According to the latest RICS Commercial Property Monitor, occupier and investment sentiment remains positive across main CEE markets, even though the Czech Republic has posted its most subdued set of readings in four years. In many countries, demand for retail assets fell on both the occupier and investment sides of the market. Based on rental and capital value projections, secondary retail is visibly suffering in Austria, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania.

On 3 December 2019, Balkans Property Forum 2019, a conference and networking event for real estate professionals from all over Southeastern Europe will be held in Belgrade. Over 150 guests will come together in the Serbian capital to discuss key issues and explore the latest trends influencing the future of the real estate industry.

According to the panellists of the investment panel at CEE Property Forum 2019, sellers have become more cautious compared to last year when they thought the market was reaching the peak and they were going to get the best price possible. Prices, however, have gone up significantly in the last 12 months as the general lack of quality investment products persists in the region.

Digitizing commercial property provides endless new opportunities for owners and managers of large property portfolios. No one knows this better than Dr. Robert Herman MRICS, who left Hungary three years ago to start a tech company in California. He talked to us about the importance of technology in the property business and his new role as a member of the RICS in the Americas Board.

Property Forum and RICS are organizing the seventh edition of CEE Property Forum this September. Just like in previous years, leading decision-makers in real estate will come together in Vienna to discuss the future of the industry. CEOs, influential investors, bankers, developers, fast-growing proptech start-up founders, architects and valuers will analyse the potential of the CEE property market from a global perspective, providing an excellent networking opportunity.

According to the latest RICS Commercial Property Monitor, CEE countries – most notably the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania – are still global leaders in occupier and investment sentiment. The Central European region’s most mature market, Austria is on a different path, however, with respondents reporting a broadly flat outlook.

Property Forum and RICS are organizing the seventh edition of CEE Property Forum this September. Just like in previous years, leading decision-makers in real estate will come together in Vienna to discuss the future of the industry. CEOs, influential investors, bankers, developers, fast-growing proptech start-up founders, architects and valuers will analyse the potential of the CEE property market from a global perspective, providing an excellent networking opportunity.

As of 28 June, Samuel Šporka, Head of Leasing at JLL Bratislava branch has become a new member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. With over 130,000 qualified and trainee professionals, RICS promotes and enforces the highest international standards across the built and natural environment. 

Panellists of the CEE investment roundtable of Prague Property Forum 2019, led by Mike Atwell, Head of Capital Markets Czech Republic and Lead Director CEE at JLL discussed the key trends shaping the regional investment market. They agreed that the low interest rate environment is probably here to say but it's very difficult to say for how long.

According to the RICS Commercial Property Monitor, Hungary has the strongest occupier sentiment and the Czech Republic has the strongest investment sentiment among the 40 countries surveyed in Q1 2019. Market expectations remained fairly positive across Central and Eastern Europe in the first quarter of the year, with the share of those stating that we have reached the peak of current property cycle decreasing compared to previous quarters.