en.Wedoany.com Reported - Germany's industrial and logistics property and commercial land consultancy REALOGIS Unternehmensgruppe continued its strong performance from the first quarter, with the Berlin logistics and industrial property market recording take-up of 211,000 square meters in the first half of 2026. Of this, warehouse space accounted for 192,500 sqm (91%), office space for 13,300 sqm (7%), and mezzanine space for 5,200 sqm (2%).
Leased warehouse space increased by 33,500 sqm compared to the same period last year, a rise of 21%. Although still 31% below the current five-year average warehouse space of 277,180 sqm, the gap has narrowed significantly from 46% in the first half of 2025.
The top five lease transactions were completed by JD Logistics (41,430 sqm), ASML (27,000 sqm), acut fulfillment (11,520 sqm), Capital Baustoffe (11,400 sqm), and FST Industrie (11,200 sqm), collectively accounting for 49% of the Berlin leasing and owner-occupier market.
Alexander Ego, Managing Director of REALOGIS Immobilien Berlin GmbH, stated that take-up over the past six months was largely driven by a few large-scale transactions, with owner-occupiers making an exceptionally strong contribution. Meanwhile, demand for modern business parks remains high, but popular locations often lack a sufficient number of suitable spaces.
In terms of rents, the prime rent remained unchanged at EUR 10.50/sqm in the first half of 2026, temporarily halting the upward trend recorded since 2016. Despite the sideways movement, it remains at an above-average level, 10% higher than the current five-year average of EUR 9.55/sqm. The average rent also remained at the same level as the previous year, at EUR 8.10/sqm. The last similar development occurred in the first half of 2019. The current five-year average of EUR 7.60/sqm is still exceeded by 7%.
By building type, leasing of existing properties accounted for 110,400 sqm of market activity, or 52% of total take-up. Lease transactions by acut fulfillment (11,520 sqm), Capital Baustoffe (11,400 sqm), and FST Industrie (11,200 sqm) made a key contribution to this result, collectively accounting for 31% of this category. Leasing of new builds on former brownfield sites reached 91,200 sqm, representing 43% of the total. Three-quarters of this was attributable to the two largest lease transactions of the first half: 41,430 sqm signed by JD Logistics in the first quarter and 27,000 sqm signed by ASML in the second quarter. New builds on greenfield sites accounted for 9,400 sqm (5%). Large warehouses were clearly dominant, at 143,900 sqm (68%). This was followed by other properties that are neither large warehouses nor business parks, at 34,100 sqm (16%). Business parks recorded take-up of 33,000 sqm. In the first half, 166,600 sqm (79%) of take-up came from leasing. Owner-occupiers contributed 44,400 sqm (21%).
By region, the Berlin urban area recorded the highest take-up at 93,500 sqm (44%). Key transactions by ASML in the south of the city and FST Industrie in western Berlin totaled 38,200 sqm, accounting for 41% of urban area take-up. Within the urban area, southern Berlin led with 47,900 sqm (51%), followed by western Berlin with 22,600 sqm (24%), northern Berlin with 14,400 sqm (16%), and eastern Berlin with 8,600 sqm (9%). The second-ranked region was the southern Berlin surrounding area, at 87,800 sqm (42%). The western Berlin surrounding area ranked third with 15,300 sqm (7%), slightly ahead of the northern Berlin surrounding area at 14,400 sqm. No take-up was recorded in the eastern Berlin surrounding area in the first half of 2026.
By industry, the logistics/distribution sector ranked first with 78,100 sqm (37%). Lease transactions by JD Logistics (41,430 sqm) and acut fulfillment (11,520 sqm) together accounted for 68% of sector take-up. Retail/wholesale followed closely with 56,900 sqm (27%). Within retail, the distribution was nearly balanced. E-commerce accounted for 26,500 sqm (47%), while no lease transactions were recorded in this sub-sector in the first half of 2025. Traditional retail accounted for 30,400 sqm (53%) of retail take-up. Capital Baustoffe made a significant contribution to this result with 11,400 sqm (38%). Manufacturing ranked third with 51,000 sqm (24%). The two key transactions by ASML and FST Industrie totaled 38,200 sqm, accounting for 75% of sector take-up. The supply/other category accounted for 25,000 sqm (12%).
Large units over 10,001 sqm remained market-defining, reaching 102,550 sqm. This means that 49% of take-up in the Berlin market area came from this size category. This volume was entirely generated by the five largest lease transactions of the first half. Medium-to-large units between 3,001 and 5,000 sqm ranked second with 37,700 sqm (18%). This was followed by units between 5,001 and 10,000 sqm, at 33,400 sqm (16%). Small units between 1,000 and 3,000 sqm totaled 30,400 sqm (14%). Small units under 1,000 sqm accounted for only 6,950 sqm (3%), playing a minor role.
Key data shows that in the first half of 2026, the Berlin logistics and industrial property market recorded take-up of 211,000 sqm, with a prime rent of EUR 10.50/sqm and an average rent of EUR 8.10/sqm. Take-up from existing properties was 110,400 sqm, from brownfield new builds 91,200 sqm, and from greenfield new builds 9,400 sqm. Tenant take-up was 166,600 sqm, and owner-occupier take-up was 44,400 sqm.
