Market Reports

Chicago’s Suburban Commercial Real Estate Sector Proves Its Mettle Once Again

by Danielle Everson February 4, 2015

Here’s the Chicago commercial real estate market’s big secret: the suburbs never went away. While it’s true that office vacancy rates hit the high 20s in 2008, the truth is that suburban absorption never faltered. In early 2014, Savills Studley reviewed all office leasing transactions from 2010 to 2013, a recessionary period for the sector. The analysis revealed that of the nearly 7.4 million square feet of deals tracked, nearly three-quarters of the moves (5 million square feet) involved tenants moving from one suburb to another. Compare that trend to the relocations from the suburbs to the city, which totaled approximately 1.8 million square feet during the same period. The exodus of companies like Hillshire Brands and Motorola Mobility from the suburbs made it seem like the city was the only place to be for high-growth firms. The analysis also showed that firms moving from out of town to the area went to the suburbs rather than the city by a factor of more than 2 to 1: 385,000 square feet versus 160,000 square feet. So, it’s no surprise that the suburban Chicago office market ended 2014 with the lowest vacancy rate since 2008. The 22.6 percent vacancy rate in …

February 4, 2015

Market Reports Multifamily New Jersey Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Hudson County’s Multifamily Market Remains Golden for Investors

by Jaime Lackey February 4, 2015

Abundant financing, unrelenting demand in an undersupplied industry and low rates are driving Northern New Jersey’s multifamily investment market toward pre-recession levels. Nowhere is this more evident than in the urban commuter hub of Hudson County. Known as an integral part of New Jersey’s Gold Coast, Hudson County serves as one of the most active investment and rental markets in the region thanks to its proximity to Manhattan and high concentration of multifamily properties. Long-term owners in the area increasingly are aware of the market conditions, and trading has started to approach unprecedented levels. A prime example was the recent $21 million sale of a four-property Hudson County multifamily portfolio, with units located throughout Jersey City and Hoboken. The deal marks one of the most highly bid sales in Hudson County this year, with more than 20 competitive offers submitted for the portfolio consisting of 159 apartments and six commercial units. Following three rounds of bidding, the seller, which had owned the property for more than 40 years, accepted the highest non-contingent offer. All of the properties were fully occupied at the time of sale, and the largest — a mid-rise elevator building on Magnolia Avenue in Jersey City — …

February 4, 2015

California Market Reports Office Western Western Market Reports

LA’s Office Market is Alive

by Nellie Day February 3, 2015

Construction on the 73-story Wilshire Grand Hotel, office and retail complex in Downtown Los Angeles’ Financial District, coupled with Google’s recent purchase of 12 acres for development in Playa Vista prove the region’s office market is alive and well. It may even be enjoying a bit of a rebirth in this post-recovery period. Los Angeles, unlike many other comparable U.S. metropolitans, is composed of several distinct business centers that make it difficult to generalize about the overall market. Separated by only a few miles, there are nonetheless very distinct markets that comprise LA, due, in no small part, to the lack of a fully integrated public transportation system and long-standing traffic that remain a barrier to full connectivity between the various areas. With that in mind, there are some very evident trends emerging out of Downtown and the Westside, which includes Century City, Westwood, Santa Monica, Playa Vista and adjacent cities. Downtown is enjoying a resurgence. It now has a real live-work vibe due, in large part, to the highly successful LA Live mixed-use hotel, retail and entertainment development adjacent to Staples Center. A variety of high-rise condominiums and apartments now make it possible to actually live Downtown. With new …

