Northeast Market Reports

Strong Demand, Record Rents Drive Office Investment, Development in Philadelphia

by Taylor Williams September 11, 2019

Robust employment and population growth are fueling Philadelphia’s renaissance and propelling the region’s office sector to new heights. The lack of new office construction over the past decade has driven rents to record levels and is creating value-add acquisition opportunities throughout the region. With a tight labor market and talent acquisition at a premium, companies want to lease state-of-the-art workspaces that attract future employees. Key features of these spaces include access to public transit and surrounding retail and restaurant options. Limited availabilities within this product type are driving rents for quality space, as well as the development pipeline for new office buildings. However, after years of little construction, several proposed office buildings in both downtown and the suburbs are close to breaking ground and creating the next crop of new office inventory for the region. Record Rents In the second quarter of 2019, average asking rents for office properties in downtown Philadelphia hit a record $31.33 per square foot, a 20 percent increase over the past five years. This growth has been driven by out-of-town investors acquiring buildings and raising rents, as well as by growing demand for downtown office space, both from new in-bound demand and organic growth from …

September 11, 2019

Market Reports Multifamily Northeast Northeast Market Reports Pennsylvania

Philadelphia’s Multifamily Market Can Withstand A Broader Economic Downturn

by Taylor Williams September 4, 2019

As we look toward the end of 2019, multifamily investment sales and mortgage banking transactions in the greater Philadelphia market are at an all-time high. For lifelong Philadelphians, it’s exciting to witness the area’s longstanding foundation successfully take shape through numerous real estate projects in the city and its suburbs. The Philadelphia multifamily market continues to capture interest from a variety of capital sources. Berkadia’s Philadelphia team alone has $4.3 billion in firm or funded transactions from January through August of this year. Specifically, institutional investors have demonstrated an increased interest in this market, as both national and international players continue to recognize the area’s relative value and sound fundamentals. We expect these trends to continue throughout the remainder of 2019 and into next year, regardless of any major headwinds at the macro-economic level. The driving forces behind Philadelphia’s success include a robust volume of new Class A developments, a more tactful approach to value-add deals, marketplace efficiencies and most of all, a continued demand for multifamily product. The market’s new Class A properties have been well-received in terms of leasing velocity. More construction capital is available than in years past; top-of-the-market rent discovery has generally proven out. In addition, …

September 4, 2019

Industrial Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports Pennsylvania

Philadelphia’s Industrial Market Is Ready for More Speculative Development

by Taylor Williams August 28, 2019

Demand for industrial space in Philadelphia and suburban Pennsylvania counties has been strong over the last five years. The last meaningful wave of speculative construction occurred in 2002. Couple that with the fact that much of the area’s industrial inventory was built prior to 1980, and we have a market that is ready to absorb a rising volume of speculative product. Organic growth and new-to-market requirements have absorbed most of the quality supply, leaving inventory that is at 40 to 50 years old and functionally obsolete for many requirements of today’s e-commerce users. Activity has been slower in the year’s first six months as companies have been more cautious about planning for future growth. Another factor has been the lack of quality-space options, with less than 1 percent of the inventory considered institutional, Class A space. This dearth of quality space is reflected in the single-digit vacancies. Developers, tenants and brokers will be watching closely as over 5 million square feet of speculative industrial space is projected to deliver in the next 12 to 24 months. Strong Urban Demand There is pent-up demand from local warehouse and manufacturing companies as well as increasing demand from third-party logistics (3PLs) users, food …

August 28, 2019

Market Reports New York Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

Retail Rent Picture Varies Greatly Across New York City Submarkets

by Taylor Williams August 21, 2019

Retail leasing activity across New York City accelerated during the second quarter of 2019, but the market continues to see vast discrepancies in supply-demand balances across various submarkets. In certain parts of Manhattan, year-over-year asking rents declined by double-digit percentages, according to the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) Spring 2019 Report. Midtown East, for example, saw its average asking rent drop by 22 percent from $3,900 per square foot to $3,050 per square foot during this time period. The corridor between 42nd and 49th streets experienced similar activity, sliding 20 percent from an average asking rent of $1,000 per square foot to $800 per square foot. Historically high vacancy and low absorption rates are behind the negative rent growth. Due to the high cost of doing business in New York, landlords have also struggled to backfill spaces vacated by tenants that were victims of the e-commerce world. As a result, property owners are being forced to bring down their tenant improvement allowances and integrate more flexibility into their leases, primarily in the form of shorter lease terms to stimulate cash flows. Midtown East had approximately 100 vacant retail spaces totaling more than 500,000 square feet at the end …

August 21, 2019

Market Reports Multifamily New York Northeast Northeast Market Reports

NYC Multifamily Investors Pivot to Find New Opportunities After Rent Reform Laws

by Taylor Williams August 14, 2019

On June 14th, the New York State legislature passed a series of stringent rent regulation reforms. The laws damaged property owners’ means of making money by strengthening tenant protections, capping rent increases and keeping units permanently stabilized. A quick Google search will explain the specifics regarding IAIs, J51s, eviction, buyouts, vacancy bonus and decontrol. In short, landlords will face rising taxes, higher water and sewer bills and elevated construction costs with no mechanism to raise rents to outpace or even match these expenses. Gloom was in the air until an auspicious turn of events occurred on June 21st, just one week after the new rent laws passed. A Pennsylvania woman won a momentous victory in the U.S. Supreme Court that opened the doors for property owners to go directly to federal court without going to state court first. The timing was nothing short of incredible. Essentially, the decision paves the way for New York City landlords to get a fast-track hearing by the Supreme Court, which may view the these new rent laws as going too far and violating owners’ constitutional rights. In weeks to follow, property owners spoke with each other and with major law firms to get a …

