Market Reports

Suburbs Serve as Main Retail Growth Driver in Seattle

by Jeff Shaw October 6, 2023

— Jennifer Seversen, Vice President, CBRE — Suburban retail is emerging as the main driver of retail growth in Seattle. In the height of the pandemic, many consumers stayed close to home, rediscovered their neighborhoods and began shopping primarily in their communities. These habits have continued and, as a result, retailers on once-heavily trafficked commute paths have experienced declining sales revenue. Retailers are taking notes, particularly those in city office districts that rely heavily on daytime foot traffic. The white-hot activity in suburban retail has led to vacancy rates under 2 percent, healthy rent growth and record-breaking absorption within new developments. Rents in suburban markets like Totem Lake, Bothell and Woodinville are outpacing downtown Seattle by 50 percent, something that would not have been conceivable three years ago. Well-located mixed-use retail projects and neighborhood centers have led the way in pushing rent growth, while grocery-anchored developments have been attractive assets to investors. Restaurants have proven to be a major driver of retail activity, with Seattle having a 7 percent increase in diners year over year through the second quarter, the fifth highest increase in the U.S., according to OpenTable. An example of the rise in suburban retail demand is Harvest, …

October 6, 2023

Illinois Industrial Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports

Industrial Cooldown Hits Metro Chicago Market

by Kristin Harlow October 5, 2023

By Mike Mangan, Cresa We knew it would happen, it was just a matter of time: The industrial real estate market is currently experiencing a cooling trend in Chicago and across the country. The best-performing asset across all commercial asset classes for the past several years is finally coming back to earth due to higher borrowing costs and a slowdown in demand. Rental rates are beginning to level off and many economists are predicting a reduction in consumer spending. The industrial sector had been able to flourish despite economic headwinds, with demand during the pandemic heavily focused on e-commerce activity. The supply versus demand is shifting, and this should be welcome news to tenants in the market or who will be in the market in the next 12 to 24 months. Indicators are not pointing toward a crash landing, but a return to earth for the golden child of the commercial real estate asset classes. Tenants and occupiers will be able to utilize the additional supply coming to market to secure better economics and concessions. The facts Let’s first take a look at the national landscape. The U.S. unemployment rate in August was 3.8 percent — higher than predicted by …

October 5, 2023

California Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

San Francisco Rolls with the Punches as the Market Demonstrates Signs of Recovery

by Jeff Shaw October 3, 2023

— By Dina Gouveia and Louis Thibault — The San Francisco market ended the second quarter of 2023 with a 27.2 percent vacancy rate for the office sector, according to Avison Young’s market report. As companies scaled back operations and experienced slower growth, vacancy rates continued to increase. As of late, we are seeing many tenants in a wait-and-see mode when it comes to leasing decisions. This is despite a majority of companies desiring to have employees back in the office. Below are a few key trends and observations when it comes to the office market, as well as some green shoots where we see opportunities for an accelerated recovery. Return to the Office The slow return to office (RTO) largely comes down to overall economic conditions and who has the upper hand in the job market. The trend that we’ve seen in the San Francisco region is that larger tech companies like Apple and Google have led the RTO efforts with CEOs like OpenAI’s Sam Altman opining that remote work is essentially detrimental to collaboration and creativity. It appears there is a widespread appetite to bring employees back into the office full-time. As the job market continues to soften, …

October 3, 2023

Florida Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Increasing Rental Rates, Record Construction Define Orlando’s Industrial Market

by John Nelson October 2, 2023

Orlando’s industrial market continues to maintain strong market fundamentals. Despite leasing activity temporarily softening at the midway point of 2023 compared to the end of second-quarter 2022, exceptionally low vacancy rates persist, putting upward pressure on asking rental rates and further strengthening developer confidence in the market. With its strategic locational advantages and diverse tenant mix, the sector is well-positioned for future growth. According to Florida Commerce, Orlando’s unemployment rate is 2.6 percent, well below the national rate of 3.6 percent. Labor shortages remain, as jobs increased by 5,300 in the industrial-using sector and 6,200 in trade, transportation, and utilities. At the same time, Central Florida’s population growth — along with the state’s business-friendly conditions, from no state income tax to relative affordability — consistently spurs demand for e-commerce logistics and warehousing throughout the region. Asking rates surge Year-to-date industrial leasing volume in Orlando has been 4.4 million square feet, 2.4 million square feet of which was in the second quarter. Total vacancy stood at 3.5 percent in the second quarter, significantly lower than the national vacancy rate of 5.4 percent. The average asking rate for industrial properties in Orlando was $10.77 triple-net per square foot, reflecting a 5.4 percent …

