Regional retail centres lead Romania's property investment in 2025

Business Forum
Shopping centres outside Bucharest were the most attractive real estate asset class for investors in 2025, accounting for almost 40% of the total transaction volume, according a new report by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. Bucharest office buildings came second, with a 30% share in the total investment volume.

The main retail assets which changed ownership in 2025 include Focșani Mall, Shopping City Suceava, as well as a portfolio of seven retail parks with a total gross leasable area of approximately 32,000 sqm, located in Slobozia, Focșani, Râmnicu Sărat, Târgu Secuiesc, Sebeș, Făgăraș and Gheorgheni. Moreover, Winmarkt Cluj-Napoca and Tulcea, La Cocoș Ploiești, Module Shopping Center Târgoviște or Joy Retail Park Calafat were among the transacted retail assets across 2025. The cumulative value of the retail deals reached approximately €200 million.

The most active buyer was the UK-based group M Core, which, supported by an acquisition and development strategy, strengthened its local presence and became the fourth-largest owner of retail properties in Romania. Investment activity in the office segment was recorded exclusively in Bucharest, where 10 buildings were sold, totalling almost 70,000 sqm and a combined value of approximately €155 million.

Despite record-high occupier demand for industrial and logistics spaces in 2025, this segment was less represented in investment transactions, as the volume pertaining to these assets dropped from nearly €300 million in 2024 to around €45 million in 2025. Overall, Romania's commercial real estate investment market totalled approximately €514 million in 2025, down 31% year-on-year, marking the second-lowest annual volume since 2013.

Cristi Moga, Head of Capital Markets, Cushman & Wakefield Echinox said: "2025 was a year marked by high activity levels and interest across all property sectors despite the lower transaction volume compared with previous years and to other markets in the region. 2026 has started on an optimistic note, with investors already allocating around €100 million to office buildings in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. The macroeconomic environment stabilisation, along with improving occupancy rates, infrastructure development and better financing conditions are creating the premises for a growth year, with higher volumes across all segments."

RECOMMENDED
Romanian investors dominate commercial property market in 2025
Real estate

Romanian investors dominate commercial property market in 2025

Romanian investors led the commercial real estate investment market in 2025, accounting for 34% of total transaction value worth €579.4 million, according to a study by Fortim Trusted Advisors, an alliance member of BNP Paribas Real Estate.

Property leasing in Romania keeps steady in Q3, says CBRE
Real estate

Property leasing in Romania keeps steady in Q3, says CBRE

CBRE reports that office demand in Bucharest remained stable in Q3 2025, with total leasing activity reaching 61,500 sqm, consistent with the previous quarter but down from last year's quarterly average and the first half of this year. Despite the constant activity levels, market dynamics shifted this quarter as net demand increased by 44% compared to Q2 2025, totalling 41,700 sqm.

Why the future of real estate starts with people, not technology
Real estate

Why the future of real estate starts with people, not technology

At SEE Property Forum 2025, the conversation around the future of real estate took a bold turn — from smart buildings to smart relationships. Industry leaders agreed that while data, automation, and ESG strategies are reshaping commercial real estate, true innovation begins with understanding people. The discussion, moderated by Vessela Valtcheva-McGee of GBCI Europe, explored how developers, investors, and service providers are using technology not just to optimise buildings, but to redefine how tenants experience and value them.

The office isnt dead — its being redefined
Real estate

The office isn't dead — it's being redefined

At our annual SEE Property Forum 2025 in Bucharest, seasoned market professionals gathered to dissect the rapidly changing landscape of office real estate. Moderated by Ionut Oprea, the conversation brought together a dynamic roster of experts: Claudia Cetățoiu (iO Partners), Maria Jianu (Speedwell), Sorin Macoveiu (VASTINT Romania), Mădălina Marinescu (Crosspoint Real Estate), Ioana Roman (Filip & Company), and Adinel Tudor (Evo Properties).

FDI in Romanian real estate triples in past decade
Real estate

FDI in Romanian real estate triples in past decade

Foreign direct investments (FDI) in Romania's real estate and construction sector more than tripled between 2014 and 2024, increasing by €15.1 billion to reach €21.6 billion by the end of last year. The sector's share of total FDI stock rose from 10.6% to 17.3%, according to National Bank of Romania (BNR) data analyzed by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

RECOMMENDED FROM THE HOME PAGE
READ MORE
Business Forum  |  26 February, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Business Forum  |  26 February, 2026 at 11:11 AM