Nordic Real Estate Forum Experts: Economy is Growing, but Uncertainty Persists in Real Estate Sector

On Wednesday, March 27, the Nordic Real Estate Forum 2024 will take place at Tallinn Culture Center, focusing this year primarily on the current state of the real estate sector. Although the economic situation has improved, real estate companies and investors are seeking optimism in an uncertain market environment.

Ardi Roosimaa, a member of the board of the Estonian Real Estate Companies Association, said that companies have experienced unprecedented cost increases. "Never before have professionalism and attention to detail been so crucial for the success of a real estate project. Profits are made and lost even at the planning stage! This is a call to both the private and public sectors," said Roosimaa.

According to Olavi Lepp, head of Swedbank Estonia, Estonia's economy is driven forward by entrepreneurs' innovation, goodwill, and competition. "This must be supported. However, unfortunately, there has been over-regulation in various sectors during strong growth, and this is the case across Europe as a whole. The time that companies spend on complying with regulations and aligning their activities could instead be spent on innovation and business development. Growing competitiveness should be a joint endeavor for both the state and entrepreneurs," commented Lepp.

According to Max Barclay, Deputy CEO and Head of Consulting at Newsec, these are turbulent times for the real estate market in the Nordic and Baltic regions. "Although we stand at a turning point and are witnessing a gradual rise in uncertainty, let us remind ourselves that the darkest times often precede the brightest days. I am optimistic that we are moving towards better times in the real estate sector, and we are already seeing significant signs of this. Through cross-border and cross-sectoral cooperation, we strengthen the foundation of our markets. I am pleased to discuss this further at the Nordic Real Estate Forum," said Barclay.

The Nordic Real Estate Forum 2024 will host two renowned keynote speakers. Nerijus Mačiulis, Deputy Chief Economist of the Swedbank Group, will provide an overview of the global and local economic situation and discuss how interest rates reflect this. Max Barclay, Deputy CEO and Head of the Consulting Department at Newsec, will take the stage with beloved host Anna Pihl and give a live interview discussing the current state of the Swedish and Nordic real estate market and its future trajectories.

The central focus of the forum is the current state and future prospects of the real estate sector. Eight panel discussions will fill the Nordic Real Estate Forum stage with experts in their field from around the world and will address critical topics shaping the real estate landscape.

The real estate investment panel will provide an overview of optimal approaches for investors, identifying the best strategies for moving through the "cheap money era." Meanwhile, the macroeconomics panel will explore the future of the economy, emphasizing growth strategies and the changing roles of the public and private sectors. Other discussions will focus on emerging trends in hospitality real estate, the transformative role of ESG in shaping the future of real estate, and the transformation of office and commercial spaces amid changing business needs and market dynamics. The logistics real estate panel will focus on global challenges and how to find local solutions to address them.

The forum will be attended by nearly 400 people from more than 20 countries, and knowledge will be shared by 45 recognized experts in their respective fields.

More information and the full program can be found here: www.nordicreforum.com.