February 3, 2015

Market Reports New Jersey Northeast Northeast Market Reports Retail

“Flight To Quality” Captures Northern New Jersey Retail Market

by Jaime Lackey January 28, 2015

The central theme of the Northern New Jersey retail market heading toward 2015 can be captured in three words: flight to quality. Strong tenant demand, driven by the region’s diverse inventory of well-located existing and new high-end supply, is translating to tightening vacancies and upward pressure on rents. As more young professionals choose to live in urban centers and densely populated communities along transit lines, downtown retail, in particular, is benefiting from the momentum. Millennials are starting families and are creating the need for larger living spaces and full-service, family-focused neighborhood amenities. As such, many national and regional concepts that traditionally have targeted regional malls are now entering these markets. Daycare centers, schools, grocery stores and fitness centers also are actively targeting quality downtown locations. In response, developers and owners are adding new supply and renovating existing properties to accommodate this new generation of tenants in the space-constrained Northern New Jersey region. Mixed-use projects containing retail, residential, office and/or hospitality components in infill locations continue to gain traction. Along the Hudson Waterfront and downtown, mixed-use projects illustrating this trend include Shuster Development’s project at 360 Ninth Street in the Hamilton Park neighborhood of Jersey City, which will add approximately 29,000 …

January 28, 2015

California Market Reports Multifamily Western Market Reports

LA’S Multifamily Market Continues Upward Trend

by Nellie Day January 27, 2015

The multifamily market in Los Angeles continues to be a hot property sector as the economy improves and jobs are added throughout the region. I believe we’ll hear much of the same buzz about the market in 2015 that we’ve heard for the past few years. This includes statements like vacancy rates are very low and demand outweighs supply. This results in rising rents, strong demand for multifamily investment property, climbing prices climbing and cap rates that continue to compress. Los Angeles County ended the third quarter of 2014 with a vacancy rate of just 3.2 percent. Asking rents continued to increase, with third-quarter rents coming in at an average rate of $1,521 per month. This is up 0.9 percent from the second quarter of this year, according to Reis. On the investment side, properties are trading at sub-4 percent cap rates. There were 80 apartment sales totaling $693 million in the third quarter, with an average per-unit price of $300,000. Some of LA’s hottest multifamily submarkets include the Westside, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Echo Park, Silverlake and Downtown LA. The most in-demand and promising submarket for multifamily is likely Playa Vista, however. Google recently announced it purchased 12 …

January 27, 2015

Industrial Market Reports North Carolina Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Triangle’s Buoyant Economy Gives Confidence to Industrial Real Estate Investors, Developers

by John Nelson January 26, 2015

2014 was an exceptional year for sales and leasing activity for the Raleigh-Durham industrial market. Velocity in investment sales boomed in 2014 — the strongest year since 2006, and second strongest in history. Developers are actively seeking land to build new parks as demand for Class A industrial space outweighs supply and rental rates begin to rise. Although, the Raleigh-Durham MSA is a smaller industrial market in the region, it’s been ranked No. 1 by Forbes as the Best Place for Business and No. 2 for the Fastest Growing Large U.S. City from 2010-2030 by the United Nations Population Division. Companies continue to announce corporate relocations and expansions and unemployment is lower than the national average at 4.5 percent in October. EDM America relocated its $150 million headquarters operation to Raleigh from Pennsylvania. Argos Therapeutics announced an expansion project in Durham — a $57 million bio-manufacturing plant. The area has also seen an influx of third-party logistics companies, moving companies and suppliers for the home building industry opening new locations and consolidating to larger blocks of space. As user demand continues, there is a strong desire by investors to become a part of our market or expand their current footprint. …

January 26, 2015

Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Nebraska Office

Expanding Omaha Businesses Fuel Construction of Class A Office Space

by Danielle Everson January 21, 2015

Omaha’s office market finds itself in a favorable position at the start of 2015. Local economic indicators are solid, absorption has been positive year over year, and vacancies across the board are declining. One big reason is that Omaha businesses are growing. The low vacancy rate of Class A space is driving an appropriate amount of new construction, and Omaha’s abundant supply of quality Class B office space is expected to accommodate demand. Class A Advantage As businesses compete for the best and brightest employees, office space becomes an important hiring tool, causing businesses to look for inviting buildings and spaces in locations with enhanced amenities. This trend has increased activity in Omaha’s Class A office market, driving down the vacancy rate and spurring new construction. Omaha’s Class A vacancy rate stood at 5 percent at the end of the third quarter of 2014. The average asking rent was $24.95 per square foot on a gross basis, up 4 percent since the start of 2014. The uptick in Class A rents is likely to continue Corporate headquarters and speculative buildings are spurring the Class A construction boom. Local businesses such as Millard Refrigerated Services, Tenaska, Gavilon, TD Ameritrade, NorthStar Financial …

