Market Reports

How Austin’s Growth Creates Opportunities for Multifamily Developers, Investors

by Taylor Williams February 18, 2020

With its unique culture, relatively low cost of living, warm weather and booming economy, Austin has emerged as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. As more people and companies flock to this vibrant city, the multifamily real estate market looks primed for growth from both a development and investment perspective. At its core, this real estate potential lies in the fact that the housing supply needs to keep up with a growing population of workers. According to the Austin Board of Realtors (AboR), in October 2019, the number of homes sold reached new highs, while the inventory of single-family homes reached new lows. As this gap shows, and as ABoR notes in its report, housing demand is outpacing housing stock, particularly in areas close to major employers and transit options. To remedy this problem, multifamily developers and investors can step in to build multi-unit buildings throughout Austin. Adding multifamily buildings can help tackle the housing shortage much faster than building more single-family homes, and many newcomers to Austin are young, well-paid professionals looking to rent apartments in exciting urban neighborhoods. As such, developers and investors can look to add more units in both existing high-density areas that …

February 18, 2020

Life Sciences Market Reports Massachusetts Northeast Northeast Market Reports Office

Boston Life Sciences Market Shows No Sign of Slowing in 2020

by Alex Patton February 18, 2020

At this point, it sounds like the movie “Groundhog Day,” but 2019 was another impressive year of growth and success for the greater Boston life sciences real estate market — and that growth shows no signs of subsiding any time soon. Duncan Gratton, Cushman & Wakefield Strong levels of venture capital investment, big pharmaceutical partnerships and merger and acquisition activity continued to fuel unprecedented demand for life sciences space, not only in and around Cambridge but also in submarkets like the Seaport, Watertown and certain Route 128 corridors. Venture capital (VC) funding for life sciences, while not quite at 2018 levels, remained robust with nearly $6 billion invested through the end of November. Major funding deals that closed in 2019 include Ginkgo Bioworks ($290 million), ElevateBio ($150 million) and Beam Therapeutics Inc. ($135 million), which all committed to leasing lab space in existing buildings and new developments throughout the area. Supply-Demand Balance The urban Massachusetts life sciences market, which includes Boston, Cambridge, and the inner suburbs of Watertown, Lexington, Medford and Waltham, now enjoys an inventory of about 20 million square feet and ended 2019 with a vacancy rate of just over 4 percent. Successful speculative developments at Arsenal Yards …

February 18, 2020

Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports Tennessee

Nashville Industrial Market is a Haven for Adaptive Reuse Opportunities

by Alex Tostado February 17, 2020

Nashville ranked as the No. 3 Market to Watch in 2020 according to Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCooper’s report, Emerging Trends in Real Estate. The report credits Nashville’s population growth, investor demand, development opportunity and job growth. According to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, 100 economic development projects — including industrial-space-users ICEE, Togo North America and A&C Business Enterprises — announced relocations or expansions in Middle Tennessee, representing $3.2 billion in investment and 14,000 jobs. Nashville’s industrial market is firing on all cylinders. Demand for space has been met with elevated rent growth throughout the market, keeping Nashville’s industrial rates among the highest in the Southeast. The 755,314 square feet of absorption that occurred during the fourth quarter marks the 23rd consecutive quarter with an increase in occupancy, raising the 2019 net absorption to over 5.5 million square feet, resulting in a market vacancy of 3.8 percent. Investor volume in Middle Tennessee exceeded $962 million in transactions at the close of 2019. This is the region’s highest industrial sale volume in the last five years, with the second half of 2019 accounting for 75 percent of the deals. Big-box users including Amazon, CEVA Logistics and Geodis have …

February 17, 2020

Colorado Industrial Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

Colorado Springs Industrial Market on Pace for Another Level Year

by Taylor Williams February 15, 2020

The Colorado Springs industrial market has trended positively over the past 10 years. Though it is a very gradual trend, we are now at a point where we anticipate the market to slow or level off. The market will not see a lot of change throughout 2020, though we expect the market to stay positive due to the lack of new construction, high costs, possible hesitancy related to elections and lack of available quality industrial product. The overall vacancy rate for the Colorado Springs industrial market started the year below 7 percent. That rate has dipped lower each quarter, nearing 5 percent at the end of 2019. We foresee room for the rate to continue dropping through 2020, but believe we may see a slight rise in the vacancy rate due to some new construction and existing occupants becoming more efficient with their spaces. This industrial market has not seen the amount of new construction needed over the past two years to keep pace with the high demand the market has experienced. This will impact growth and trends throughout 2020. There was roughly 72,000 square feet of new industrial product under construction during 2019. When it comes to new construction …

February 15, 2020

Industrial Market Reports Texas Texas Market Reports

Population Growth Will Continue to Fuel Austin Industrial Market in Coming Years

by Taylor Williams February 14, 2020

When real estate professionals contemplate the nation’s top industrial markets, Austin is not the first market to come to mind. Bigger and more established markets like Dallas, California’s Inland Empire, Chicago and Houston are often the newsmakers with tens of millions of square feet of industrial product under construction and tenants routinely signing deals for million square foot-plus deals. Austin has been mostly known and admired for its office market and tech-forward economy, gaining notoriety circa 2000 with the tech boom and exploding in growth over the last five years with expansions and commitments from Apple, Google, Facebook, Indeed, Amazon, Oracle, Charles Schwab and Expedia. However, Austin’s emergence as one of the nation’s best cities to live in with ample opportunities for high-paying employment has resulted in astounding population growth — one of the biggest drivers for industrial real estate. As the population expands so does demand for goods and materials that are stored in warehouse buildings, and the Austin industrial market will certainly benefit from this trend for the foreseeable future. Per the Texas Demographic Center, the Austin metro population stood at roughly 1.25 million people in 2000. It is anticipated that the metro area will be home to …

