Market Reports

Louisville’s CBD, Suburbs Offer Good Landing Spots for Office Tenants

by John Nelson November 12, 2018

Louisville’s office landscape can be described as a tale of two distinct submarkets woven together by a common thread of consistency. In the central business district (CBD), Class A vacancy rate stands at approximately 13 percent while the suburban Class A vacancy rate hovers around 8.5 percent. As can be noted, there is a substantial gap in occupancy between the two submarkets — 450 basis points. The thread of consistency in the Louisville office market lies in the fact that both are within 100 basis points of those vacancy rates for the same quarter of last year. The suburban office market continues to see healthy rental rate increases driven by the low rate of delivery for new product, coupled with consistently lower vacancy rates. Newer projects are advertising rates in the range of $24 to $28 per square foot, while second-generation, Class A product has quoted rates in the high teens and low 20s. Many companies such as Thornton Oil, BrightSpring Health Services (formerly ResCare) and V-Soft have chosen to grow their headquarters presence in Louisville, which is helping maintain stability in the suburban market. As in most markets, Class B and C product continues to struggle as functional obsolescence, …

November 12, 2018

Market Reports Retail Texas Texas Market Reports

Retail Growth in Plano-Frisco-McKinney Comes Full Circle

by Taylor Williams November 9, 2018

Twenty-five years ago, the Plano-Frisco-McKinney area was replete with open fields, cows and dirt roads. Today, the intersection of State Highway 121 and the Dallas North Tollway is central to Dallas-Fort Worth’s (DFW) development activity. Every red light within a three-mile radius of that intersection has cars stacked 10 deep. The entire area is a metropolitan buzz of noise and activity. The key to understanding how real estate markets — not just retail —in these cities changed so dramatically in less than 20 years lies in geography. The (DFW) metroplex consists of about 9,286 square miles, which is roughly double the size of the Los Angeles metro area, not to mention bigger than the combined size of Rhode Island and Connecticut. The sheer mass of land in DFW and diverse city development policies ensure population densities and characters vary tremendously from one submarket to another. Consequently, retail real estate in the metroplex exists and thrives in pockets. Given the benefit of the expanded infrastructure that the Plano-Frisco-McKinney area has enjoyed over the last two decades, it comes as little surprise that the region would eventually be a magnet for rooftops — and associated retail activity. Basic Numbers CoStar Group identifies …

November 9, 2018

Indiana Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Office

Don’t Nap on Naptown: Indianapolis Office Market Is Actively Transforming

by Kristin Harlow November 8, 2018

You would be hard pressed to find another city more excited about transformation than Indianapolis right now. Previously known as “Naptown” by outsiders due to the sleepy feel the city exuded, those days are long gone. Indy has experienced incredible transformative activity in the past decade, and that extends to the commercial real estate office sector. For the 18th consecutive quarter, this sector has experienced positive net occupancy gains, and 14 of those quarters have fallen below the 10-year average vacancy rate of 18 percent. Average asking rental rates have experienced healthy growth, with five-year rental rate growth at nearly 14.3 percent. Changing ownership According to colleague Bennett Williams, director, the office landscape is really about change right now. “Long-term Indianapolis owners, such as Duke Realty, historically have developed and held their assets, but now that they are selling off their product, national and international firms are entering the market,” he says. “These new firms have been pushing all facets of the deal to maximize the return for their investors.” Within the past five years, Indy has experienced many ownership changes of large office assets both in the suburban markets and the central business district (CBD). Cushman and Wakefield research …

