German funds have always been one of the main players on the investment market in Poland and the CEE region. However, in recent years their share in transaction volume has been decreasing. Currently, they stand at around 15% of the total value invested annually. New entrants from the USA, Asia and South Africa have increased competition for commercial property in the region. Poland and the Czech Republic are still the CEE markets of choice for German investors seeking to locate their capital in commercial real estate.

As we’re approaching the end of the current cycle, investors allocate more capital to more crisis-resilient asset classes, including student housing. Samuel Vetrak, CEO of StudentMarketing, talked to Property Forum about recent developments on the CEE student housing market. Samuel will also present about the student housing asset class and chair a panel discussion at the upcoming Portfolio Property Investment Forum 2018 in Budapest.

Immofinanz is driving the expansion of its Stop Shop retail park brand and has now purchased eight retail parks in Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia. The purchase price totals approximately €90.5 million. The newly acquired properties are fully rented and generate an annual rental income of roughly €7.2 million, which represents a gross return of 8.0%. These transactions increase Immofinanz’s Stop Shop portfolio to 80 locations in nine countries with over 567,000 sqm of rentable space and a carrying amount of approx. €800 million. Further acquisitions are currently under evaluation, and two Stop Shops in Poland and Serbia are now in the active development phase.

Skanska and local developer Prime Kapital might share the 11-hectare Griro platform in Bucharest, controlled by businessmen Nicolae Badea and Fatih Taher, in a €50 million transaction, according to market sources.

According to CBRE, the global property investment volume increased 3.6% year-to-date (YTD), compared to the same period of last year, with Q3 up by 1.2% (in fixed exchange rates). Taking account of last year’s strong appreciation of the U.S. dollar, global investment volume grew by a greater 5.9% YTD.

Local developer One United Properties, owned by businessmen Andrei Diaconescu and Victor Capitanu, has acquired the land of the former Ventilatorul plant and an office building near Victoriei Square in Bucharest from Immofinanz. The deal is valued at €39 million, Ziarul Financiar reports.

Metrohouse Franchise, the 100% subsidiary of Hungary’s Duna House Holding. has signed an agreement in Warsaw to acquire 100% ownership in Gold Finance Sp. z o.o. The total investment was €908,000 (PLN 3.9 million), out of which the purchase price was PLN 3.5 million, plus MF acquired shareholder loans from the sellers with the face value of PLN 0.4 million.

Crosspoint Real Estate, an international associate of Savills in Romania, has assisted the sale of the Bank of Cyprus building from SIF Banat Crişana to a firm belonging to a Romanian businessman. Crosspoint negotiated on behalf of SIF Banat Crişana both in the acquisition stage of the building, and later at the sale stage to the private investor.

Ceetrus Romania is investing €10 million in the expansion of its shopping mall in Satu Mare, Romania. The new commercial space will be completed in Q3 2019, the company said in a press release.

Globalworth Poland has entered into a preliminary sale and purchase agreement with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield for the landmark acquisition of two high-quality office buildings in Warsaw, known as Skylight and Lumen.