In the framework of a unique cooperation, the Municipality of Budapest, the Real Estate Developers’ Roundtable Association and HIPA promoted real estate investments in Budapest. The goal was to reach the highest possible number of potential investors at Europe’s largest real estate exhibition and to present the leading developers and their projects.
Expo Real in Munich is an international trade fair for real estate and investment, described as “an unmissable business platform for the entire sector”, where experts for the whole supply chain are present for every stage in the real estate life circle: from idea and conception through investment, financing, realization and marketing to operation and use. As the leading European B2B platform, Expo Real takes place in Munich every October.
This year the 120 sqm, uniquely designed Budapest stand’s aim was to gather the biggest players in the sector under one umbrella at a joint stand, which has been an outstanding endeavour to become reality. The exhibitors all share the opinion that organizing a joint stand strengthens their position in the international fora and lends a synergy to the Hungarian sector.
HIPA expected the stand to be a bustling, exciting venue, where the relevant investors notice the already booming city of Budapest. This expectation was visibly fulfilled. An increasing attention is paid to Hungary and more and more inquiries are made by investors, the projects are sold at an unprecedented pace. The urban development project is considered a very interesting initiative by the organiser of Expo Real, thus one of the projects of Budapest will likely be included in the programme at the next exhibition in 2017.
Numerous talks were conducted with a number of investors and developers who feel the traditional European market is saturated and are looking for opportunities, such as Budapest, where advanced infrastructure and dynamically developing tourism meet, the office market thrives and, at the same time, they are able to do business still at a favourable entry price and reasonable profits. At the panel discussion professional players of the real estate scenery stated that Hungary is back on the real estate map as an extremely attractive investment location with secure legal and economic background, growing yield opportunities attracting more and more American, German and international investors again. This opinion is supported by an independent KPMG partner, Mr. Michael Carlson.
The Budapest stand this year hosted two roundtable discussions. One focussed on the significant impacts of international sports events and tourism on the real estate market, while the other dealt with the Budapest office development projects which are thriving and cannot be realized fast enough to meet the demand of existing and new coming tenants.
The project presentations of the companies exhibiting at the stand provided in-depth overviews of their state-of-the-art on-going or future projects in the residential and commercial (office, industrial, logistics, hotel) property market.
Mr. Matty Ryan, Managing Director of Vistra, emphasised that the greatest achievement of HIPA at this year’s event was to get the right people from the right companies and organizations together to form the greatest possible synergy to represent the Hungarian property market.
Mr. René Droese, Property Director of Budapest Airport, pointed out the importance of the airport-related developments which would contribute largely to Hungary’s tourism and economic growth in the long run.
Expo Real has proven to be a very important forum for the participants, where they met a number of market players relevant to their activities and received a lot of positive feedback about the projects and the investment promotion activities.
