Domestic and cross-border CEE transactions jumped from €1.1bn in 2011 to €2.6bn last year, according to the latest Colliers International report. While Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are developing well, Poland and Romania have the furthest road to travel in terms of improving access for local investors to the commercial real estate marketplace. Poland might opt to push for REIT legislation or see more companies listed. REIT legislation exists in Bulgaria and Hungary, but listings are only active in the former. Slovakia is the only country in the CEE region where pension funds are active in the real estate sector. Their participation is much more common in Western Europe. There is not much sign of this changing in the CEE region, according to Colliers.