February 14, 2020

Colorado Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Colorado Is Experiencing Residential Growth, But Uncertainty Could Temper That

by Taylor Williams February 14, 2020

The past 10 years has brought population growth to Colorado, which many associate with Amendment 64, or the legalization of marijuana, along with an overall flat interest rate. The new issue is whether Colorado can sustain this growth, despite the heavy focus on affordability. So far, however, the state has experienced continued growth in population, income and multifamily sales volume, according to CoStar. Tapestry Segmentation also reports a median household income in the Greater Denver area of $76,094, which is 28 percent higher than the national figure reported by the U.S. Census. The Denver multifamily market is enticing to tenants as many view the option to lease as an easier path than purchasing a home. This, in turn, has enticed investors and developers to build due to demand. Investors also see opportunity in converting apartments to condos when the market shifts. At the same time, there are concerns that the Federal Reserve’s Interest on Excess Reserves (IOER) policy could present uncertainty to the overarching environment. The intention of the IOER policy is to allow banks to have a lower reserve, which is intended to remove the volatility of interest rates. However, many experts are questioning if …

February 14, 2020

Indiana Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Retail

Commercial Real Estate’s Sphere of Influence Grows in the Circle City

by Kristin Harlow February 13, 2020

Indianapolis is a humble midwestern city that often seems to fly under the radar, but for those willing to take a closer look, they will find more than just a famous racetrack and cornfields. Indianapolis is a dynamic city with a thriving commercial real estate market. Sitting as the 14th-largest city in the U.S., Indianapolis is the economic heart of the region and has experienced steady growth over the past decade — and with true Hoosier hospitality. Here’s a look at what’s happening and what’s to come in the Indianapolis market. Downtown Indianapolis has rapidly evolved over the last few years. The “Circle City” gained momentum through the emergence of a thriving technology sector and steady employment gains in an already economically diverse business landscape. Those influences added to the convenience and tourism that make downtown a desirable destination for retailers. Increased interest from brands has spurred new development and better amenities. An additional 1 million square feet of first-floor commercial space has been added in downtown Indianapolis over the last eight years, and an additional 400,000 square feet is expected over the next few years — a firm foundation that tells an incredible story of growth and investment. Mass …

February 13, 2020

Civic New York Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Passive House Construction Can Help NYC Developers Save on Emissions Costs

by Alex Patton February 12, 2020

Recently, New York City passed the Climate Mobilization Act bill as a way to counter climate change. If passed into law, the bill’s foundation would require buildings that are larger than 25,000 square feet to cut climate emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and by more than 80 percent by 2050. The legislation also requires certain buildings to cover roofs with plants, solar panels, small wind turbines or a combination of those elements. Rent-regulated housing, as well as structures of worship, won’t be subject to the emissions cap. However, building owners whose properties are subject to the new law will be fined $268 for every ton of emission beyond an individual building’s limit. To make the necessary changes to avoid these massive penalties — such as replacing outdated heating, cooling and lighting systems — owners will need to retrofit older buildings with updated energy-efficient technology. The legislation demonstrates what a metropolitan version of the Green New Deal, the national movement for a multi-trillion dollar, climate-friendly plan, might look like. The legislation is expected to create thousands of blue collar jobs and make it easier for the city to take advantage of future state and federal funding for clean energy projects …

February 12, 2020

Market Reports Office Texas Texas Market Reports

As Core Rents Rise, Austin Office Market Welcomes Adaptive Reuse in Suburbs

by Taylor Williams February 11, 2020

It’s no secret that Austin has exploded with jobs and people over the last 10 years, and evidence of the growth has perhaps been most visible in the asking rents for office space. Rental rates in Austin’s most sought-after neighborhoods have essentially doubled since 2010, when major tech firms really began eyeing the state capital for its pro-business climate and supply of educated workers, as well as its high quality of living. Today, we see full-service office rates well above $50 per square foot in the hottest submarkets. According to our data, the average full-service rent in downtown Austin typically ranges from $65 to $69 per square foot. Submarkets like The Domain and East Austin command rates that typically average about $55 and $50 per square foot, respectively, on a full-service basis. These rates include operating expenses which can be between $15 to $25 per foot depending on location, mainly due to property tax increases found in these higher density areas of Austin. While these rates appear to be a smaller issue for the tech giants that drive significant growth among office-using industries in Austin, the rapid rate of appreciation is unquestionably pricing out some users that also need to …

February 11, 2020

Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports Tennessee

Nashville Apartments Remain a Hot Ticket for Core, Value-Add Investors

by Alex Tostado February 10, 2020

Nashville has experienced record multifamily demand in recent years, largely driven by an influx of young professionals and the growing presence of high-earning jobs within the urban core. With investment activity flourishing at more than $2 billion in sales volume year-over-year as of the third quarter, Nashville remains poised as a city on the rise. Nashville investors have continued to aggressively pursue the value-add and suburban submarkets in search of higher yield transactions, as the market’s average price per unit increased by over 15 percent year-over-year. Momentum continues to build in Nashville, making it an attractive destination for national investors looking to maximize their investment potential. Migration expansion One of Nashville’s greatest strengths remains its ability to attract and retain its highly educated, millennial workforce. Nashville is among the fastest growing markets in the United States, with over 58,500 people projected to enter the workforce between 2019 and 2024. The market consists of a highly educated resident pool, with 33.1 percent having earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. That number is expected to increase by 13.4 percent through 2024, with four major universities producing college graduates who enter the Nashville workforce. With such a sophisticated talent pool to occupy the …

February 10, 2020

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