January 21, 2015

Connecticut Market Reports Multifamily Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Construction Activity and Rents on the Rise in Connecticut Apartment Market

by Jaime Lackey January 21, 2015

Apartment rents and multifamily asset values are rising while vacancy remains low in Connecticut’s New Haven and Fairfield counties. Young professionals and commuters are moving out of suburban areas to reside in downtown locations so they can take advantage of transit-oriented, live-work-play environments. Costly single-family housing is another factor contributing to new residents seeking rentals rather than buying homes. There is a strong demand for apartments, which keeps vacancy low and prompts new development in the region, so much so that delivery of multifamily housing units this year will more than double those built in 2013. Demand however, outweighs the new supply and the current, record-low vacancy levels will be unaffected. Average prices for apartment assets in New Haven and Fairfield counties rose 3 percent over the last year to $169,000 per unit as the overall quality of listings improved. While the region experiences strong rent growth and higher yields than the likes of New York City and Boston, more foreign investors and institutional buyers continue to emerge with sights set on multifamily assets; and in particular, top-tier assets with more than 250 units in primary markets. Properties near Metro North commuter rail stations and employment centers will generate elevated …

January 21, 2015

California Market Reports Retail Western Western Market Reports

Global Fundamentals Favor OC’s Retail Market

by Nellie Day January 21, 2015

There are many opportunities for Orange County tenants and landlords in this ever-evolving region of more than 3 million residents. The county’s unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in 2013, compared to the nationwide rate of 7.3 percent. Homeowners have also prospered over the past two years as Orange County home values rose a whopping 25.8 percent on average in 2013. The median home price is a stout $560,000 and climbing. What does this spell? Opportunity – for businesses, jobs and investors. Tenants are back full throttle with expansion plans for the Southern California basin. The big issue tenants and developers will have to face is a lack of available entitled land where they can construct and occupy a retail strip center or single-tenant restaurant. Tight governmental regulation and healthy city development fee structures can drive the costs of development too high, thereby stunting development growth. Conversely, if you currently own property, the prospects for continued yield growth are promising due to the lack of supply and a global “uber appetite” to own California commercial real estate. We will see a tremendous transition of generational wealth over the next five years, the magnitude of which we have not seen before. This …

January 21, 2015

Georgia Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

New Year Promises Expanding Retailers, Improving Fundamentals in Atlanta

by John Nelson January 19, 2015

The overall snapshot is that Atlanta’s economy is on a growth tract in terms of employment and corporate growth, and has definitely rebounded from the recession and its previous overbuilding. Economic growth and the current lack of speculative development are driving the improvement in the retail market. Rental rates, occupancy levels, absorption, leasing momentum and pricing are increasing. In addition, new retailers are entering or looking to enter the market. However, the retail market’s improvement varies across the metro region. Vacancy and Rental Rates Due to positive absorption and leasing momentum in both vacant and sublease space, the overall occupancy rate and average rental rate for Atlanta’s retail inventory have been increasing. According to CoStar’s third quarter retail market update, the overall vacancy rate is now down to 8.8 percent and the average rental rate is $12.78 per square foot. However, when you break it down by submarket and property types, rental rate and occupancy gains vary significantly. Quality shopping centers in strong submarkets and locations have experienced very strong gains, yet Class B and C centers and those located in certain submarkets are still lagging the overall market. The Buckhead, Central Atlanta, Central Perimeter and Georgia 400 submarkets are …

January 19, 2015

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