Robert Snincak, Head of Investment Operations CEE and Krystian Pachowka, Head of Logistics Asset Management CEE at CBRE Investment Management talked to Property Forum about the current investment trends in CEE countries, the rise of the warehouse and PRS markets in Poland and the recent changes in financing conditions.

Romanian developer Iulius will invest €40 million to expand the Iulius Mall Suceava project with 14,000 sqm in a bid to add new retailers as well as leisure and food operators. 

DL Invest Group has leased nearly 80,000 sqm of commercial spaces in 2021. It embraces activities in the office, retail and industrial sectors. The value of assets that belong to the company increased to over PLN 1.5 billion.

Poland’s investment market continued to attract significant investment activity in 2021 with an annual transaction volume of €5.9 billion. A record number (166) of transactions were closed by 80 active investors, according to Avison Young’s annual investment market summary. The company expects that 2022 will see the great comeback of the office sector through increased interest in core and core+ assets in both Warsaw and regional cities.

Revetas Capital has sold Vitantis Shopping Center in Bucharest, with a leasable area of around 50,000 sqm, to Praktiker Real Estate, owned by businessman Omer Susli, for an undisclosed sum, according to economedia.ro. 

Atrium announced the major refurbishment of its flagship shopping centre – Atrium Promenada, located in Warsaw, Poland. The investment aims to refurbish the second part of the shopping centre. This will continue the transformation of Promenada, the first part of which was completed in autumn 2018.

Strabag Real Estate has acquired the defunct Galeria Plaza shopping centre in Kraków and the 8 ha plot it stands on from Peakside Capital Advisors for an undisclosed sum.

Investment transactions on the Romanian real estate market could exceed the €1 billion threshold this year, considering the projects in various stages of negotiation, according to Colliers.  At present, there are several transactions in the pipeline worth at least €100 million each, and others are ready to go on the market

Tatra Asset Management has acquired the Hexagon retail park in Žarnovice, Central Slovakia from Hexagon Retail s.r.o. The new owner of the Hexagon retail park with an area of 3,600 sqm is a real estate fund managed by Tatra Asset Management, which with this acquisition has expanded its portfolio to 11 retail parks operated under the Lipa Park brand.

Despite the pandemic triumph of e-commerce, customers are not giving up on shopping in brick-and-mortar shops. Brands wanting to benefit from the synergy of these channels implement innovative formats and compete for customers' attention with technology and environmentally friendly products. However, retail parks and convenience centres continue to enjoy popularity among investors and developers, says JLL.