Mimosas and rain

Everyone rushed to the worst affected areas to do what they could to help: firefighters, the army, the police, paramedics and medical services, local and state officials, local activists and, above all, residents, neighbours and volunteers. And throughout the country, people have been raising money and donating gifts for those in desperate need. Local residents (and also their relatives and friends who have come in from elsewhere in the country to lend a hand) mobilised to reinforce the flood defences together. The emergency services have managed to evacuate the locals, rescue animals, and help to ensure that what the evacuees left behind survived and does not fall into the wrong hands. Drone operators, the owners of jet skis, kayaks, boats and motorboats, the owners of generators and Starlink devices, bus and truck drivers, and many others have all offered their support, often providing their services free of charge. Once again, the Poles (and not only us – the same goes for our neighbours, the Czechs and the Slovaks) have demonstrated that they can come together, cooperate and show that they truly care about those most in need. The real estate sector has also been busy making its own contribution to these efforts. The first collections, both financial and for essential materials, were begun in the immediate aftermath of the flood.

The flood will certainly be among the topics in both the official and behind-the-scenes discussions at this year’s Expo Real trade fair in Munich, especially since it also impacted Bavaria and Saxony – and southern Germany also experienced a severe deluge in June 2024. Representatives of the sector will have the difficult task in these trying circumstances of assessing the significance of these disasters. We hope that Griffin, for example, will help us to better understand this. In an interview interview with Nathan North, the bosses of the company talk about managing office properties worth over EUR 4 bln, the situation on the PRS market, and the growing role of the student housing market (PBSA). You can also read more about this latter sector in the text by Alex Hayes. The October issue also includes a fascinating look at how woodland (yes – forests!) is being used by real estate companies, prepared by Magda Rachwald, and some extremely valuable insights into shelters, which the experts provide us with in the article by Julia Cudowska. I also invite you to read the latest of our regular Small Talk interviews in this issue: Jan Jakub Zombirt of JLL, Sebastian Kieć of AFI and Jeremy Cordery of MDC2. In addition to all that, there’s all the hottest market news, personnel changes and expert opinions. And after all that reading – let’s catch up at Expo Real. See you there!