Investment flows into the CEE-6 region’s commercial real estate markets rose 12% y-o-y in the first nine months of 2017. The €7.6 billion closed deal total coupled with a still full pipeline of deals under consideration suggests that the annual cycle high of €12.2 billion invested last year is likely to be matched or overhauled. Substantial growth in Czech and Bulgarian volumes were the drivers of the momentum in the January-September 2017 period, says Colliers International in its latest report.

The office markets of Central European capitals are growing dynamically with the number of new leases on the rise and vacancy rates hitting record lows in several cities. In light of all this it is no surprise that development activity is also heating up on the most popular markets of the region.

At the beginning of summer 2016, a production and distribution complex owned by one of the largest non-alcoholic beverage producers Coca-Cola HBC Czech and Slovak Republics, was added to the Slovak industrial market. The complex, which offers approximately 30,000 sqm of leasable area with ca. 35,000 sqm of adjacent land for further development was exclusively marketed by the Industrial Agency team in JLL Slovakia. From October 2017 the new owner is Priemyselný areál Lúka s.r.o. The value of the transaction remains confidential.

ESON, a Taiwanese based company, put its mid-size production plan on the market. Located in the city of Partizánske, Western Slovakia, it offers approximately 7,000 sqm of industrial and warehouse space together with 3,000 sqm of office premises and accommodation facilities for employees. The production complex is situated less than 45 km away from the regional city of Nitra and Trenčín.

Slovakia’s commercial real estate market is expected to reach an all-time high in its investment activity this year, according to a market research conducted by Colliers International.

Prologis has started construction of two logistics facilities at its new Prologis Park Nitra in Slovakia. The expected completion of both buildings is scheduled for the second quarter of 2018.

CTP is currently expanding three of its Slovakian industrial parks for three separate clients. The new developments in Bratislava, Nitra and Voděrady are due to be completed within the following months.

pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank provided an investment facility of €22 million to CBRE Property Fund Central and Eastern Europe, an investment fund focusing on retail assets in Poland and Slovakia, managed by CBRE Global Investors. This is the second transaction after the refinancing of Wars Sawa Junior retail scheme one month ago. CBRE PFCEE will use the proceeds for the refinancing of the dominant Europa Shopping Center in Banská Bystrica. pbb acted as arranger and sole lender under the facility.

Prologis announced the sale of Prologis Park Galanta-Gan in Slovakia to CNIC Corporation Limited, an investment company wholly-owned by the Government of the People's Republic of China. The park is the largest logistics asset, both by area and investment volume, ever sold in the CEE region.

The CEO of TriGranit is still optimistic for 2017 on the Budapest property market, but he expects some kind of correction in the coming years. The question is: will this correction take place in the form of a market stabilisation or will it bring on a significant downturn? Árpád Török talked to Property Forum about TriGranit’s plans for new developments and acquisitions.