In the context of the further developments of the local economy, analysts of the research consulting company JLL noted an increase in investor interest in Romania. "The volume of investments in the first half of the year is about 432 million euro, the highest level recorded from 2008 to present. We expect this amount to increase significantly by the end of 2014 and to get closer to the level before crisis, as several major projects are currently in advanced negotiations. Besides increasing the amounts invested, transactions in progress shows that the number of potential buyers interested in prime properties in Romania is higher, reflecting a significant increase in liquidity market", said Andrei Văcaru, Head of Reseach & Consultancy of JLL Romania. The volume of the real estate transactions in the second quarter of this year stands at 95 million euro, 53% higher than the same period in 2013. The largest transaction was represented, according to JLL, by the acquisition of Silver Mountain (mix project located in Poiana Braşov, which includes a hotel and a residential component) by the BCR (member of Erste Group), for approximately 50 million euro. Although the transactional activity in the first half of 2014 was mainly focused on the office segment, which represented more than 62% of the total amount, the retail segment began to attract the investor's attention. During the second quarter of 2014, Auchan acquired from Rolast a project where currently function a hypermarket in Piteşti, for 19 million euro, and Revetas Capital bought Vitantis Shopping Center, located in the south-east of Bucharest, from Equest, for about 26 million euro. "For the second half of the year, we expect several transactions involving a number of buyers to be completed. The increased demand of the investors is eased by the growth of the banks availability to provide financing. Due to the economic growth and the increased interest shown by investors for the real estate market in Romania, we have many reasons to believe that 2014 will be the best year for the real estate sector, after the recession", says JLL analysis.