The second quarter of 2023 in the Czech Republic was characterized by record industrial construction, with more than 60 percent of it already pre-leased. The vacancy rate rose slowly to the current 1.7 percent, indicating a prevailing market sentiment that sees speculative construction and a recent-record high amount of space under construction, according to the latest analysis by the Industrial Reserch Forum.

Sofia has experienced steady growth in its industrial space market during the first half of 2023. With a total stock of over 4.0 million sqm of ready-to-use space and an additional 252,000 sqm under construction, the city is witnessing an upward trend. These findings are part of the latest industrial report, issued by the real estate company MBL. 

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.

The current results of the Polish investment market may not appear very optimistic at the moment, but this is only a temporary situation. The Polish real estate market has a solid foundation, and investors have proven to be highly adaptable, as evidenced by the results achieved in previous challenging years, reveals Avison Young's investment market summary for H1 2023, prepared by Research and Data Manager Paulina Brzeszkiewicz-Kuczyńska.

Sofia's office market faces shifting demand and moderating construction, according to a report by the real estate company MBL for the second quarter of 2023. Changing work patterns and preferences for hybrid models have raised concerns about the future demand for office space. The capital's vacancy rates decreased slightly, while rental rates remained stable. Investors are approaching the market with caution due to inflation and remote work practices. Despite the moderate activity, there is a potential for modern, well-located office spaces to attract higher occupancy and investment interest.

At the end of Q2 2023, the office market vacancy rate in Warsaw reached 11.4% (down 0.2 pps compared to the previous quarter and decreased by 0.5 pps in relation to the comparable period in 2022). The Polish Chamber of Commercial Real Estate (PINK) has published figures on the office market in Warsaw for Q2 2023.

The Bulgarian residential market was growing at a slower pace in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period last year. On an annual basis, the increase was 9.5%, and 1.6% on a monthly basis. The data is part of the annual House Market Index by Eurostat on residential property prices and rents in the European Union.

Since the second half of 2022, Savills has seen an increase in demand from manufacturing companies for modern warehouse space in the Czech Republic, accounting for 57% of the total space leased in the first quarter of 2023. One of the reasons why demand from this sector is growing is "nearshoring", i.e., the shift of production from Asia back to Europe. During Covid-19, demand was significantly driven by the e-commerce sector, which at its peak in Q3 2021, accounted for up to 62%. However, over the last three quarters, e-commerce activity has declined significantly and, as of Q1 2023, is now at 6%. Given uncertain energy supply and costs, and thanks to government support of renewable energy, demand from this sector is also growing significantly.

Most industry insiders were eagerly awaiting Q2 sales statistics. Despite the fact that, effectively, the "2% safe loan" program has only been in effect since July 3rd, its impact on quarterly sales performance was significant. For another consecutive quarter, the number of units sold by developers in the six largest markets was about one-third higher compared to the previous three months. Experts at JLL summarised the second quarter of 2023 in the residential market in Poland.

The latest Hungarian house price index for Q1 2023, which includes preliminary data, shows that the sharp fall in the number of sales transactions has not yet been followed by a similar decline in prices. The preliminary figures published by the Central Statistical Office (KSH) show prices stagnating in nominal terms: after a 2% drop in the previous quarter, prices have now risen by 2%, essentially returning to their Q3 2022 level. But what does this mean in relation to market fundamentals and what could be in store for the rest of the year?