The PRS market accounts for a mere 1% of all rental flats in Poland. Despite being in its infancy, it is likely to become a strong investment alternative and gain popularity in light of the current macroeconomic conditions and challenges facing the housing sector. The latest report prepared by experts of CRIDO and Savills looks at what’s next for this commercial real estate sector in the coming years and legal and tax issues that an investor needs to take into account in investment planning.

Savills has announced the acquisition of Knight Frank’s commercial property and asset management team in Poland. Under the agreement, 35 employees have joined Savills and its Polish property management portfolio has surpassed 1,200,000 sqm.

Any uncertainly around the future of Europe’s economy this year has so far failed to dampen demand for logistics space, with take up in H1 already 12% ahead of last year’s record. According to Savills, this is mainly due to the uplift in take-up of space in the Germany (4,61 milion sqm) and UK (3,93 milion sqm), while Poland (3,83 milion sqm) stands third among analysed countries.

According to Savills latest research, take-up in the European office market in H1 2022 reached 4.3 million sqm, 11% above the five-year H1 average.

Warehouse costs increased on average by 8.4% globally and by 6.7% in Europe, with Prague being an outlier, recording an increase of 35.8% in a year due to exceptionally low vacancy. The nationwide vacancy rate fell back to 1.4% in Q2 2022 and this is the lowest level in the market´s history, says Savills in its latest report.

Following a change to its investment model, the ORPEA Group, an entity specializing in long-term care and rehabilitation, has decided to restructure its project portfolio in the largest Polish cities, which were built for its planned expansion. Savills has been instructed to search for investors.

The Delta Trans Group, a provider of logistics services with over 30 years of presence in the Polish market, has renegotiated and expanded its lease to around 17,000 sqm of warehouse and office space in Ruda Śląska in a property managed by Savills Investment Management. The tenant was advised during the renegotiation process by experts of real estate advisory firm Newmark Polska.

Real estate advisory firm Savills has been appointed as property manager for Widok Towers, the most centrally located skyscraper in Warsaw. The mandate follows many years of cooperation with German Commerz Real AG, the owner of the property, on Tulipan House and Millennium Park A.

The Czech real estate investment volume reached €1.15 billion in the first half of 2022. This was a 60% increase and was mainly led by domestic investors who acquired properties worth more than €607 million. Even the number of transactions in Q2 surpassed Q1 of this year. Domestic buyers were involved in 11 of the 13 transactions in Q2, so the share of the domestic capital increased in total volume to 68%, Savills reported.

In the first half of 2022, office take-up in Warsaw hit a record high of 479,400 sqm, representing a year-on-year increase of 94%. Savills forecasts that the growing undersupply of office space will drive rental growth going forward, further accelerated by shrinking availability and significant increases in construction costs and office property management fees.