Europe’s prime office market vacancy rate is expected to fall back to its 2009 level by the end of 2016 and then to continue declining over the rest of the decade, according to global real estate advisor, CBRE. In Europe’s major cities, office development is not keeping pace with growing demand driven by improving employment trends and almost all key office markets are expected to show falling vacancy rates and accelerated rental growth over the next five years.
Investment activity in the commercial real estate sector in Spain has started the year with the same force with which closed 2014. In just one month, the investment volume has risen to nearly 1,100 million euros, roughly the total achieved in the first quarter of last year, according to Savills, international real estate consultancy.This has been the best start of the market in the last five years in terms of transacted volume, although the number of transactions posted up yesterday-nine level is the inconspicuous when compared to other exercises."January and February are dragging operations that could not be closed before the holiday, however, the pipeline of investment operations in retail and offices today exceeds 2,000 million euros. We expect investment volumes similar or even higher than those 2014, "says Luis Espadas, director of Savills Capital Markets in Spain.Two transactions account for almost 80% of the investment. It's Gran Vía 32, acquired by Pontegadea for about 400 million euros, according to market sources, and Puerto Venecia mall, 451 million, the deal was announced at the end of the year, but was finally signed in January."Both operations not only support the trend of rising mega deals (those exceeding 100 million euros), which rose from 2.5% of total transactions in 2011 to 9% last year, but far outweigh the volumes of the largest operations in 2014.In addition, Savills notes that in each case is a unique building, facing two separate portfolios in 2014 (the 70 buildings of the Andalusian reached 300 million euros and Carrefour portfolio of 350 million euros).Office Market SuccessAmong other transactions, again excels interest in the office segment Madrid, who in 2014 broke record reaching the highest number of transactions throughout their historic range, with 71 transactions recorded and has started 2015 off right. Five buildings in two weeks, almost all within the M-30.
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he main Spanish property news last week involved Spain’s high street banks. The banks are finding it harder to offload their property assets and, with prices hitting a low point, the returns are smaller than ever.
