Property investment volume for Romania is estimated at almost €1 billion last year, a value ca.10% higher than the one registered in 2016 (€890 million). Romania accounted for 8% of the total investment volume recorded in the CEE region (€12.98 billion, a 3.3% increase over 2016). The growth of the Romanian market exceeds the increase of the CEE volumes, but the local market is still under its potential, according to JLL.

Romanian industrial and logistics gross take-up increased in 2017 by almost 15% to over 525,000 square meters, registering a new record level, JLL reports.

CTP will complete the construction of several warehouses and start new developments in its three logistics parks situated in the vicinity of the Romanian capital: CTPark Bucharest West, CTPark Bucharest and CTPark Bucharest North (former Chitila Logistic Park). It is estimated that by the end of 2018 their cumulated surface will reach approximately 680,000 sqm. CTP plans a total expansion of at least 300,000 sqm at national level.

Laurentiu Lazar, Senior Partner, Investment and Valuation Services, will take over as the new Managing Partner of Colliers International Romania, effective as of March. Ilinca Paun, the current Managing Partner, will remain Member of the Board and will focus on her activity at Entrepreneurship Academy, where she will operate as CEO.

In 2017 the Bucharest office market has posted results close to the 2016 record ones, taking into consideration transactions in Class A and B buildings. 2018 is expected to bring growth and new demand from players that are going to enter the market, but also of the existent ones who will extend or relocate. The annual Knight Frank report – European Commercial Property Outlook – estimates that European commercial property markets enter 2018 with positive momentum.

The Iulius Company has commenced the works for the retail component included in the Openville Timişoara project, the largest mixed-use development in the west of Romania. The first phase of the project integrating the current Iulius Mall Timişoara is set for completion in Q4 2018 and will include 47,000 sqm of additional retail premises, 100,000 sqm of Class A offices, a park, a traffic underpass, as well as more than 1,500 new parking places.

The Rezidor Hotel Group announced the signing of the Radisson Blu Hotel Timisoara. This takes the group's portfolio in Romania to four hotels. Radisson Blu and Mulberry Development will create an international upper upscale hotel in Timisoara, the main social, economic and cultural hub in Western Romania - and the European Capital of Culture for 2021.

Globalworth is, according to zf.ro, in talks with NEPI Rockcastle to acquire The Office Cluj and City Business Centre Timisoara. The investor completed a €330 million ordinary share issue at the end of last year and intends to use the money raised for investments in Poland and Romania.

Last year, the total value of land transactions in Romania for real estate projects (excluding the industrial segment) increased significantly from 2016, exceeding the €350 million threshold at the national level. According to Colliers International, about 70% of this value was ascribed to the capital, where land transactions for residential development represented more than half of the investment volume.

WDP is reinforcing its capital in the Romanian entity, being a 51/49 joint venture partnership with Jeroen Biermans up until now. After the capital increase the ownership ratio of the shareholders will evolve towards an 80/20 ratio. This should facilitate the further portfolio growth towards €500 million.