The post-pandemic office market has fundamentally changed, and across the globe, landlords are facing the same uncomfortable reality: buildings that once hummed with activity are now significantly underoccupied, and the task of getting people back is proving far harder than anyone anticipated. The question is no longer whether the way we work has changed, because it clearly has, but rather what the right response looks like for those who own and manage commercial property, writes Jerzy Brodzikowski, General Manager of CIC Warsaw, in an opinion piece for Property Forum.

This year marks a crucial stage for the European real estate market, which is undergoing a process of recovery and transformation. Favourable economic factors, such as stabilized inflation, reduced interest rates and increasing real incomes are strengthening this sector as a key pillar of the continental economy, according to a Cushman & Wakefield Echinox analysis. 

At the recent Expo Real, leaders from the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) shared insights into emerging trends in the commercial real estate market, highlighting shifts in market sentiment, key industry trends, and the organization’s strategic membership growth across Europe. In a discussion with Property Forum, Robert Thornburgh, CEO of SIOR, Iain Finnegan, European Region Chapter President and founder of Finnegan Menton, and Matthew Leguen de Lacroix, Head of Business Development for SIOR in EMEA, discussed the evolving industrial and office investment landscape.

Property Forum is excited to publish the results of its CEE investment market sentiment survey ahead of CEE Property Forum 2024 in Vienna. The results, providing an overview of market expectations across the region, are now available online.

Global economic transformations are impacting how companies operate and how workplaces are designed. The latest report developed by Walter Herz in collaboration with experts from Workplace, ISS Polska, DECISIVE Szmigiel, Papros, Gregorczyk, and Brill AV Media, outlines the leading trends shaping the development of the office market in Poland.

Sustainability will continue its massive growth, as stakeholders demand more action on environmental and social issues, and businesses and governments respond to stricter demands imposed by politics and climate pressures, finds a BuildGreen report.

Savills has presented a preliminary summary of 2023 and predicted key trends going forward. The commercial property market in Poland is expected to see a rebound in investor, developer and tenant activity in the near future against the backdrop of continued global uncertainty and the climate crisis.

In H1 2023, the total transaction volume in the CEE region decreased by 59% year-on-year. The current results in the property investment market may not appear very optimistic at the moment, but this is only a temporary situation, Avison Young reports.

Desk sharing is beginning to take root in Czech offices. Not only does it make office space usage more efficient, but it also offers employees greater comfort. In fact, companies usually invest up to half as much in standard, individual workstations as they would in traditional office layouts, reports Colliers.

Retailers and landlords have to be aware that they’re always part of a local community, says Dr. Angelus Bernreuther, Head of Investor Relationship Management at Kaufland. He talked to Property Forum about his outlook for the retail market in CEE and also shared details of the company’s ESG strategy and expansion plans.