussions expected positive changes and further growth in the CEE property market.

Iulius started the construction works for its first retail park near Iași. Another one is to kick-off soon, and the total investment in the first two projects is €16 million.

The InTeFi investment group has become the majority owner of the Cassovar Business Center I building in Košice following a €30 million acquisition. The building comprises 13,500 sqm of office space and a 7,000 sqm shopping gallery.

Developer AFI Europe completed the second phase of the construction of the Skyline Belgrade mixed-use project, a 3-story building, totalling over 3,800 sqm of prime office and retail space.

Institutional investors have acquired Echo Investment's bonds with a total value of PLN 195 million. The obtained funds will be allocated to the company's development, particularly in the promising residential sector.

Over 80% of the new retail space expected to be completed in 2021 will be in the form of retail parks, including smaller strip malls, highlighting a market shift towards proximity-based schemes or those with a smaller financial footprint for the developer, according to Colliers International Romania.