August 14, 2019

Market Reports New York Northeast Market Reports Office

Manhattan’s Office Market Thrives as Top-Tier Tenants Flock to Midtown

by Taylor Williams August 7, 2019

Driven by activity in the office sector, commercial real estate in Manhattan is having one of its best years on record. The overwhelming demand for Manhattan office space has led to a surge in office-using employment and an accelerated pace of construction. In addition, the success and appeal of the new Hudson Yards project has breathed new life into the borough’s office market, with developers unable to keep up with the demand. The continued expansion in the technology and coworking sectors is reshaping the market. Companies are willing to pay a premium to snag office space that attracts top-tier, tech-savvy talent. This trend has caused office asking rents to rise to record levels. By The Numbers CBRE data shows that average asking rents for Midtown Manhattan office space reached $88 per square foot in the second quarter of 2019, 9.1 percent higher than the previous year. Class A office space commands even more, surpassing the $100 per square foot mark in desirable submarkets like Hudson Yards, Times Square or the Plaza District. The Midtown vacancy rate decreased 10 basis points to 12.2 percent, the lowest in 18 years, according to CBRE, while the past quarter saw 14.7 million square feet …

August 7, 2019

Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Opportunity Zones Sound Good, But Investors Wait for Details, Deals

by Taylor Williams July 31, 2019

The 2017 tax overhaul was supposed to spur $100 billion in investments across the country through the designation of more than 8,700 areas as Opportunity Zones. Investors could reduce or postpone taxes on profit from businesses, partnerships and stocks by reinvesting in the Opportunity Zones. They could also avoid future profits from those reinvestments, provided they make substantial improvements. To get the full benefit, investors would have to buy into eligible projects by the end of 2019. To fully shelter 2018 profits from hedge funds and other partnerships, the deadline was June 29. The land rush hasn’t started. In January, only half of real estate investors surveyed by research firm Preqin were considering investing in Opportunity Zones. More than 90 percent weren’t even involved in an Opportunity Zone project at the time of the survey. The biggest reason for the hesitation is that the rules to take advantage of Opportunity Zones have only begun to be clarified. The IRS and Treasury Department haven’t released the type of detailed guidance that investors need before they are confident enough to move forward. Final regulations on the zones were delayed by the government shutdown earlier this year and have yet to be made …

July 31, 2019

Market Reports Massachusetts Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

Demand for Retail Space Surges in Boston

by Taylor Williams July 24, 2019

Bolstered by strong growth in its millennial population and high-paying jobs, Boston’s urban core continues to boast one of the lowest retail vacancy rates in the country. But this trend has also led to a wave of new development that could temper that good news for Boston retail owners. According to data from Marcus & Millichap, metro Boston’s retail vacancy rate is expected to rise by 40 basis points from 3.2 percent to 3.6 percent in 2019, a year in which 1.3 million square feet of new projects are slated for completion. By comparison, the national vacancy rate stood at 10.2 percent at the end of the first quarter, reports Reis. Marcus & Millichap predicts that the uptick in metro Boston’s retail vacancy will slow the pace of annual rent growth to 3.3 percent. Population growth is fueling demand for housing, which in turn spurs demand for retail to serve those new residents. Metro Boston’s population has grown by more than 112,000 people over the last five years, according to Marcus & Millichap, and the area boasts a median household income in excess of $90,000. While the local rate of population growth mirrors that of the United States as a …

July 24, 2019

Connecticut Industrial Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports Office

Industrial, Office Investment Demand Rises in Westchester, Fairfield Counties

by Taylor Williams July 17, 2019

The investment markets for office, industrial and flex properties in Westchester and Fairfield counties have seen significant activity over the last 12 months. Both debt and equity capital have been flowing into the urban and suburban areas of the counties, demonstrating that these submarkets are viable alternatives to New York City. This year has witnessed one of the largest transactions to ever take place in Westchester and Fairfield counties since we have been recording statistics. This past spring, HFF sold a portfolio of 52 industrial flex assets in multiple parks in both Westchester and Fairfield counties for $488 million, or $167 per square foot. The demand was very strong for these industrial assets, and the buyer pool spanned from private groups to some of the largest money managers in the world. In addition, cap rates are in the 4.25 to 4.85 percent range for more traditional industrial product. Cap pricing is absolutely on track to surpass $200 per square foot, as there is a lack of available land for development and institutional funds’ continue to display an insatiable appetite for the product type. Consequently, these kinds of deals continue to dominate the conversations and market activity. Office Market Interest …

July 17, 2019

Connecticut Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

Retail Landscape Evolves in Fairfield, Westchester Counties

by Taylor Williams July 12, 2019

Main Street isn’t dead. It’s being refreshed, rebranded and reimagined. Creating a compelling experience in today’s retail environment is a critical element to being successful. Property owners are working hard to make their retail sites attractive and relevant. This includes placing emphasis on curb appeal and redeveloping spaces that may previously have been occupied by big box tenants. Many landlords are turning larger vacancies into multiple spaces to accommodate junior anchors and smaller tenants at as retailers are rightsizing and working to maximize efficiencies. At the same time, landlords are replacing building façades and updating landscaping, parking areas and lighting to enhance visual appeal. Main Street in Westport, Connecticut, represents a prime example of this retail renaissance. This area is in the midst of a complete reboot. Over the past year or so, the talk of the town was that the storefronts along Westport’s commercial corridor are not as lively as they had been in the past. But appearances can be deceiving, and perception isn’t always reality. The truth is that Westport’s retail scene is very much alive and is being revived with new and fresher brands. New Players We’re seeing brands like Sundance, an apparel catalog company created by …

July 12, 2019

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