Bratislava Research Forum has announced the results of office market figures for Q1 2024. Data are showing stable results and the good news is that more than 40% of the stock is sustainable and green-certified.

In 2024, the total investment volume in Poland amounted to €364 million, marking the weakest result for the first quarter in recent years. Interestingly, 25% of the invested capital comes from Polish investors. The warehouse sector remains the leader, accounting for 38% of the total investment volume. Unchanged, the vast majority of office transactions took place in Warsaw, while commercial investments were dominated by retail parks. Additionally, the market also saw two transactions in the residential sector in Warsaw, and two hotels were sold in seaside tourist cities, says Paulina Brzeszkiewicz-Kuczyńska, Research and Data Manager at Avison Young.

The 4-day workweek is becoming an increasingly hot topic. Although in Poland it still appears to be a thing of the future, recent years have shown how quickly labour market trends are changing. AI is also broadly expected to have a significant effect on the workplace. BNP Paribas Real Estate experts are wondering, how will all of this impact the commercial real estate market.

The Vlněna brownfield project in Brno, which was purchased in 2007 by CTP, is now entering its final phase. This year, the developer is planning to complete the first office building in this project.

According to the latest report published by Newmark Polska, the Warsaw office market is entering a period of an increased focus on the repurposing and refurbishment of office buildings. As office availability in central Warsaw declined in the first quarter of 2024, occupiers’ interest shifted towards non-central locations. Development activity remained stable but relatively weak, with a significant concentration of new office projects in central zones, which accounted for nearly 90% of the total office stock under construction.

JTRE is strengthening its position as an international developer. It has established a German branch and has announced its first project in the central Berlin location.

The office vacancy rate increased to 13.8% in the first quarter of 2024, representing a 0.4 pps growth quarter-on-quarter and 1.5 pps increase year-on-year. However, the net take-up showed a healthy 25% growth, the Budapest Research Forum (BRF) reports.

Already 64% of Warsaw’s office buildings offer at least one retail or service unit, reveals Cushman & Wakefield. With new retail supply remaining low across Warsaw, retailers and service providers are increasingly looking for alternative locations. In addition, recent years have seen a significant shift in user preferences regarding the use of office space and types of services available in office buildings.

Romanian developer Genesis Property has purchased a 30,000 sqm land plot from Stizo Invest, for an undisclosed sum, in a transaction brokered by Colliers.

Real estate investments in Romania reached €205.75 million during Q1 2024, up 33% year-on-year, driven by the retail sector, shows a Fortim Trusted Advisors report.