Market Reports

Orlando’s Retail Market is Thriving Both in the Core and Suburban Submarkets

by Alex Tostado October 14, 2019

Orlando’s retail market happens to be a really good representation of the national market. By every metric, Orlando is doing well as both rental rates and occupancy rates have been increasing. Orlando is one of the fastest growing cities in America, adding roughly 1,000 new residents each week. Tourism numbers continue to climb with 75 million visitors in 2018, according to Visit Florida. Downtown is experiencing an economic resurgence with a new collegiate campus (more on this later). As a result of the city’s overall growth, Orlando is also experiencing suburban growth with noteworthy developments such as Lake Nona. However, it can be overwhelming in the sense that the industry and consumer demands continue to evolve. There are all kinds of new and different concepts so to be a player in today’s dynamic market, retailers have to be innovative. While there is news of retailers shrinking in size or filing bankruptcy, it is important to keep up with the evolving market and create retail concepts that are relevant to today’s consumer’s demands. One consumer demand is retail tourism, which is a hotspot for retail development, especially with Disney Springs, the I-Drive corridor and theme parks in the surrounding area. What …

October 14, 2019

Florida Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Demand for Higher-End Markets in Southwest Florida Helps Class B Market

by Taylor Williams August 16, 2019

As job growth supports a healthy economy in Southwest Florida, the region is experiencing major population growth, causing a surge in new Class A multifamily construction. The number of new construction Class A units in Southwest Florida has increased by nearly 150 percent year-over-year. In first-quarter 2018, there were 257 Class A units completed, and in first-quarter 2019, that number rose to 622. With this increased supply of Class A properties, there is now more demand in Class B properties among renters, and ultimately from investors. Class B properties tend to have more affordable rental rates, and investors have now noticed the potential for higher investment returns. Illustrating this demand, in the first quarter of 2018 in Southwest Florida, there were 17 Class B properties sold that totaled nearly $39 million. In first-quarter 2019, the sale volume increased to $68 million with nine properties sold. Also, investors were willing to pay more for these assets if they had a value-add component With Class B vacancies being tight at 4.6 percent, investors are making interior and exterior improvements to properties and gradually raising rental rates to increase their returns. For example, a value-add Class B multifamily property in Fort Myers recently …

August 16, 2019

Florida Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Miami is Defying Nation’s Retail Woes With Thriving Malls, Shopping Centers

by Alex Tostado August 9, 2019

While there are mass retail closings around the country, in Miami, there is typically someone waiting on space to become available. Think about it: In Miami, there is actually a shortage of retail space. Uber luxury markets in Miami are performing extremely well with Bal Harbour Shops (owned by Whitman Family Development) being one of the top retail complexes in the country, followed closely by Dadeland Mall and Aventura Mall. These malls are continuously reinvented and expanded, adding various entertainment and diverse dining options to their multi-level retail outlets. The Dolphin Mall, a 1.4 million-square-foot mixed-used complex owned by Taubman Cos., continues to be its No. 1 performing mall in the country, with over 240 retail shops, dining and entertainment venues to choose from including Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Cobb Dolphin 19 Cinema, The Cheesecake Factory, Dave and Buster’s, Texas de Brazil, Bloomingdales The Outlet Store, Neiman Marcus Last Call and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th. Miami is cruising There are several factors driving this phenomenon. First, Miami International Airport traffic is setting month-over-month and year-over-year records, according to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. Traffic in February 2019 was 5.7 percent higher compared to February 2018. Cruise …

August 9, 2019

Florida Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Farewell Boom-Bust Cycle: Miami Office Market Ascends as the City Matures

by Alex Tostado August 7, 2019

For decades, the real estate market in Miami has been either boom or bust. Lately, the market has been on an impressive expansion cycle, with new office development following aggressive lease rate increases that in some areas have risen as much as 20 percent in total the past few years. As investors and users witness the growth in South Florida, the market has seen a significant amount of new development as rental rates continued to climb. The quick expansion, and arguably over-development, has left some investors wondering if a bust is inevitable with such a crowded market. In many metro areas, a bust would be a logical result. However, South Florida has become more mature as a corporate center, leading many industry leaders to see Miami’s future as a more consistent, stable market of growth rather than one with a constant pattern of boom and bust. As South Florida matures with a diverse range of investors and users, adapts to industry disruptors and addresses transportation issues, the office market is moving into a pattern of more stable growth, with no bust on the horizon. Leasing, sales activity In the first quarter of 2019, the office market saw 1.1 million square …

August 7, 2019

Florida Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Distribution, Warehouse Demand Continues to Outpace Supply in South Florida

by Alex Tostado August 5, 2019

Miami-Dade continues to be propelled by persistent economic growth, bustling port activity, positive investor sentiment and strong leasing, creating a perfect recipe for industrial demand. Following its most successful year ever in 2018, PortMiami broke records yet again in first-quarter 2019, recording its highest ever monthly cargo activity amount in January with a total of 104,183 twenty-foot equivalents (TEUs) of containerized cargo, a 17 percent increase over January 2018. Meanwhile, a $437.5 million expansion project, the largest ever, is planned for Port Everglades in nearby Broward County. The positive fundamentals reverberate throughout the overall South Florida market. Despite the differing industrial inventories of each South Florida market with Miami-Dade County at 186.2 million square feet, Broward County at 96.9 million square feet and Palm Beach County at 39 million square feet, demand for space across the region has fueled unprecedented development activity. Logistics, e-commerce Net industrial absorption in Miami-Dade was impressive during the first quarter, posting positive 1.2 million square feet, a notable 45 percent increase from the net absorption recorded for first-quarter 2018. Several (mostly) preleased, speculative developments contributed to the spike in net absorption. Demand trends against development indicate healthy industrial markets in Broward and Palm Beach as …

