The most prominent investors of the SEE region shared their projections for the upcoming year at the international investment panel at SEE Property Forum 2019, moderated by Tim Wilkinson, Partner at Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Globalworth announced that Aroundtown SA has acquired an 11.8% stake in the Company. Aroundtown is a real estate company with a focus on properties with value-add potential in central locations in top tier cities primarily in Germany and the Netherlands. With a commercial real estate portfolio worth more than €13 billion, Aroundtown is the largest and highest rated (BBB+ by S&P) commercial real estate company in Germany and the 4th largest in Europe (based on market cap of €8.6 billion).

Cushman & Wakefield Echinox was appointed to manage One Victoriei Center office building in Bucharest (former Bucharest Corporate Center), a representative business centre located in the business centre area of the Capital (CBD).

Investment market momentum is still firmly positive across Central and Eastern Europe but an increasing share of market players feel that commercial property has become expensive in the countries surveyed by the RICS Commercial Property Monitor. Although the majority of the survey’s contributors believe that the market is in the peak phase of the property cycle, growth is set to continue in the coming year.

The local real estate market has begun to attract the attention of major Asian investors, as groups from China and South Korea are exploring the potential to invest directly in the primary commercial markets. It is feasible that the first transaction could occur by the end of this year, according to Cushman & Wakefield Echinox consultants.

GLL Real Estate Partners has put the Floreasca Park office project up for sale. The office building is located in the northern part of Bucharest.

Globalworth has started the construction of its new office project, Globalworth Square. The project it located in the Barbu Văcărescu area, in Bucharest's busiest office hub, between Globalworth Plaza and Green Court, both owned by Globalworth.

Africa Israel Investments, an international holding and investments company based in Israel, sold the controlling stake in Africa Israel Properties (AIP), the parent-company of AFI Europe.

MAS Real Estate has entered into an agreement with PKM Developments, a joint venture with its peer Prime Kapital, to buy a property portfolio consisting of nine shopping value centres in Romania for €112.97 million. The centres are being held by PKM Developments through three subsidiaries - PK Black, PK Indigo and PK Red.

Israeli developer Hagag Development Europe has received the building permit for the Victoriei 139 residential project which will see the transformation of an old building located on Calea Victoriei in central Bucharest.