This year has witnessed new players entering Central and Eastern European markets which, when combined with investments from the region's traditional players, has further increased CEE investment activity. Colliers, Skanska and JLL has released a joint report that analyses the region’s potential as an investment location.

CTP has announced the appointment of Ana Dumitrache as co-country head for CTP Romania who will co-ordinate operations with CTP CEO, Remon L. Vos. Mrs. Dumitrache will be responsible for funding, finance & accounting, focusing on business development in particular, and will support the overall operations of CTP in Romania. Her target within CTP will be to replicate her success in the banking industry, bringing strength and professionalism to the team, creating bridges with partners and supporting the dynamic growth of the company. 

In the last quarter alone South African investors have spent €1 billion in CEE and it is most likely that they won’t stop chasing higher yields anytime soon. Even though investments in Central and Eastern Europe are generally considered risky by European standards, coming from other parts of the world opportunities in the region may seem rather safe. We report from CEE Property Forum 2016, co-organised by Portfolio Property Forum and RICS, where over 300 visitors and 70 speakers came together to discuss the most pressing issues concerning regional investment markets.

Romania and Hungary are seeing new capital flowing into their respective commercial real estate markets as a consequence of a significant yield spread between Western and Eastern Europe. Skanska has relased a new report, focuing on investment opportunities in the CEE region.

AFI Europe Romania has signed a letter of intent for the sale of three of its five office buildings located in AFI Park Bucharest. According to a company report, the letter of intent has been signed in June. AFI Europe wants to sell buildings 1, 2 & 3 of the complex with the option of selling AFI Park 4 & 5 to the same buyer. The name of the possible buyer has not been revealed. 

Romanian real estate developer Primavera Development will build a shopping centre in the centre of Sibiu, on the plot of the former Simerom plant. Festival Shopping Center is set to have a 44,000 sqm rentable area and is expected to be opened in H2 2018. The investment in the mall will amount to 70 million euros.

Adval Asset Management supported by JLL's Capital Markets team has successfully secured the refinancing of €6 million of Cascade Offices. Cascade Offices is a 4200 sqm office building delivered in 2005 and located on Buzesti Street, in the heart of the Central Business District of Bucharest. Among the main tenants, the project counts Procredit Bank, Enel and Taiwan TC.

Investment into Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries (excluding Russia) for H1 2016 registered a substantial increase (59%) compared to same period of last year, surpassing €5 billion. Expectations are that for the entire year, investment volumes will reach and exceed the record volumes of 2015 with all CEE countries expected to perform strongly, says CBRE.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, robust commercial real estate investment activity in the core Central European markets of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania continued in the second quarter of 2016 and reached EUR 2.6 billion, a 56% increase on Q1. This has pushed volumes over the last twelve months to EUR 9.3 billion, close to 2007 record levels.

Mitiska REIM, an investor specialised in European retail parks, has tannounced the successful second closing of its First Retail International 2 Fund (FRI 2) close to €190 million, significantly exceeding its original target of €120 to 150 million.  Allowing for gearing of 50%, the Fund’s gross investment capability is now close to €400 million.