EXPO REAL 2019 - Don't miss it...

So the Oktoberfest is about to close its doors for this year and EXPO REAL is expected to welcome more than 45,000 visitors and more than 2,000 Exhibitors between the 7th - 9th October in Munich. The exhibition is the biggest Real Estate industry fair in Europe and as such investors, project developers, property consultants and agents, architects and planners are getting together to discuss all that’s new and interesting for the real estate sector. So what are going to be the most interesting themes? 

Well, for one it is going to be digitalisation.

Yes, I truly believe the german real estate sector is still lacking somewhat behind its global counterparts. For me it starts with simply having the possibility of looking at property details online, and I don’t mean looking at the floorpan or some pictures. I mean looking at it room by room, window by window, corner by corner as if you were to walk through - companies like Realync from the US have specialised in this and have seen huge growth.

Other areas include the process of applying for mortgage solution online. And I mean truly online. Gone should be the days, where you need to go and meet an agent or a bank, but instead you should be able to upload all your documents in an efficient and secure way, and you should be able to communicate with our bank online and verify your identity through digital means.

Yes, Germany has some way to go and there are plenty of structural and cultural obstacles, though here at EichenCredit we like to push the boundaries and consider ourselves at the forefront of these developments.

Another area that is of huge interest this year, is climate change and sustainability for creating a greener tomorrow with subjects like the ban on new builds being heated with oil by 2026, or green office space or developments that feature energy-efficient appliances, windows or products that generate better air quality, to name but a few.

But one question that is definitely on everybody’s mind, and I feel not many are really willing to talk about it in ernest just yet, is the question about whether Germany’s real estate sector is on the brink of a collapse.

As I have written before, #mietendeckel, not enough investment into new developments, BREXIT etc all make for a somewhat uncertain outlook.

So I am truly looking forward to getting a good overview of what is happening in the industry and I do hope to see some of you there.