Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe declined in 2025, marking a period of slowdown and structural transformation of the investment landscape.
Property Forum is proud to present the sixth edition of its annual publication recognising the 50 most influential people shaping Romania's real estate market. Over the years, this ranking has become a reflection of an industry that continues to grow in scale, sophistication and international relevance. The publication, together with all other regional editions, is now available on the Property Forum website.
European investors continue to lead commercial real estate investment across the continent, accounting for 48% of activity in Q1 2026, according to BNP Paribas Real Estate data. American investors follow with 31%, while Asia Pacific investors represent just 7% and Middle Eastern investors 2%.
Leasing transactions for modern office space in Bucharest increased by 14% in Q1 2026 compared to the same period last year, while new demand rose by 24%. However, the market remains below pre-pandemic levels, according to Colliers data.
Industrial developer CTP recorded gross rental income of €205.1 million in Q1-2026, up 12.3% year-on-year with like-for-like rental growth of 4.6%. The company's annualised rental income increased to €849.3 million by the end of March 2026.
Real estate investor GTC has leased over 150,000 sqm of commercial space in 2025 across 30 office complexes and six shopping centres in CEE.
Construction costs and plot acquisition have become the primary concerns for real estate developers in Central Europe in 2026, affecting 27% and 25% of companies respectively, according to a Deloitte report.
Romania's residential construction sector recorded a 3.1% contraction in 2025 compared to the previous year. The total number of completed dwellings reached 59,062, marking a decrease of 1,916 units from the 60,978 reported in 2024, according to provisional data provided by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania could raise labour productivity by up to 10 to 15% through wider adoption of digital technologies, particularly software and AI-enabled tools, according to a report by World Bank Group.
Romania's green certification market remained active in 2025, with over 4.6 million sqm of real estate space receiving sustainability credentials despite European changes to reporting obligations.
Belgian developer Atenor has sold its @Expo office building in Bucharest to a private real estate investment firm. The 57,666 sqm office building was delivered in 2023 and is currently 29% leased.
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.
CEE property investment reached a turning point in 2025, with transaction volumes across the region's six main markets totalling €11.6 billion, representing 31% annual growth according to Colliers' latest analysis.
The commercial real estate investment market totalled approximately €525 million in 2025, and transaction volumes this year are projected to hit the €800 million mark, according to Colliers Romania data.
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.
The fourth quarter of 2025 brought the weakest residential sales result in Bucharest-Ilfov in nine years and the weakest nationally in six years, according to SVN Romania. Overall, 2025 ended with a 5.3% annual decrease in home sales nationally and an 8.5% decrease in the Bucharest-Ilfov region.
Central Europe's commercial real estate sector is experiencing a transformation, with Hungary leading the recovery through an 86% year-on-year increase in investment driven by Asian capital from China and South Korea. The CATL factory in Debrecen and BYD in Szeged, along with the planned Volvo plant in Košice, Slovakia, are reshaping the region's industrial landscape and creating demand for logistics space.
The traditional December shopping surge has weakened across Europe, with Romania recording a 20% increase in non-food sales during the holiday month compared to the previous 11 months, according to Colliers analysis of Eurostat data from 2015-2024.
In the East European region, the aggregated construction outlook for next year has remained positive, only the trajectory has changed a little, according to the winter report of the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association (EECFA).
GTC reported rental revenues of €152 million in the first nine months of 2025, up 9% from €139 million in the same period of 2024. The increase followed the acquisition of a residential portfolio in Germany, which contributed €18 million, partially offset by a €4 million decrease after the sale of the GTC X and Matrix C properties.
The European Commission (EC) has finalised the signing of the SAFE loan agreement with Romania.
Sphera Franchise Group, Romania's largest food service group, reported consolidated sales of €75.6 million in Q1 2026, up 4.2% compared to the same period last year. Growth was driven by the return to positive performance of KFC Romania and the strong evolution of Taco Bell.
Hidroelectrica signed a €188.5 million contract for the refurbishment of Râul Mare Retezat Hydropower Plant. The project aims to modernize and improve the efficiency of the company's generation capacities.
Banca Transilvania (BT) said its consolidated net profit reached RON 1.14 billion lei (€228 million) in Q1, representing a 30.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Total assets for the group expanded to RON 227 billion lei (€45.4 billion) as the institution neared the milestone of five million active customers.
Vastint Romania has announced a new leasing contract with Arcadis Romania, which will occupy 1,183 sqm in building A of Business Garden Bucharest. The global design, engineering and consultancy company joins a growing community of international tenants at the development.