November 8, 2018

Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports Office Pennsylvania

Lehigh Valley Office Market Continues to Grow

by David Cohen November 7, 2018

From large publicly traded companies to mid-size tech companies and small professional services firms, companies are taking notice of the office development and vibrant live-work communities being built in the Lehigh Valley. Located one hour north of Philadelphia and 90 minutes west of New York City, the Lehigh Valley is a two-county region in eastern Pennsylvania consisting of 62 municipalities and the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. It is the 69th largest metropolitan region in the United States, with a $39.1 billion GDP larger than that of both Wyoming and Vermont. The Lehigh Valley’s total office market inventory currently stands at 26.8 million square feet. There have been 281,250 square feet of office market deliveries in 2018 so far, and another 329,000 are currently under construction. A total of 669,832 square feet of office space was under construction in the Lehigh Valley as of the first quarter of 2018, with the majority of that development in the region’s urban centers. Ninety-six percent of the office buildings constructed in the Lehigh Valley so far this year have been built in either Allentown, Bethlehem, or Easton and all of the 329,000 square feet of office space currently under construction are in …

November 7, 2018

Market Reports Nevada Retail Western Western Market Reports

Big Box Absorption Leads to Market Stabilization in Reno

by Taylor Williams November 6, 2018

The retail market in Reno/Sparks continues to improve with big box retailers moving to the market and a steady decrease in the vacancy rate. The retail market in Reno/Sparks has seen an overall decrease in vacancy for the fifth consecutive quarter with the current vacancy rate hovering just under 7 percent. Average market rent is currently $1.50 per square foot, triple net, and appears to be slowly climbing as we continue to experience positive net absorption. Tenants moving and expanding in the area include Big Lots leasing 30,112 square feet in Spanish Springs, and Harbor Freight and Tractor Supply Company leasing 16,016 square feet and 38,326 square feet, respectively, in Sparks. Sprouts Farmers Market has opened two new locations in Reno and Sparks over the past 12 months, absorbing roughly 60,000 square feet. Grocery Outlet, Tuesday Morning, Marshall’s Home Goods, Burlington and Raley’s Supermarkets have also expanded in northern Nevada. The Reno/Sparks market has seen increased activity in the finance services and fast-casual restaurant industries. New fast-casual restaurants in the area include Mod Pizza, California Pizza Kitchen, Burrito Bandito, Sizzle Pie, Pine State Biscuits and Habit Burger. Chase Bank and United Federal Credit Union have opened several locations in Northern …

November 6, 2018

Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports Virginia

No Sign of Retail Apocalypse in Sight as Grocers, Restaurants Help Richmond Thrive

by John Nelson November 5, 2018

If you mention the phrase “retail apocalypse” to anyone in the Richmond market, you will immediately receive a puzzled look back. The Richmond retail market is about as far away from a retail apocalypse as any market in the country. Yes, we have seen the Toys ‘R’ Us, Sears, Macy’s and Kmart closures, but with close to 83 million square feet of retail space in the Richmond MSA, the current retail vacancy rate is below 5 percent. The vacancy rate is at, or near, a record low and demand for more space remains robust. New retail development projects are leasing quickly and several noteworthy redevelopment projects are in the works. In May 2016, Wegmans opened its first 120,000-square-foot Richmond store at Stonehenge Village along Midlothian Turnpike. In August of that same year, Wegmans opened its second store at West Broad Marketplace in Short Pump. Since those two openings, Richmond has received new attention from many national tenants, developers, and investors looking to enter the market. Market activity has been driven by the likes of Wegmans, Kroger, Publix, Aldi, Lidl and Whole Foods Market, as well as Gold’s Gym, Planet Fitness and Crunch Fitness. In 2016, Ahold announced it would sell …

November 5, 2018

Market Reports Multifamily Texas Texas Market Reports

In Terms of Multifamily Demand, Far Northeast DFW Has It All

by Taylor Williams November 2, 2018

In the world of multifamily development, it’s rare to find a market that quite literally checks every box. But in Dallas-Fort Worth’s (DFW) Far Northeast submarket, which encompasses Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney, that’s precisely the case. In terms of fundamental demand drivers, Collin County is growing by about 80 new residents per day, one of the fastest rates in the country. The county’s population is expected to increase by nearly 800,000 over the next two decades, and to add more than 300,000 new jobs during that stretch as well. The region also epitomizes the corporate relocations for which DFW has become renowned. The arrivals of Toyota North America, JPMorgan Chase, Liberty Mutual and FedEx have already brought thousands of high-paying jobs to the Far Northeast submarket. Just as important, these companies have established precedents for medium-sized companies to follow suit and keep the job growth train rolling. The impacts of those demand drivers on multifamily growth in the region has been tremendous. But there’s more to the story of this area’s multifamily explosion than the increase in jobs and population. Lesser-Known Factors While corporate relocations have brought swaths of millennials to the area — in Frisco, that group comprises …

