Investment in European commercial real estate drops

Commercial real estate investment volumes across Europe are currently on course to meet 2017 levels, after finishing last year on a high. Levels of investment in the first three months of 2018 was broadly in line with the long term average following one of the strongest final quarters on record, according to international real estate advisor Savills. Poland recorded the highest investment growth at 329 per cent, followed by Belgium at 248 per cent and Luxembourg at 144 per cent. In Poland the sale of a €1bn retail portfolio gave quarter one volumes a boost and in Belgium a number of large deals carried over from the final quarter of 2017. The research also shows that the UK, Germany and France remain the dominant markets for investment, collectively accounting for 63 per cent of activity while the biggest falls in activity were recorded in Romania with a decline of 81 per cent, the Czech Republic down 77 per cent and the Netherlands down 53 per cent.