Roughly one in every four euros invested in European real estate in recent years has been directed toward logistics, and the effects are increasingly visible domestically. Robust occupier demand, an expanding modern stock, and ongoing development activity across Greater Budapest and regional hubs such as Debrecen, Kecskemét, and Miskolc have positioned Hungary as a strategic logistics hotspot. Investment volumes rose by 135% year-on-year in 2025, reflecting growing investor confidence.
Long-term structural drivers underpin this momentum: the continued rise of e-commerce, a heightened focus on supply-chain resilience, and an accelerating trend for nearshoring across Central and Eastern Europe. In this environment, logistics stands out not only for its defensive characteristics (liquidity, stability, and reliable cash flows) but also for its capacity to deliver sustained income growth, even amid macroeconomic uncertainty.
Investor appetite for Hungarian logistics remains strong, yet many institutional players are still refining their strategic positioning. The market now offers a diverse spectrum of product types, each with distinct risk–return profiles. Large regional distribution centers along major transport corridors serve multinational e-commerce and FMCG occupiers; last-mile urban hubs support metropolitan delivery networks; and multi-tenant business parks provide flexible space for SMEs and service-oriented users.
Selecting the right segment has become increasingly critical in a competitive landscape, particularly as Hungary’s industrial ecosystem continues to expand. The rapid growth of automotive and high-value manufacturing adds further complexity to capital allocation decisions, reinforcing the need for informed, data-driven investment strategies.
Maximizing returns in logistics requires more than acquiring an asset. It demands structured, evidence-based decision-making throughout the entire investment cycle. Our Drees & Sommer teams support investors from market entry through exit, integrating technical expertise, operational insight, and strategic advisory.
During acquisitions, we combine business, operational, and technical assessments to identify risks and uncover optimization potential. Ahead of disposals, we focus on operational improvements, ESG performance, and market positioning to enhance exit values. For development-stage investments, our teams provide end-to-end project support, from initial concept and EPCM services to BIM coordination and ESG compliance.
Technical Due Diligence (TDD) has evolved into one of the most critical pillars of informed real estate decision-making. Far from being a simple checklist, TDD now functions as a competitive advantage, supporting decisions ranging from intralogistics upgrades to full-scale refurbishments. And we see this clearly reflected in the growing demand for comprehensive TDD services across all client types: private investors, investment funds, corporates, and public institutions.
Every year, our teams across Europe carry out more than 500 technical due diligence operations. These range from assessments of single buildings to deep-dive analyses of large, diverse portfolios. What’s important, and what our clients value, is that we can support the entire project journey: planning, execution, transactions, and everything in between. And we do this consistently across different regulatory environments in Europe, including the CEE region and Hungary.
For standing assets, we perform a full technical evaluation, from detailed inspections to the identification of investment risks and the forecasting of future capital expenditures. The objective is clear: strengthen negotiation leverage and ensure decisions are grounded in facts rather than assumptions.
TDD is particularly vital for investors entering construction-phase projects or financing them through forward funding. Whether refurbishments or new developments, our role is to reduce uncertainty by verifying the feasibility of the developer’s plans and ensuring the project will meet contractual and operational requirements.
Large portfolios introduce additional complexity due to varying ages, typologies, and conditions. Using our proprietary digital TDD tool, we evaluate each property consistently and transparently. This enables early risk identification, more accurate cost estimation, and alignment across the entire portfolio.
Hungary has entered 2026 as an increasingly influential logistics hub within the CEE region. The country’s modern industrial stock had surpassed 6.13 million sqm by Q4 2025, supported by significant deliveries in Greater Budapest and rapid expansion across regional industrial clusters. This growth reinforces Hungary’s role as a strategic link between Western and Southeastern Europe, particularly relevant as global supply chains continue to reconfigure.
The fundamentals remain robust: stable rents, compressing yields, and a disciplined development pipeline. Together, these factors create a strong foundation for another year of out performance for logistics, both as part of diversified portfolios and as a standalone growth strategy.
Building code compliance and zoning • Review of building permits • Comprehensive assessment of the property’s condition • Technical infrastructure and utility networks • Fire safety • CAPEX/OPEX calculations • Maintenance, inspections, and warranties • ESG / Energy Efficiency • Environmental Assessment • Surveys / Geotechnical Engineering
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of April 10, 2026.
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