Germany and Poland to emerge strongest from crisis: Union

The German and Polish property markets will come out of the euro debt crisis more strongly than any other country in Europe, according to Union Investment's latest investment climate study which polled 167 property investors in Germany, France and the UK.

Nearly 50% of respondents to the survey believe the German property market will actually emerge more robust from the current cycle, with only 3% taking the view that the crisis will weaken it. Similarly, some 38% of those surveyed believe the Polish market will come out stronger, with lower figures recorded for Turkey (31%), Sweden (29%) and Swizerland (25%).

For France, the UK and the Netherlands, equal numbers of investors believe they will be strengthened or weakened by the crisis.

Spain is regarded as the riskiest market over the next two to three years, followed closely by Portugal.

'The growing divide between stable markets in northern Europe and the weaker countries in the south is being further exacerbated by the debt crisis. But the uncertainty is also weighing down markets that are currently in good health,' says Olaf Janssen, head of property research at Union Investment Real Estate.