Colliers: Limited supply and rising rents put pressure on access to modern office spaces

Bucharest’s office market is undergoing a significant transformation following a decade of intense development. In 2024, the supply of new office space reached a historic low, while demand for high-quality buildings has remained relatively strong.

This growing imbalance increasingly favours landlords who own these modern projects. According to an upcoming Colliers report analyzing tenant behaviour and market trends at the start of 2025, rents for top-tier office buildings in central areas have climbed to €22 per square meter – and in some cases, even higher.

As modern spaces become scarcer, companies seeking to relocate or expand are facing limited options and higher costs. Despite this, Colliers experts note that hiring intentions among Romanian companies remain generally stable, even within the more pessimistic sectors. Compared to the downturns of 2009-2010 or 2020-2021, current levels are far more optimistic.

The Colliers analysis also reveals a growing market polarization. On one side, approximately 20 buildings – representing 23% of Bucharest’s total leasable office area – record high vacancy rates, averaging 33% and totaling around 181,000 square meters of available space. In contrast, the remaining 186 buildings (77% of the market) show a significantly lower vacancy rate of just 7%. These buildings account for around 265,000 square meters of space. However, Colliers experts stress the importance of evaluating these figures in the context of the total leasable area.

This contrast highlights companies’ strong preference for modern, well-located, and energy-efficient office buildings, while older or less attractive properties struggle to attract tenants. After an average of 160,000 square meters of new office space delivered annually over the past decade, 2024 saw a steep decline, with only 16,500 square meters completed and just 6,500 square meters planned for 2025.

“These figures, well below previous averages, clearly show that the supply of modern office space is increasingly constrained, taking into account both upcoming and existing projects. As a result, companies seeking to expand or relocate are finding it more difficult to identify suitable spaces. Unless Romania experiences a significant economic correction, which neither we nor most economists anticipate, we expect to see upward pressure on rents in the near future”, explains Victor Coșconel, Partner | Head of Leasing | Office & Industrial Agencies at Colliers.

Globally, more companies are encouraging employees to return to the office, including on a full-time basis. Romania is following this trend, though it still lags behind some other European markets, Colliers consultants point out. In this context, modern and thoughtfully designed office spaces offer a key advantage in attracting and retaining talent. Notably, regional office hubs such as Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, and Iași are currently ahead of Bucharest in terms of employee presence at the office, though improvements are also being seen in the capital.

Looking ahead, and assuming no major economic shifts, Colliers anticipates that demand for office rentals will remain at least at a stable level. This is supported by consistent hiring plans, the limited supply of modern office space, and the broader global movement back toward in-person work. Eurostat data on hiring intentions shows that most companies are maintaining or expanding their workforce. While the IT sector remains cautious, mirroring trends seen in other countries, the current caution is not comparable to the levels seen during the 2009-2010 recession.

At the same time, consulting firms and companies managing central operations are more active than usual, indicating a stable business environment and an openness to development. In this context, firms looking to expand or relocate may continue to face challenges in securing modern, high-quality office space, due to limited availability and steady demand.