Market Reports

Atlanta’s Office Market Continues to Thrive, Though a Test Looms on the Horizon

by John Nelson July 17, 2017

It is no secret that Atlanta has been a booming market in the post-recession era. Metro Atlanta added more than 85,000 jobs in 2016, while the unemployment rate has dropped to 4.9 percent, back to a prerecession level (2007). Atlanta has ranked near the top of the largest 10 office markets in annual job growth, outpacing the likes of New York, Los Angles and Chicago. There was 3.3 percent job growth in 2016, outpaced by only one large metropolitan peer, Dallas-Fort Worth. Rent Growth The Atlanta office market has shared this success as rents have continued to climb to record levels and vacancy levels have dropped. Since the end of 2012, overall gross asking rents have risen 22.1 percent, or $4.41 per square foot. Thanks to major relocations by companies such as Honeywell, GE Digital and Synovus, and major expansions by Kaiser Permanente, Sage, Anthem and Kabbage, among others, Atlanta’s overall office vacancy rate has plummeted 540 basis points from the end of 2012 (from 22.3 percent to 16.9 percent in the first quarter of 2017). Construction With market fundamentals in a stronger state than at any other time in recent history, the introduction of new product presents a litmus …

July 17, 2017

Georgia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Atlanta Industrial Market’s Record Performance Drives Investment Demand

by John Nelson July 10, 2017

The Atlanta industrial market continues to grow in popularity when it comes to real estate investors’ appetite. Industrial assets are “hot items” in current investment sales transactions as the region’s economic momentum continues to position Atlanta as one of the healthiest industrial markets in the Southeast. Some of the major local and macro-economic trends affecting the industrial market include the ongoing growth of infrastructure, logistics and manufacturing industries. Furthermore, the Port of Savannah’s new Post Panamax facilities, its ongoing investment and expansion plans and its increasing activity are also beneficial to the Atlanta industrial market. Investment sales professionals, especially individual investors, remain attracted to Atlanta’s industrial market as e-commerce continues to transform how and where products are stored and shipped, not to mention the simplicity of owning and managing industrial properties, compared to retail and office. In 2016, the Atlanta industrial market experienced over 17 million square feet of net absorption. The forecasted absorption for 2017 ranges between 12 and 14 million square feet, with approximately 12 million square feet of new product being delivered this year. Over 90 percent of the new product comprises warehouse/distribution product, and less than 10 percent consists of new flex and shallow-bay buildings. Most …

July 10, 2017

Georgia Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Retailers are Seizing the Opportunity to Backfill Shuttered Stores in Atlanta

by John Nelson July 3, 2017

It’s long been known that Atlanta, along with many other markets in the United States, is over-retailed. However, not all retailers are “overstored.” With the recent number of store closings announced (Sports Authority, hhgregg, Kmart, Sears, JC Penney, to name a few), it’s understandable that some have concerns over the current state of retail. That said, for many retailers, these closures become opportunities to enter certain markets or grab better positions within an existing market. As some retailers forfeit locations, these Atlanta vacancies will be absorbed. Burlington Stores recently backfilled the former Sports Authority adjacent to the Mall of Georgia in Buford, and will do the same with the former Best Buy adjacent to The Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia. Ashley HomeStore will backfill the former Staples in Snellville. In Alpharetta, American Signature Furniture opened in the former Sports Authority box, and entertainment destination Dave & Buster’s is set to open in a former AMC Theatres. The retail industry is undergoing a shift as a result of the emergence of e-commerce and morphing consumer habits. It’s the retailers that are able to adapt and evolve along with changes in technology and consumer attitudes that will thrive, as very few are …

July 3, 2017

Georgia Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Atlanta’s Office Market Experiencing Positively Boring, Safe Growth

by John Nelson January 16, 2017

The Atlanta office market has continued down a path of steady recovery and absorption, although the pace remains somewhat muted from prior recovery cycles. As outside investors have warmed up to the city of Atlanta, they have been comforted by a safe and positively boring period of growth. For the last couple of years, investors have been committed strongly to value-add opportunities throughout metropolitan Atlanta, including areas that have historically been out of favor like Alpharetta and Peachtree Corners. The fundamental improvements in the market rents and occupancy continue to support bullish forecasts for office space in Atlanta with significantly low vacancy and steady rent growth. Atlanta’s office market sits at 12.1 percent vacancy, 6 percent rent growth and 3.6 million square feet of positive net absorption after several years of consistent absorption and falling vacancy. With value-add being a buzz word throughout the Southeast, many investment sales brokers have taken core assets and found ways to present them as opportunities for value-add in an effort to reach a larger pool of investors. Investor appetite continues to be measured and very focused on downside risk versus upside potential. This has inflated the return expectations for very solid real estate, making …

January 16, 2017

Georgia Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Retailers Try to Keep Up With Atlanta’s Dynamic Consumer Population

by John Nelson January 9, 2017

To understand the state of retail in Atlanta in 2005, you first looked at where and what developers were building, then to where retailers were locating and lastly to how consumers were shopping. Simply put, if a developer built it and a retailer occupied it, the consumer was sure to shop there, but that’s no longer the case. To understand the state of retail in Atlanta today, you need to start with the Atlanta consumer. Go Big or Go Home From 2000 to 2010, the Atlanta Regional Commission reports metro Atlanta added over 1 million residents with an additional 2.5 million people projected to be added between 2015 and 2040. Further, according to a study by the University of Georgia, half the state’s population growth is concentrated in just three Atlanta metro counties — Fulton, Gwinnett and Forsyth. A big driver for the growth is jobs, especially those in high-paying sectors like information, professional services, science and technology. EMSI reports that two of the counties making up Atlanta’s metropolitan area, Forsyth and Coweta, are in the top eight of large counties for skilled job growth. Additionally, Forbes claims Atlanta is now growing its business service sector faster than New York, …

