The scale of the destruction suffered by Ukraine as a result of the war is difficult to comprehend. The housing stock has been severely damaged, with Ernst & Young's research indicating that the scale of damage to Ukrainian real estate exceeds the volume of all new housing commissioned over the past seven years. No wonder that speaking about the Ukraine Recovery Program, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal noted that it will be the largest reconstruction project since World War II. The Ukrainian Real Estate Club and Property Times summarised what is known about the program in an article prepared for Property Forum.

Industrial investment volumes in Europe declined by 49% quarter-on-quarter, which was a 73% decline compared to Q1 2022. The Czech Republic is one of the three countries that has recorded the smallest decline in investment volumes year-on-year, Savills reported in the latest European Logistics Outlook. 

Brokers report a 30% drop in inquiries for purchasing a new home in Sofia. On an annual basis, the decrease in concluded deals is 15 %.

Avison Young presented the results of the investment market in Poland for the first 5 months of 2023. The volume of closed transactions announced to the public from the beginning of this year to the end of May amounted to only around €800 million, while in 2021 and 2022 in the same period, its value amounted to over twice as much. There were no large transactions, which in the first quarter of 2022 accounted for 75% of the total volume. Many buyers are trying to take advantage of the market situation and are bidding well below property valuations, hoping to get a good deal, but owners are taking their time to sell. Avison Young experts - Paulina Brzeszkiewicz-Kuczyńska (Research and Data Manager) and Marcin Purgal (Senior Director, Investment) - expect that in the second half of this year, the commercial real estate market in Poland will be dominated by opportunistic and value-add assets in every sector.

Colliers’ latest report finds that varying return-to-office approaches post-COVID, underlying fundamentals of city functionality, approaches towards ESG-compliance differences and how markets have reacted to shifts in inflation and interest rates have created a significant divergence in office investment volumes, pricing, and appetite globally. In Europe, vacancy sits at a steady 8.1% and office occupancy rates have returned mainly to pre-pandemic levels of 65% on average across Europe.

Warehouse deliveries in Poland reached a historic high in the first quarter of the year, reveals the latest report from Cushman & Wakefield. Despite occupier activity remaining on a downward trend, Poland is still one of the fastest-growing warehouse and logistics markets in Europe.

Bulgaria, with its growing economy and increasing consumer spending, has witnessed a recent surge in the construction of retail parks across the country. A total of 13 projects are under active construction and another 9 are at different stages of planning. The outlook for the retail park market in Bulgaria over the next year is positive, according to the latest report by Colliers.

Although anti-pandemic measures were still lingering on the Czech retail market at the beginning of last year, an early return to normal was expected. However, the war in Ukraine has fundamentally influenced further economic development, especially in the countries of Central Europe, including the Czech Republic. The rapid rise in prices (inflation increased by 15.1% year-on-year) and energy expenses were met by a further decline in already weakened customer confidence. How did this affect shopping centres in the Czech Republic? And what is the current sentiment on the market not only among customers but also the retailers themselves? CBRE tried to answer these questions in its annual Shopping Centre Index analysis, which is complemented by two current surveys focused on the development of customer behaviour and expectations on the part of retailers.

Colliers released its third annual Impact Report, highlighting progress towards realizing a more sustainable and equitable future for all. This report includes information on how Colliers is delivering resilient buildings, inclusive workplaces, and spaces that promote health and well-being.

Modern office buildings are an important part of ESG strategies for many companies. However, the real estate market in the Czech Republic is not yet fully prepared for the new ESG-related requirements. Even construction projects planned over the next few years will not resolve this issue, since meeting strict standards and certification requirements is both procedurally and financially demanding, Colliers reports.