As in the previous year, the investment land market in 2019 was primarily focused on the residential construction sector, which accounted for over 70% of all transactions. The number of commercial and residential land transactions is continuing on an upward trend, though at a slower pace and investment processes are noticeably prolonged. Despite this, the value of transactions in 2019 are estimated at a record PLN 5.5 billion.
– The spectacular investments and record-breaking purchase prices that we have witnessed indicate that the past year can again be counted as extremely successful. In 2019, Colliers International's Land Department participated in several key land transactions throughout Poland, both in the residential and commercial markets, and their total volume exceeded PLN 700 million. – says Emil Domeracki, director of the Land department at Colliers International.
Emil Domeracki, director of the Land department at Colliers International
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Private investors drive the market
Land plots located in Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław are still of a great interest among developers. However, the Poznań market saw a record high supply of new apartments last year.
According to Colliers International experts, buying for investment purposes is becoming a significant factor in the demand for residential space. Due to persistently low interest rates and favourable credit conditions, private individuals are increasingly seeing real estate as a safe place to invest capital. This drives demand from developers for attractively located land, which is becoming scarce.
– An upward trend is still visible in land prices for housing investments, breaking the level of PLN 3–3500 per square metre PUM. With such a head-spinning rise in price levels and the low supply of attractive land, investors are ready for a costly and lengthy administrative process to secure locations close to the city centre. Developers are increasingly looking at more complex solutions, such as post-industrial revitalisation, change of use of service areas or investing in alternative forms of housing. – notes Emil Domeracki.
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Regions are surpassing the capital in building offices
In 2019, the increase in demand for office space in Warsaw and the largest Polish cities led to a decrease in the vacancy rate in most of these markets. All regional cities have a large number of projects under construction and at the planning stage, and the pace of development exceeds even the capital. Central locations and adaptations of existing buildings into boutique offices are still popular among developers.
As expected by Colliers analysts and advisors, the trend to change offices into collective housing (condo- and aparthotels, as well as flats for rent, dorms and traditional hotels) also strengthened last year.
– The increase in the popularity of modern dormitories in Poland as an investment product is the result of the numerous European and worldwide student exchange programs. Domestic students are much more likely to use the option of renting apartments from private individuals or older dorms of a lower standard and rents. – says Krzysztof Chyla, transaction coordinator at the Land department at Colliers International.