August 5, 2019

Florida Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Robust Population Growth Drives Apartment Construction in Downtown Miami

by Alex Tostado July 29, 2019

The apartment construction boom continues in Miami as rapid demographic and employment growth foster rental demand. Employers expanded staffs by 25,900 personnel year over year in February, roughly 6,900 more than in the preceding annual period, which has kept the unemployment rate below 4 percent for 12 consecutive months. Hiring during this period was led by the professional and business services sector, due in part to a growing tech sector. The relatively higher salaries in this segment helped boost the median household income 6.8 percent year-over-year in March, among the top five growth rates in the nation. Available employment is helping draw new residents and produce population growth above the national pace. Over the past 12 months, the metro has gained nearly 28,000 residents, generating a strong need for additional housing options, and many are opting to rent. These factors are contributing to robust apartment demand and maintaining minimal rental availability in several submarkets, including Downtown and North Central Miami, despite the increase in deliveries over the past few years. The rise in household income is providing demand for apartments with luxury amenities in walkable urban neighborhoods. During the first quarter of 2019, apartment deliveries remained above the five-year average …

July 29, 2019

Florida Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

New Office Developments Take Shape in Orlando’s Core Submarkets

by John Nelson October 15, 2018

At mid-year 2018, Orlando’s economic engine is performing like a well-oiled machine, fueled by brisk business expansion, healthy in-migration, accelerating job growth and steady population gains. In fact, Orlando ranked No. 3 in the nation for population growth during the period between 2010 and 2017. Office market fundamentals remain solid with steady demand for high-quality, Class A space largely outstripping available supply, particularly in high-demand areas. Job creation continues to fuel economic growth in Orlando with a rise in non-farm employment of 46,840 over the trailing 12 months ending in May. There has been a sustained decline in the unemployment rate as well, which stood at 3 percent in May. Spec, Mixed-Use Projects Development activity has been restrained over the last several years. However, a handful of key office projects have recently broken ground in high-demand areas. The most exciting development activity is occurring in the urban core, where a number of projects are moving forward. Speculative Class A office construction is once again rising with the $100 million Church Street Plaza going vertical after a slight construction delay. SunTrust Banks Inc. recently announced plans to relocate its Orlando headquarters from the SunTrust Center building into 90,000 square feet at …

October 15, 2018

Florida Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Orlando Sustains High Level of Multifamily Demand, Leading to New Construction

by John Nelson October 8, 2018

Fundamentals in the Orlando multifamily market are exceptionally strong and should remain healthy as long as this economic cycle continues. Following a period of no construction after the recession, new supply is finally starting to catch up with pent-up demand held in check during the downturn. Even with over 7,000 units projected to be delivered annually for the next several years, occupancy rates should hold strong between 95 and 96 percent. Supported by continued economic expansion in the Orlando metro area as well as strong population and job growth, we remain bullish on the multifamily market and do not see the potential risk of oversupply any time in the near future. The justification for continued new construction makes sense given Orlando’s history. As in most markets throughout the country, the recession halted new multifamily development in Orlando. From 2007 to 2009, there was virtually no new supply added to the market. It was not until 2010 that construction picked up again, and by that time, post-recession job creation had already taken off, causing a tremendous amount of pent up demand for housing. Each year since, new supply has been quickly leased, and it has not yet slowed. As of July …

October 8, 2018

Florida Market Reports Multifamily Property Type Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Miami’s Multifamily Market Sees Prolonged Sales Activity for First Time in Years

by John Nelson June 25, 2018

Driven by the delivery of new product, the Miami multifamily market is experiencing a period of increased transaction activity. Always in high demand, but generally a thinly traded market, Miami has seen a significantly higher volume of market-rate multifamily sales in the last two years. While Miami-Dade County has maintained strong fundamentals overall, its sales volume has historically trailed nearby markets in Broward and Palm Beach counties. In 2014 and 2015, Miami saw an average total sales volume of $150 million, compared to $935 million in Broward County and $675 million in Palm Beach County. Although Miami-Dade County is home to half of South Florida’s population, it has historically accounted for just 20 percent of South Florida’s multifamily sales volume. Part of the reason is that Miami is in high demand because institutional, foreign and private investors are enamored with Miami-Dade County and want these multifamily assets in their portfolio. Likewise, each of these groups tend to hold Miami-Dade properties for extended periods of time. Further, in the early 2000s, the condo conversion trend eliminated much of Miami’s Class A rental inventory, increasing the scarcity of this type of multifamily product. In 2017, however, Miami saw over $820 million in …

June 25, 2018

Florida Industrial Market Reports Property Type Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Miami Industrial Market’s Future Hinges on Infill, Single-User Properties

by John Nelson June 18, 2018

After several years of strong absorption in leasing and robust sales volume, there’s no question that Miami’s industrial real estate market is the desired location for national tenants and institutional investors alike. But many insiders are questioning if sustaining that level of growth is possible and if there are still profitable transactions to be found. The answer is a resounding yes. There is little indication that the Miami industrial real estate market will slow down with vacancy rates hovering in the low 4 percent range. The rise of e-commerce, strong population growth and the region’s role as the gateway to Latin America all bode well for continued leasing growth and have solidified the region as a top-tier industrial real estate market. It’s been exciting to watch Miami earn a rightful place among the nation’s top brass. The keys to staying relevant in Miami’s increasingly competitive and sophisticated market are to search for opportunities that support the demand for large-scale industrial space for single-users, take a closer look at previously passed over deals, get creative about a parcel’s potential and remain focused on infill strategies. Although Miami’s growth will continue, there will likely be fewer buildings to purchase. According to the …

June 18, 2018

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