Could do better

After more than 2 years as a member of the EU, Poland’s real estate market has been transformed. But how transparent are the practices involved in transactions, and how does this influence investors?Shopping centres, office buildings, warehousing parks and apartment blocks are springing up everywhere – and often changing hands – at an unprecedented rate, reflecting the growing confidence of international investors and occupiers in Polish properties. But one stumbling block for these companies can be a lack of transparency in transactions – something which can especially be a problem in emerging markets. The lack of information about how to proceed with a deal or about transactions which have already taken place, and the perception that transparency masks corruption, is likely to prove to be extremely discouraging for investment. How much of a problem is the lack of transparency in Poland and what can be done about it? Preconceived but misconceivedKevin Turpin i