November 2, 2018

Illinois Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Multifamily

Legal Considerations for Condominium Deconversions in Chicago

by Kristin Harlow November 1, 2018

With the demand for apartments in Chicago rising, many real estate developers have discovered a previously untapped supply of potential acquisition targets — residential condominium buildings. This includes older condominium properties plagued by large deferred maintenance obligations and stagnating or declining unit sales prices. While the process for converting condominium buildings into rental properties can be more time consuming and labor-intensive than acquiring an existing apartment building, patient investors often see hidden value opportunities. They are able to capitalize on the spread between a building’s higher value as a rental property versus its lower value as an owner-occupied condominium building. Purchasing all of the condominium units in an existing building is not your typical real estate purchase. Because of the unique issues involved and the potential voluminous amount of documents involved, both the condominium association (the Association) and the buyer should be represented by experienced counsel with the bandwidth to handle the simultaneous closing of potentially hundreds of units. The counsel should also have a deep familiarity with condominium law, and in particular, Section 15 of the Illinois Condominium Property Act (the Act). Statutory overview Deconversion is the term that has become widely used in the real estate industry to …

November 1, 2018

Market Reports Multifamily Northeast Northeast Market Reports Pennsylvania

Investors Key in on Southwest Philadelphia Multifamily Sector

by David Cohen October 31, 2018

Apartments in Philadelphia’s urban core command premium rent, prompting more renters to consider living in the surrounding suburbs. Rising demand for apartments in submarkets both near and far from Center City have helped lower vacancy and improve rent growth. Southwest Philadelphia, in particular, has exhibited these trends despite elevated construction activity. The combination of favorable property fundamentals amid supply additions draws strong investor interest, leading to increased transactions and higher sales prices. Multifamily properties in Southwest Philadelphia are outperforming those in Center City. Over the past four years, apartment inventory in both submarkets rose by almost proportional amounts, 10 percent versus 14 percent, respectively. Yet, over that time, vacancy in the suburban submarket dropped 100 basis points to a rate of 4.2 percent while the downtown rate went up 70 basis points to 5.3 percent. Rent growth showed a similar disparity. In the same four-year span, average effective rent appreciated 18 percent in Southwest Philadelphia but only 6 percent in Center City. The steep decline in vacancy and strong rent growth during this construction wave have demonstrated a healthy amount of demand in the submarket as residents seek more affordable housing options. As of June 2018, the average apartment in …

October 31, 2018

Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports Virginia

Richmond’s Office Market Grows in Prominence as Corporate-Friendly Destination

by John Nelson October 29, 2018

Richmond is thriving and the office market is following suit. The office market, like the broader Richmond region, benefits from Richmond’s diverse economy, high-quality of life at a reasonable cost of living and the steadily growing, highly educated workforce. These attributes make Richmond an attractive option for large employers evaluating cities for operations. Recent entrants to Richmond include CoStar Group, ICMA-RC and Owens & Minor. The CEO of CoStar pointed to Richmond’s educated workforce, affordability and excellent quality of life as the reasons Richmond recently beat out several other Southeast U.S. cities as the new home for the company’s global research headquarters. Growth from within Richmond is also driving the market with new developments of over $1 billion in the pipeline or currently under construction from two of Richmond’s largest employers: Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and Dominion Energy. Their developments in downtown Richmond are accompanied by a wide array of creative office developments in the formerly industrial Scott’s Addition micro-market located near the convergence of Interstates 64 and 95. The city of Richmond continues to be the recipient of most new office development with suburban development being limited and mainly healthcare centric, led by Bon Secours Health System and …

October 29, 2018

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