The 2nd Real Estate North, the premier exhibition for real estate and investment in Northern Greece, concluded with resounding success. Dozens of representatives from real estate agencies, construction companies, digital services companies, and law firms participated, while over 2000 professional visitors from Greece and abroad attended.
During the 2nd Real Estate Expo North, held at stand 16 of the TIF – HELEXPO exhibition centre from 10-12 November 2023, representatives from the Greek real estate market, professional visitors, and foreign investors engaged in more than 100 B2B business meetings through the Hosted buyer program. These interactions solidified the status of the Greek real estate market, particularly Thessaloniki, as a magnet for investments.
The 3rd Real Estate Forum, held on Saturday, 11 November at the same venue, served as a pivotal meeting point for investors and a platform for discussing the development prospects of Real Estate in Greece. Mr. Parris Bilias, Deputy Regional Minister of Infrastructure and Networks, highlighted the main actions undertaken by the Region to improve the living standards of the city’s residents and upgrade the infrastructure in his opening address at the Forum.
Mr. Konstantinos Tzaros, President of the Association of Real Estate Agents of Thessaloniki, expressed confidence in the Greek real estate market and its promising future. He pointed out that foreign investments in our country reached 2 billion euros in 2022, a remarkable 68% increase compared to 2021, emphasizing the need for effective communication of the product we have.
The audience showed unwavering interest in the topics discussed at the 3rd Real Estate Forum, which included the commercial exploitation potential through property change of use presented by lawyer Mr. Thanos Haristos, investment migration via Golden Visa presented by lawyer Mr. Alkinoos Konis, the benefits of Passive Building presented by Mr. Georgios Dementzis, the special partner of the Hellenic Institute of Passive Building (EIPAK), the challenges arising from the new building regulations in off-plan construction presented by Mr. Panagiotis Karanasios, Founder and CEO of Karanasios – Varsami & Co., the real estate market boom through auctions presented by Mr. Vasilios Patras, Development Director of the auction platform “Landea”.
The speeches delivered by foreign investors who attended as visitors and buyers at the exhibition were particularly impressive. Mr. Bisser Ivanov, Construction Director of Trace Group Hold PLC, Mr. Stoyan Barzakov, member of the Board of Directors of Legal Activities of Trace Group Hold PLC, and Mr. Vladimir Tomov, Chairman of the Investment Council of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, echoed the initial presentation by Mr. Dimitris Michas, General Counsel of the Office of Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Greek Embassy in Sofia. They emphasized that Thessaloniki is a prime destination for Balkan and Western investors.
Mrs. Anna Pazdurova, CEO of Vision Properties Group operating between London and Dubai, elaborated on the strategy of simultaneous investment in both countries and highlighted the importance of partnerships in Greece. Lastly, Mr. Cobi Bitton, CEO of the Israel Chamber of Commerce in Greece, provided insights into the profile of Israeli investors in the Greek real estate market. From the podium of the Real Estate Forum, Mr. Bitton emphasized that Israelis frequently travel and actively seek investment opportunities in other countries. Thessaloniki, with its emotional ties, warm atmosphere, geographical proximity, calculated risk, and expected return on investment, holds a special place in their preferences.
Finally, the 2nd Real Estate North showcased and captivated the audience with major flagship projects coming to the city. These projects include the development of the TIF buildings presented by Mr. Anastasios Tzikas, President of TIF – HELEXPO SA, the Western entrance of the city development presented by Mr. Dimitris Tsokaktsidis, CEO of Pointers Property Services SA, part of the Samaras Group, the waterfront redevelopment presented by architect Mr. Dimitris Doumas, and the first 4th generation technology park serving as an innovation ecosystem presented by Mr. Ioannis Kakavakis of Thess INTEC. These projects are bound to make a significant impact on the real estate landscape, as noted by Mr. Konstantinos Tzaros, President of SMASTH, during the successful conference’s closing remarks.
