Market Reports

Nation’s No. 1 Data Center Market in Northern Virginia Isn’t Done with Boom Cycle

by Alex Tostado February 11, 2019

The Northern Virginia data center market continues to outpace the rest of the country’s leading data center markets by more than double. By the close of the first half of 2018, Northern Virginia had 317 megawatts (MW) under construction with Phoenix a distant second at 136.5 MW. (In real estate terms, industry standard is approximately 150 watts per square foot.) What drives Northern Virginia as the leader today is an unparalleled business ecosystem that has grown over the past 20 years from the original edge data center to today’s premier data center market. The market is a prototype for which subsequent data centers strive to achieve. Ideal Data Center Landscape Very few enterprises build their own on-premise data centers. Northern Virginia got its start as a leader in this space by going into colocation data centers. The companies that pioneered the movement, like Equinix, DFT and Exodus Communications, have brought Northern Virginia to where it is today. But, it’s more than that. It takes a confluence of legislative support, fiber, power, development, deployment of new IT technologies and other partnerships to allow the Northern Virginia market to flourish into the tech superpower it is today. Northern Virginia has also been …

February 11, 2019

District of Columbia Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Market Reports

D.C.’s Multifamily Market Sees Strong Demand for its Healthy Development Pipeline

by Alex Tostado February 4, 2019

Washington, D.C.’s multifamily market has enjoyed success in recent years, and 2018 has been no exception. The regional economy continues to function at an extremely healthy level, adding 77,100 new jobs in the trailing 12 months ending July 2018, much more than the annual average of 41,000 since 2010. The region has outgrown its previous dependence on the federal government, which contracted by 4,800 jobs over the same period, further highlighting the strength of the region’s private sector. This sustained economic upside is only further enhanced by the looming possibility of Amazon’s HQ2, Apple and other large tech contracts. The strong job growth has been matched by a steady increase in population, which has grown 10.44 percent since 2010, to roughly 6.25 million people. To accommodate such growth, the supply pipeline has been equally as robust, delivering nearly 13,000 units per year for the past five years. In addition to all the recent deliveries, absorption has remained steady and strong, with the market absorbing a net positive of 7,570 units over the trailing 12 months. Furthermore, Class A rents have still managed to grow 1.4 percent over the past year, while overall market rent growth has grown an even higher …

February 4, 2019

District of Columbia Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Amenities, Transit Push D.C.’s Central Business District to New Heights

by John Nelson January 28, 2019

Investors have renewed their interest in office properties in the Washington, D.C. central business district (CBD) based on increasing tenant demand. The market is putting a higher value on the built-in amenities that exist in the CBD, like dining and entertaining options, transportation accessibility and architecturally timeless buildings. We can always tell the center of gravity of a city by where the brokerage shops locate. In D.C., CBRE’s latest move to the CBD from the East End puts all of the agency brokerage shops within feet of each other. With a healthy stock of historically significant, well-built office properties with value-add potential, the CBD is primed to continue its office renaissance. Transportation Infrastructure While the existing public transportation infrastructure in the CBD is an important factor driving businesses back to the submarket, shaving 20 to 30 minutes from commute times — whether by car, bus or train — is decidedly attractive to today’s employers. Combined with the variety of established dining, entertainment and hospitality options in the CBD, transportation is vital to attracting high-profile employers. The city’s law firms in particular have taken note. Over 20 notable practices have relocated their offices to the CBD in the last year alone. …

