Program

 

08:00 – 09:00 | Coffee & breakfast snacks

09:00 – 09:30 | Keynote Address

09:30 – 10:30
The guessing game: Do valuations have any meaning if no one is buying?

It's no secret that setting a price for a building in the current climate is looking a bit like witchcraft these days. With little to no transactional data to go on and an uncertain economic future, it’s nearly impossible to agree on a benchmark for the region. Rather than continue to avoid the subject, this valuations panel at CED-Invest will describe the current challenges faced by everyone with a stake in current market values in an attempt to outline a way forward.

10:30 – 11:30 | Trouble at the Top: What's wrong with Hungary's economy, and how its developers are coping with the crisis

The days of easy money in property are just a memory. Hungary's economic ship has hit seriously troubled waters, forcing its most important developers to rethink their strategies from the ground up. But how can they cope with currency instability, fiscal mayhem and most importantly, downwards demand? This panel will feature some of the country's top economic leaders and developers, who will explain how we got here, how they've survived, and how they plan to turn uncertainty into opportunity.

11:30 – 11:45 | Networking break

11:45 – 12:45 | The new message from banks to developers: I want my LTV!!

It's already clear that anyone waiting for a return of the good old days of 90 percent loan-to-value deals with banks is in for a rude awakening. But what about the present? With property prices falling, how long will banks turn a blind eye to covenant breaches? If you bought at 7 percent and your asset is now realistically at 8.5 or worse, what should your strategy be? This panel will investigate the current risks on the rental market and use current market experiences to illustrate the potential paths forward.

12:45 – 13:45 | Lunch

13:45 – 14:45 | Saving face:
Why Budapest needs to begin today to rebuild its tarnished image

Central Europe's ship is sailing, and Hungarians are right to be worried if they'll be on it. As an investment destination, Budapest's reputation has taken a beating, which threatens the chances for future growth. On a micro level, developers here have seen the price they can demand from real estate funds sink further than in Prague and Warsaw. This panel will encourage a frank and open discussion between public and private sector players to clarify each other's needs, and to discuss what should be done to improve the city's standing on an international level.

15:30 | Afterparty

Bacardi Original Bar – BOB, Szent István tér, opposite Negro