In the first year of the pandemic, the construction market of the SEE region as a whole remained in the positive, and further expansion is expected until 2023. The only exception is Bulgaria where a harsh transition is foreseen for 2023 when the 2014-2020 EU programming period ends financially. The massive growth experienced in the years before 2020 is not anticipated to return. around 3% growth is projected for 2021 and 2022, and a 3% drop for 2023. The countries with the largest cumulated growth on the forecast horizon are Croatia and Serbia, according to the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association’s 2021 Summer Construction Forecast Report.

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the opening of Belgrade Art Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals, located in the heart of the old city. This opening marks the debut of the Radisson Individuals brand, a conversion solution recently launched in Europe in Q4 2020 and complements the existing Radisson Collection Hotel in Serbia's capital city.

M7 Real Estate announced the acquisition of two modern urban logistics assets, both on Slavonska Avenue, Zagreb, Croatia, on behalf of M7 CEREF II.

Real estate services platform Novaston was an exclusive support agent in the sales process of two retail properties in Serbia between two influential investors in the Balkan region: NEPI Rockcastle and BIG CEE. The binding agreement with the total consideration of the approx. €61 million euros for retail properties Kragujevac Plaza Shopping mall (with a GLA of 22,300 sqm) and Krusevac retail park (with a GLA of 8,600 sqm) was signed in June.

Palača Pošta, a unique high street commercial building in Ljubljana, Slovenia has become available for rent. The owner, Pošta Slovenije, who has been the sole user of the building until now, has retained KF Finance, to act as their exclusive real estate broker for leasing. KF Finance is the leading financial advisory company in the region, with a team of 50 finance professionals in offices in Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade, offering clients a comprehensive range of financial advisory services.

Commercial property is viewed as having below-average risk levels in most CEE countries. Revenues from different asset classes are expected to recover to pre-COVID levels most rapidly in Poland, according to the RICS Global Commercial Property Monitor for Q1 2021.

Hungarian investor Indotek Group is ready to spend hundreds of millions of euros on diversifying its portfolio geographically. Krisztián Hornok, Transaction Director and Florin Tirla, Country Head for Romania & Bulgaria shared with Property Forum the details of the company’s ambitious international expansion strategy and also discussed the pandemic’s effects on the attractiveness of different asset classes.

Developer Warehousing & Logistics EOOD (W&L) has begun the construction of the newest industrial park in Bulgaria, called Logistics Park Sofia (LPS). The park is located about 8 km from the capital Sofia. W&L is planning to build 4 warehouse buildings in the complex which will span more than 116,000 sqm of industrial and office space that will be available to potential tenants. So far this is the first Bulgarian logistics park with such a high concentration of industrial space.

Knight Frank has formally opened a dedicated office in Sofia, becoming a fully branded Knight Frank business from May 2021.

Colliers announced the end of its affiliation with its partner in Serbia (AVT RE DOO) and Greece (AVTB Private Company), effective immediately.