January 28, 2019

District of Columbia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Land Constraints, Demand from Big Data Spur Rent Growth in D.C. Industrial Market

by John Nelson August 27, 2018

The 195 million-square-foot Washington, D.C., metropolitan industrial market features various sectors and centers of demand across the region. The overall market has been extremely healthy, with unique forces impacting the area’s primary regions of Northern Virginia, Suburban Maryland and Washington, D.C. The overall metro market expanded between first-quarter 2017 and first-quarter 2018. Net absorption in the period was 1.7 million square feet, albeit a significant slowdown from the previous 12-month cycle (4.2 million square feet). After falling significantly during the past five years, vacancy remained relatively flat in first-quarter 2018 and settled at 6.8 percent, a 10-basis-point drop year-over-year. A lack of available space limited opportunities for occupancy gains but allowed owners to increase asking rents. The average asking rent rose sharply to $10.04 per square foot, up from $9.58 per square foot one year earlier. Of the 1.9 million square feet of new supply under construction, 1.3 million square feet was in Northern Virginia’s less constrained but in-demand Loudoun County. Overall new supply was 55 percent preleased at the end of the first quarter. The Washington metro industrial market inside the Interstate 495 Beltway contrasts in many ways to the market outside the Beltway. The most significant difference is …

August 27, 2018

District of Columbia Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

D.C. Region Sees More Development as Tenants Seek Efficient, Amenity-Rich Office Space

by John Nelson January 8, 2018

On the surface, the Washington, D.C., metropolitan office market has shown little change over the past five years. But dig a little deeper, and some interesting trends emerge. Metro D.C.’s office market totaled 377 million square feet as of the third quarter of 2017 and recorded a vacancy rate of just under 15 percent — inclusive of sublease space — and cumulative net absorption of 600,000 square feet year-to-date. The market has demonstrated little change in major market indicators over the last five years. Notably, three of the last five years (2012 to 2016) recorded negative absorption on a regionwide basis — averaging 82,000 square feet annually. Overall vacancy levels have thus far been held in check in part due to vacant buildings being removed from inventory for renovation and retrofitting or for conversion from office to other uses such as schools and residential. Nevertheless, core submarkets and micro-markets are benefitting from occupancy growth and rental rate increases, with tenants demonstrating a decided preference for amenity-rich areas. Tenant Preferences Regionally, the office segment is characterized by flight to quality and tenant-leaning leasing conditions. Tenants continue to favor efficient space design. They’re relying more heavily on building amenities such as conference …

January 8, 2018

District of Columbia Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Rent Growth, Leasing Activity to Remain Robust in D.C.’s Apartment Market

by John Nelson February 13, 2017

There are many things to be optimistic about in metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s multifamily market. Here are some facts to consider: — The D.C. metro multifamily vacancy averages 3.4 percent compared to the national average of 4.5 percent. — The D.C. region has seen $3.174 billion in multifamily sales activity year-to-date with an average cap rate of 5.2 percent. — Private investors are leading multifamily sales activity in the D.C. metro region and responsible for 64 percent of the deal flow. — Multifamily investment sales are up by 4.5 percent compared to the first half of 2015. — An influx of new workers to fill the 92,500 new jobs added in the last year has heightened demand for multifamily units despite an abundance of new supply. With a low unemployment rate of just 4.1 percent and job growth far exceeding the national average, and at its highest point since December 2000, the Nation’s Capital is humming with activity. Last year, D.C.’s multifamily market saw staggering amounts of new construction deliver with net absorption levels that surpassed all expectations. Many of the young workers are interested in an urban live-work-play environment ripe with amenities and relish the opportunity to decrease commute times …

February 13, 2017

District of Columbia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

In the Nation’s Capital, Retail Always Follows Where New Residential Rises

by John Nelson February 6, 2017

The building height restriction — enacted in Washington, D.C. to preserve picturesque views of the United States Capitol Building and the Washington Monument — helps provide clear and exceedingly stunning views of the multitude of construction cranes that currently dot the vertical landscape of the District of Columbia. The majority of these yellow-steeled economic generators are being used to develop new residential and mixed-use projects, ranging from the NoMa district to the southeast Waterfront area and weaving through the neighboring suburbs, including Loudoun, Va., and Bethesda, Md. And, where new residential goes, supporting retail always follows, including the trendiest grocery store chains and hottest fast-casual and dine-in restaurant concepts. In addition, the area’s ever-expanding transportation network that provides a daily lifeline to D.C. and suburban workers is also paving the way for new retail opportunities as our Nation’s Capital continues to retain its reputation as among the most prolific retail locations in the country. Downtown Core Residential-only or mixed-use projects currently underway in the District are too numerous to mention, but here is a glimpse into the frenetic activity as there appears to be a bottomless appetite for new housing, particularly among Millennials. MRP Realty is developing the 1,600-unit Rhode …