January 9, 2017

Georgia Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Atlanta Retail Market Experiences Demand in Hottest Submarkets

by John Nelson August 1, 2016

The Atlanta retail market continues to be robust, with vacancy tightening in key submarkets and rents trending upward. Overall vacancy fell slightly from 7.1 percent during the fourth quarter of 2015 to 7 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to CoStar. However, the decline is greater in hot submarkets such as Buckhead and Central Perimeter that boasted vacancy rates as low as 2.8 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively, in the first quarter. Demand Up, Supply Tightens There is still a disconnect between supply and demand, especially in strong trade areas, and many retailers that wish to enter or expand in the market are finding it difficult to do so. Rents are escalating by 10 percent to 15 percent because of the increased competition for space and the high cost to build new developments is attributable to escalating land costs. During the first quarter, 21 buildings totaling 300,174 square feet were delivered, according to CoStar, and at the end of the first quarter, 1.73 million square feet of retail space was under development. As Atlanta can deliver more of the space that’s under construction and open up availability, rent is expected to continue to climb. Health and Fitness Food …

August 1, 2016

Georgia Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Talent, Innovation Are Driving Today’s Real Estate Decisions in Atlanta

by John Nelson July 25, 2016

There has been a seismic shift in the way that companies throughout America make their relocation decisions, and it applies to Atlanta as well as its competitors. Companies are driven to locations that can provide a robust pipeline of talent and tight-knit innovative communities. This focus has created new demands on cities that want to build and sustain competitive economies. Companies have always taken talent into consideration but ultimately there was a belief that the talent would follow the company. This is no longer true. Millennials first choose where they want to live and then where they want to work. Today’s sought-after talent is closely tied to a city’s ability to provide a high quality of life. This means a connected transportation system, plenty of entertainment activities and accessible, affordable housing. All of this can be found in Atlanta. Companies that have recently chosen to call Atlanta home are a testament to this. From NCR (3,600 employees) to Kaiser Permanente (900 employees) to Worldpay (1,266 employees), all of these prestigious business newcomers have emphasized the critical role that access to highly qualified talent played in their decision to relocate here. Tight-knit, innovative communities do not just appear and cannot be …

July 25, 2016

Georgia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Atlanta’s Industrial Market Passes a New Milestone, Again

by John Nelson July 11, 2016

It looks like 2016 is carrying on where 2015 left off. During 2014 and 2015, Atlanta set record after record for activity, positive net absorption and new construction; and the first quarter of 2016 didn’t disappoint. Activity during the first quarter of 2016 was over 13.5 million square feet, which contributed to a four-quarter total of 59.3 million square feet — the highest four-quarter total for activity ever seen in the Atlanta industrial market. We also witnessed the 16th consecutive quarter of positive net absorption with 3.1 million square feet of space absorbed during the quarter. Added to the last three quarters, net absorption totaled 16.5 million square feet of positive net absorption. Even with a large industrial inventory of 642 million square feet, that’s a significant achievement. Demand for warehouse and distribution space is fueled by Atlanta’s continued economic growth and employment. Unemployment in the Atlanta metro area is 6.1 percent and down from 6.3 percent that we reported last October (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Although construction slowed during the fourth quarter of 2015 with only 1.5 million square feet launched, it was only a short lull. New construction moved forward again for the first quarter of 2016 …

July 11, 2016

Georgia Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Mixed-Use Projects with Grocery Anchors Top the Bill for Atlanta Retail Market

by John Nelson January 25, 2016

Economic indicators that support the retail market in Atlanta, like unemployment and the addition of non-farm payroll jobs, show positive signs that the sector has recovered from the economic downturn. Unemployment dropped to 6.1 percent in July 2015, compared with 7.6 percent a year earlier, and companies are showing no signs of slowing down on the hiring process. Non-farm payroll jobs in July reached 2.58 million, an increase of 85,000 jobs, or 3.4 percent, from a year ago. Atlanta’s vacancy rate continues to fall, dropping from 8.1 percent earlier this year to 7.9 percent in the second quarter, according to CoStar. While space is hard to come by, the good news is that some developments are popping up. In fact, during the second quarter, 12 buildings were completed totaling 208,524 square feet. Mixed-use projects featuring multifamily units are still active, particularly when a grocery store anchor is involved. Fuqua Development is building a six-acre project on Piedmont Road near Cheshire Bridge Road that will feature 300 apartment units, as well as 34,000 square feet of retail space. Sprouts Farmers Market will anchor the retail space with a 26,000-square-foot store. Fuqua Development also broke ground on Kennesaw Marketplace in June. Academy …

January 25, 2016

Georgia Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Tech Firms are Bringing Atlanta’s Office Market Into the Modern Age

by John Nelson January 18, 2016

Atlanta’s office market offers key factors that are harder to come by in other top markets: stability and top universities. Because the city is so diverse, it is not reliant on any one type of business for survival. It’s less volatile, which is one factor that has allowed us to come back from the Great Recession, although slowly, in a more firm and healthy fashion. In line with the majority of the country, Atlanta is currently a landlord’s market. With continued occupancy gains and a shortage of new product, rents are increasing and will continue to do so until additional Class A product delivers and the price gap between existing buildings and new construction gets smaller. Overall office vacancy in Atlanta is as its lowest point in 14 years, with strong growth in rental rates. However, Atlanta still offers the best deal overall, as tenants, developers, owners and investors are able to take advantage of its low cost of living and operating costs, excellent quality of life and a rich local talent pool. Driving the Atlanta office market, we see the technology, advertising, media and information (TAMI) sector. CBRE recently released two tech-related reports that rank the top tech talent …

January 18, 2016

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