Investors look for interesting retail properties in Poland

In 2018, retail investment volume in Poland reached a record high of €2.5 billion ($2.8 billion), according to Cresa.

Retail was the second-most sought-after sector after offices, accounting for 34 percent of all investment activity in Poland. Paweł Nowakowski, head of capital markets at Cresa Poland, predicts in the latest “Retail Occupier Economics” report that 2019 may be equally good for Poland’s investment volume.

The strongest investor activity was recorded in first quarter 2018 and was driven primarily by two significant transactions: the acquisition of M1 Portfolio by Chariot Top Group from Ares, AXA and Apollo Rida for €1 billion ($1.1 billion), and the takeover of Galeria Katowicka by Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia from Meyer Bergman for €300 million ($340 million). The two subsequent quarters saw significantly smaller investment volumes, but investment activity picked up in the fourth quarter of the year when Wars Sawa Junior changed hand