Colliers has published its new report, “CEE-6: Highlights 2025 & Predictions 2026”, offering an overview of economic and real estate trends across Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The study shows that 2025 brought moderate economic recovery, easing inflation and rising strategic focus on sustainability—while the real estate markets were shaped by modernization, limited new office supply, strong logistics demand and the continued expansion of retail parks.

With regional GDP growth averaging 2.5% and inflation declining to 4.4% in 2025, several markets saw renewed investor confidence. However, the report underlines that geopolitics and fiscal constraints remain key risks for 2026.

Across markets, Colliers highlights limited new office deliveries, accelerated modernization and conversion of older buildings, and a dominant pipeline of retail parks—supported by strong high-street development in the Czech Republic and Romania. Industrial and logistics remained the most dynamic sector, with record demand in Romania and major Asian investments reshaping Hungary’s and Slovakia’s markets. Poland led in institutional rental housing, while Bulgaria benefited from Schengen integration and euro adoption preparations. ESG expectations continued to rise, with energy and operational cost pressures influencing tenant behaviour.

Looking to 2026, Colliers forecasts a continued office supply gap in Poland and Slovakia, rent pressure in prime locations and a return-to-office trend in Bulgaria. Retail parks are set to evolve into multifunctional formats and expand into smaller cities, while logistics demand will remain strong in most CEE countries—especially the Czech Republic and Hungary. Residential markets will see further growth in Poland’s BTR and PBSA sectors, along with rising housing prices in Romania and Hungary.

Technology and sustainability will become standard features of new developments, driven by AI, automation and smart energy systems. Meanwhile, geopolitical uncertainty, labour shortages and high costs will continue to challenge project execution.

The full report includes country-by-country analysis and sector insights.


Colliers