If you’ve been watching the Charlotte multifamily market for the past 24 months, you’ve probably felt a little whiplash. We delivered a historic wave of new supply, somewhere north of 32,500 units across 2024 and 2025 combined, and a lot of the headlines focused on the same thing: concessions, occupancy pressure and softening rents. Fair. That was the reality on the ground for most operators. But if you look closely at what’s happening right now, a different story is starting to take shape, and it’s one we think may not be getting enough attention. The trend our team is watching most closely heading deeper into 2026: absorption is holding up remarkably well against an elevated supply picture. In fact, we’re starting to see positive rent growth re-emerge on select deals, particularly in well-located submarkets where the construction pipeline has tapered. While this isn’t a market-wide victory lap yet, the green shoots are real, and they’re showing up exactly where you’d expect them to. The data is telling us that Charlotte multifamily rents rose modestly in the first quarter of 2026 as construction starts slowed, with completion totals in 2026 expected to trail levels recorded in 2025 by 26 percent. That’s …
— By Wes Hunnicutt of Stream Realty Partners — The Orange County industrial market is showing signs of stabilization through the first half of 2026 after experiencing more challenging conditions throughout 2025. Vacancy has increased from the historic lows seen during the pandemic-driven expansion cycle and is currently hovering around 5.5 percent, while asking lease rates have begun to stabilize following a significant correction from the record highs achieved in 2023. Since the beginning of 2025, more than 3 million square feet of new Class A industrial inventory has been delivered throughout Orange County, representing more than 20 industrial distribution development projects. While these developments have elevated overall market availability, leasing activity within the newly delivered product has been slower than anticipated. Many of these buildings have remained vacant for 10 months or more after completion, reflecting a narrower pool of tenants able to justify the occupancy costs associated with large, modern industrial facilities. Notable leasing transactions within recently delivered Class A developments include: — Anduril Industries’ 177,766-square-foot lease at 1100 Valencia Ave. in Tustin — Anduril Industries’ 162,656-square-foot lease at 3100 South Harbor Blvd. in Santa Ana — Hyper Solutions’ 100,784-square-foot lease at 2100 East Howell Ave. in Anaheim …
By John Schenk and Parker Gilmore, CBRE For two decades, Cincinnati did not see many new apartment projects built compared with its peer cities, with annual deliveries trickling along at roughly 965 units between 2000 and 2020, while merchant builders showed a preference to Columbus or Indianapolis for their predictability. But 2021 marked the beginning of a breakout period as a favorable macroeconomic backdrop, along with surging national and regional appetite, conditioned a thunderstorm of new development at the record-breaking tune of over 3,000 units per year. A combination of economic growth, demographic shifts, refreshed renter expectations and institutional capital interest has positioned Cincinnati as one of the Midwest’s most compelling multifamily investment stories as of late. The numbers tell a story of Midwestern confidence. Cincinnati recorded nearly $943 million in multifamily sales volume for 2025, representing 7,381 units traded — a dramatic increase from 2024’s $517 million and 2023’s $314 million. Blended pricing reached approximately $122,834 per unit with transaction counts on the rise as investors sought exposure to the fundamentals Cincinnati offered so well. Behind the surge in transaction activity is a fundamental shift in how developers, investors and residents are viewing the Queen City’s investment potential. A …
By Jonathan Aldaco, partner at Bell Nunnally LLP For decades, multifamily developers across Texas have faced a frustrating reality: after investing significant time and capital in projects, multifamily developments can spend months — or even years — sidelined in layers of procedural red tape before construction even begins. And while some projects eventually move forward, some never do. Senate Bill 840 (now codified as Chapter 218 of the Local Government Code) rewrites the playbook on this trend. Designed to address the shortage of housing in metropolitan areas across Texas, this new law streamlines approvals and lowers regulatory hurdles by allowing mixed-use and multifamily housing by right on commercial property. Only nine months into its implementation, Chapter 218 has made one point clear: The rules governing multifamily development in Texas have changed. Off the Sidelines, Into the Game As a threshold matter, Chapter 218 only applies to municipalities with a population of more than 150,000 that are wholly or partly located in a county with a population of more than 300,000. This means that cities like Dallas and Fort Worth and other municipalities in the metroplex like McKinney, Irving, Arlington, Frisco and Plano are impacted by Chapter 218. In total, this …
After several years of unprecedented industrial expansion, the Charlotte market is entering a more disciplined phase of growth, and that may ultimately prove healthier for the region long term. While headlines continue to focus on elevated vacancy rates, the underlying fundamentals of the market remain sound, particularly for modern, Class A product and strategically located logistics corridors. Charlotte absorbed nearly 60 million square feet of industrial deliveries since 2020, fundamentally reshaping the region’s supply chain infrastructure and elevating the market into one of the Southeast’s premier logistics hubs. Today, the conversation is no longer centered around whether Charlotte can attract industrial users, it is about how the market recalibrates after an aggressive development cycle. That recalibration is already underway. Construction starts have slowed considerably, with the development pipeline contracting to approximately 4.8 million square feet in first-quarter 2026, down significantly from the previous 10-quarter average of 8.7 million square feet. At the same time, leasing activity has remained healthy, totaling approximately 2.2 million square feet during the first quarter. Vacancy appears to be flattening as leasing volume continues to outpace new deliveries. One of the clearest trends shaping the market is the continued “flight to quality” among occupiers. Large users …
