Review for the HypZert Annual Convention 2023

From ESG and digitalization to the BelWertV amendment and the HypZert Women's Initiative - Record attendance at the HypZert Annual Convention 2023 with more than 1,600 valuers

A fantastic location with a direct view of the Elbe River - no wonder that so many certified valuers followed the invitation to the HypZert Annual Convention at the International Congress Center in Dresden. A good 1,600 experts, industry representatives and guests from Germany and abroad took part in the numerous specialist seminars in the Saxon state capital or online via live stream.

The gala evening was opened by Reiner Lux and Tanja Reiß, managing directors of HypZert, with a review of the highlights of the past year and an overview of the programme for the following seminar day. In his keynote speech, Dr. Jan Peter Annecke, Head of Real Estate Finance at Helaba and Chairman of the HypZert Supervisory Board, emphasized the importance of continuous training for the appraisal profession. Not only changes in the law, technical innovations and economic developments, but also societal change must be kept in mind. On the one hand, digitalization and artificial intelligence will certainly massively change the tasks of real estate appraisers in the future; on the other hand, the real estate industry has a special obligation on the way to more energy efficiency and sustainability in view of the fact that it is responsible for a good 30% of CO2 emissions. Dr. Annecke also thanked his predecessor in office as HypZert Supervisory Board Chairwoman, Dagmar Knopek, for her decades of work in the Pfandbrief banking business and her many years of support for HypZert on the Supervisory Board.

HypZert valuers and examiners Richard Ott and Matthias Kirsten had come up with an entertaining treat, introducing the Immo-Quartett playing cards in the evening. In the course of the evening, participants were able to play off exemplary key figures of fictitious properties against each other. There were even prizes to be won!

In the opening plenary session of the following seminar day, Annett Wünsche, Department Head Valuation at the vdp, presented the most important changes of the BelWertV amendment of October 2002 and the association's estimate of their effects. Jörg Quentin of Deutsche Pfandbriefbank and head of the vdp's Valuation Committee also addressed the challenges the amendement poses for valuers in the financial sector. Quentin pointed out the advancing digitalization applications and a professional data basis as an approach for solution even in difficult market situations. Finally, Matthias Fischer, Manager Valuation at the vdp, gave an overview of the environmental targets of the EU taxonomy and refurbishment requirements of the Buildings Directive on the way to decarbonization as well as their implications for - sustainable - valuation.

The consideration of such ESG criteria in valuation reports was also the focus of a very well-attended seminar in the morning. Further expert contributions and panel discussions with specialists on current topics such as the development of the markets for residential and office real estate in the current area of tension between rising interest rates and construction costs, inflation and demographic changes, the recovery of the hotel sector after the Corona shock, challenges for the retail sector and energy transition showed the wide range of topics of the Annual Convention. For example, the Professional Group Energy & Environment presented its new study "Challenges of the Energy Transition" and its tools for energy classification, the CO2 levy and the valuation of properties with photovoltaic systems. Current figures on occupancy, investments and transactions on the hotel markets of Germany and Europe as well as trends and challenges for the industry were presented by the Professional Group Hospitality. "SALE – retail sell-off?" asked the Professional Group Retail, discussing how retail can position itself for the future in the face of changing shopping habits and consumer demands, as well as rising costs and interest rates. The latest edition of the study "Valuation of Retail Real Estate" will be published shortly and made available to all HypZert valuers as usual.

As part of the "Women in the Finance Industry" initiative newly founded by HypZert and vdp, four successful women associated with HypZert - Dagmar Knopek; Inga Stein-Barthelmes, Managing Director planen-bauen 4.0; Jacqueline Matthes, self-employed HypZert valuer; Birgit Niemeyer, HypZert valuer at Landesbank Baden-Württemberg - reported on their careers in the real estate industry in conversation with HR consultant and executive coach Dr. Regina Ruppert and answered questions from the audience. All female HypZert valuers are invited to upcoming events of the initiative.  

The booths of our exhibitors such as further education academies, valuation companies, service providers and the association "Women in the Real Estate Industry (Frauen in der Immobilienwirtschaft)" were also well attended.
All presentation materials as well as the studies and tools can be found in the Valuers Corner. A selection of photographic impressions is also available there.

Many thanks to all who presented, organized, networked and! We look forward to welcoming you again at one of the next events - at the latest at the next Annual Convention in February 2024 in Wiesbaden!