The bumpy road to recovery

As the economy improves, developers and investors have become more willing to explore new territory - such  was the conclusion of many who attended the Central  & Eastern Europe Office Market conference, organised by Eurobuild Conferences The penny seems to have finally dropped that the CEE region is a broad patchwork of very different markets. For those who still have their doubts it is worth taking a glance at the numbers: while the 7 pct vacancy rate in Warsaw remains close to healthy levels, other markets, such as Sofia with a record high vacancy rate of around 30 pct, have another tough year ahead of them. Despite the generally optimistic mood at the Central & Eastern Europe Office Conference, which was held on March 29th in the  Marriott hotel in Warsaw, market players seem to have learnt their lessons and are remaining cautious. "This year the CEE region will see more investment activity. Investors are looking mostly for core products," explained Jos Tromp, the head