— By Shane Halpern of Avison Young — The Orange County office market comprises about 1,800 buildings totaling more than 126 million square feet of inventory. After navigating a period of elevated vacancy and negative absorption between 2020 and 2023, the market has entered a measured recovery phase characterized by three consecutive quarters of positive net absorption, declining vacancy and stabilizing rental rates. Over the past decade, the Orange County office market has delivered 78 properties and 8.1 million square feet of new supply, supported by a regulatory environment that’s comparatively more business-permissive than neighboring Los Angeles County. Orange County employment grew from 1.7 million jobs in 2020 to more than 1.8 million in 2025, an 8.6 percent increase over five years. It did this despite a 1.1 percent regional population decline over the same period. Demand for office space is anchored by three industries: healthcare, government and professional services. All of these sectors have demonstrated consistent space requirements through varying market cycles. After peaking at 14.8 percent in 2023, total vacancy has compressed to 12.6 percent in the first quarter of 2026, the lowest level recorded since first-quarter 2022. The market has posted three consecutive quarters of positive net …
By Kimm Lauterbach, REDI Cincinnati Shaped by its strong German heritage, brewing tradition and historic role as the nation’s pork-processing capital, earning the nickname “Porkopolis,” the Cincinnati region has long been defined by industry, entrepreneurship and innovation. That legacy of reinvention has transformed Cincinnati into one of the Midwest’s most resilient and strategically positioned economic development markets. Anchored by a diverse economy, a central location within a one-day drive of nearly 60 percent of the U.S. population and a growing concentration of advanced industries, the region is experiencing sustained investment across industrial and life sciences. Unlike many peer markets that are dependent on a single industry, Cincinnati benefits from a balanced economic base led by advanced manufacturing, life sciences, aerospace and aviation, food and beverage and logistics. For the first quarter of 2026, REDI Cincinnati has welcomed the highest number of site visits since our inception. Industrial powerhouse Industrial real estate remains the strongest-performing commercial sector in the Cincinnati market. Cincinnati’s industrial vacancy rate stood at approximately 5.4 percent during the first quarter of 2026, according to Cushman & Wakefield, reflecting a healthy and balanced market despite significant inventory growth over the last several years. Positive absorption has continued, …
Years of nation-leading population growth, a robust job market and rising household incomes have propelled Charlotte retail onto the national stage as a major target for institutional and private investors alike. The market is now operating at a premium, with average asking rents surpassing the national average for the first time on record in late 2025 after rising more than 30 percent over the past five years, according to data from CoStar Group Inc. That milestone says a lot about how far the market has come, but it also points to where it is headed.The next phase of Charlotte retail will not be defined by growth alone. It will be defined by having the right tenant in the right format serving the right trade area. The strongest corridors continue to command attention from retailers and investors alike, while rising occupancy costs are forcing every deal to stand on stronger fundamentals. For owners, tenants and capital sources, that dynamic makes Charlotte one of the Southeast’s most compelling retail markets, but also one of its most nuanced. The new retail map Charlotte gained 20,731 residents between 2024 and 2025, ranking among the fastest-growing major cities in the country, according to the U.S. …
— By Shane Shafer of Colliers — The Orange County multifamily market continues to attract significant investor attention as buyers increasingly view the broader Southern California environment as an opportunity to acquire assets at more attractive prices following the market’s recent adjustment. Orange County has emerged as one of the most sought-after investment destinations due to its strong economic fundamentals, population growth and operational stability. This renewed confidence has led to increased transaction activity and greater competition for well-located assets throughout SoCal’s best multifamily submarkets. Looking ahead, market fundamentals are expected to continue improving. Employment growth, housing affordability challenges and limited new supply continue to support long-term apartment demand. Markets like Orange County are particularly well-positioned due to its diversified economies, high barriers to entry and strong demographic trends. These factors have contributed to stable occupancy levels and continued rent growth across much of the region, especially in urban infill submarkets. A notable trend in today’s market is the increasing number of Los Angeles-based owners seeking acquisitions in Orange County. This market allows investors to diversify geographically while remaining close to existing portfolios. Many owners view this strategy as an effective way to balance exposure across multiple Southern California markets …
The story in Charlotte’s office market today is a continuation of what began to take shape last year — only now, the activity behind it is real and measurable. The tenants that were cautiously exploring the market in 2024 have re-engaged, and many are now making decisions with greater clarity around their long-term space needs. Leasing volume reflects that shift. Activity reached roughly 1.4 million square feet in the first quarter of 2026, a significant increase year-over-year, with the majority of deals driven by new leases and expansions. That’s been the biggest change over the past 12 months: groups that were once on the sidelines are now moving forward, and deal velocity is picking up across multiple industries. At the same time, demand remains highly focused on quality. Class A buildings continue to capture most of the leasing activity, accounting for nearly 70 percent of total volume and leading overall absorption, which approached 400,000 square feet in first-quarter 2026. The best-performing assets in Uptown, Midtown and South Park are seeing steady occupancy gains, with rents at the top of the market pushing into the high-$50s per square foot. That said, the conversation around quality is becoming more nuanced. While top-tier …