February 6, 2017

District of Columbia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Demand is Outpacing Supply in Metropolitan D.C.’s Industrial Market

by John Nelson January 30, 2017

The Washington, D.C., metropolitan industrial market, spreading from Frederick County, Maryland to the north, Prince William County, Virginia to the south and as far west as Loudoun County, Virginia is ideally situated between I-95 and I-81 — major transportation corridors that allow shipments to easily reach much of the country. The industrial market has improved more quickly than other sectors and fairly dramatically to the point where much of the region can be described as land-constrained and under-supplied. Certain industrial sub-segments, such as data centers, have impacted the availability of warehouse and distribution space in key locations for optimal supply chain design. As of the third quarter of 2016, the area’s industrial market totaled 190 million square feet (inclusive of flex space), divided almost equally between the markets of Suburban Maryland (90.6 million square feet) and Northern Virginia (90.2 million square feet). The District of Columbia comprised 9.2 million square feet, and 1.5 million square feet was under construction region-wide. Approximately 4.2 million square feet has been absorbed year-to-date, and vacancy was 7.9 percent — a 250-basis point decrease from 10.4 percent reported as recently as year-end 2013. In comparison, the office market has ranged from 14 to 14.9 percent …

January 30, 2017

District of Columbia Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

D.C. Multifamily Market Absorbing Massive Amount of New Supply

by John Nelson February 29, 2016

Over the last year, metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s multifamily market has seen staggering amounts of new construction deliver, with net absorption levels that have surpassed all expectations. This is likely a result of similarly unexpected rates of job growth in the area and the remarkable resiliency of the metro D.C. economy as a whole. Among the major metropolitan markets around the country, metro D.C. — with the sense of permanence lent by the presence of the federal government — has historically been the most stable year to year, making it one of the safest bets for investors. Yet, given the massive amount of supply in the pipeline in recent years, the multifamily market has suffered a degree of hesitancy from investors fearing supply would outpace demand. However, this trend has reversed in the last 12 months, during which a record-setting 13,800 Class A multifamily units were absorbed. That figure jumps to 16,484 with Class B product in the mix. For all investment-grade apartments, stabilized vacancy has dropped 50 basis points to 3.7 percent. Class B units in particular have experienced excellent rent growth, rising 3 percent annually, while Class A maintains a growth rate of between 1 and 2 percent. Although …

February 29, 2016

District of Columbia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Leasing Demand Supports D.C. Industrial Market’s Measured New Construction

by John Nelson February 22, 2016

New industrial demand in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region has come not only from its strong service economy, but also a rapidly growing consumer goods supply chain, e-commerce distribution seeking speed of delivery, data centers and even government contractors. Both occupiers and investors seek modern, state-of-the-art building design and features. The Washington metro industrial market (185 million square feet inclusive of flex space) was well into the single digits with a sub-9 percent vacancy rate as of the third quarter of 2015. New construction has returned with 2.7 million square feet poised for delivery. The overall market is fairly balanced between suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia comprising 88.3 million square feet and 87.3 million square feet, respectively. The remaining 9.3 million square feet is located in the District of Columbia. Vacancy has been on a downward trajectory for the region as a whole. The current 8.8 percent rate represents a drop of 100 basis points compared with the third quarter of 2014. The largest industrial market is found in Prince George’s County, Md., and totals 52 million square feet of industrial and flex space. Prince George’s County also anchors the south end of the Baltimore-Washington I-95 Corridor. If the adjacent …

February 22, 2016

Newer Posts

Older Posts