October 2, 2023

Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports Pennsylvania Retail

Philadelphia Retail Market Establishes Its Resilience

by Taylor Williams September 28, 2023

By Taylor Williams No matter your size, market and scope of operation, for retail owners and operators, there is no such thing as total immunity from the likes of e-commerce, COVID-19, inflation and interest rate hikes. But there is such a thing as absorbing those socioeconomic hits in stride, learning and evolving from them and re-emerging on significantly more solid ground. And that is largely the path that the Philadelphia retail market has traversed over the past few years. The timing of the pandemic dismantled the launch of Fashion District, the redevelopment of the former Gallery at Market East Mall that should have ushered in a new scene of experience-based, locally merchandised retail in Philadelphia. Retailers and restaurants along Center City District’s main shopping corridors quickly devised solutions to the global healthcare crisis and were returning to normalcy when bad timing once again intervened. This time, it took the form of the Delta variant, which delayed plans to reopen existing stores or launch new ones and erased some of the positive momentum that landlords and tenants had recouped. For their part, suburban retail properties, many of whose performances were bolstered in the short run by pandemic- driven population influxes, are …

September 28, 2023

Conference Coverage Market Reports Retail Texas Texas Market Reports

InterFace Panel: With Limited Availability in Texas, Retail Concepts That Exude Authenticity, Local Flavor Have Advantages

by Taylor Williams September 26, 2023

By Taylor Williams Brick-and-mortar retail has quietly, yet emphatically resurrected itself from the e-commerce- and COVID-induced death knell, bolstered by multiple years of low supply growth that have put a premium on quality space and allowed landlords to zero in on what truly constitutes a winning concept. This notion is inherently subjective and difficult to quantify. But in Dallas-Fort Worth, retail owners and operators say that authenticity — as defined by uniqueness of the offerings and adherence to and reflection of local culture — is paramount to success. From the presentation and packaging of products and services to utilization of local architectural styles to creating a certain shopping or dining ambiance, the ability to capture the authenticity of the market is crucial. Consumers and landlords can afford to be choosy, and they won’t waste time at stores, restaurants or entertainment venues that feel cookie-cutter, phony or out-of-place. But retail landlords can ill-afford to do deals with tenants that simply look the part but lack the financial ability to pay rents, which are growing in urban locations where availability of space remains tight. Monetary due diligence remains critical, but as often as not, there is considerable overlap between the financial solvency …

September 26, 2023

Florida Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Supply-Demand for Central Florida’s Retail Market Is Well-Balanced

by John Nelson September 25, 2023

The demand for retail space throughout Central Florida has been extremely high as new concepts are moving into the marketplace due to the mass exoduses from New York City and California. With the major population shift, we are running into the issue of limited supply to lease. Vacancy rates are currently projected at 3.8 percent, which is approximately 100 basis points below the 10-year historical average. Vacancy rates are projected to meet the mid-4 percent range by the end of 2023 due to the expected completion of more than 700,000 square feet of retail space during the fourth quarter, according to research from CoStar Group. Some developers are backing out of ground-up development deals due to the heightened labor and construction costs that every firm is experiencing. However, there are still some notable developments occurring in certain trade areas such as Minneola, Lake Nona, Apopka (Kelly Park) and Davenport, which are just some of the areas with projects expected to deliver in the fourth quarter of this year. These new ground-up projects require lessees to pay a higher rent to make these deals pencil out. The current average asking rate in Orlando is $27.77 per square foot, well ahead of …

September 25, 2023

Idaho Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

Post-Pandemic Boise Tries to Keep Up with Explosive Population Growth

by Jeff Shaw September 22, 2023

— By Nellie Day — Boise was a hotspot of activity as the pandemic hit in 2020, with many people desiring more space, more access to the outdoors and, in some cases, a cheaper cost of living. Mike Erkmann, principal at NAI Select, fills WREB in on what the city and its commercial real estate landscape has been like since 2020. What are the notable trends occurring in Boise? The most notable trend occurring in Boise continues to be the expansive population growth. Boise was the fifth fastest-growing city in the U.S. in 2022 and 2023. We are expected to see 37 percent population growth between 2022 and 2050, with a predicted total MSA population of 1.1 million people. On average, we are adding about 15,000 people annually, which will continue to rank Boise at the top for fastest-growing cities in the U.S. What challenges is this market facing? Aside from the obvious challenges we are facing in the market, including higher interest rates and tougher lending requirements, we here in Idaho are facing a shortage of labor with the dramatic increases in the cost of living. Median sales prices in Boise have increased 78 percent over the past five years …

September 22, 2023

Industrial Kansas Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Missouri

Kansas City Industrial Market: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

by Kristin Harlow September 21, 2023

By Scott Bluhm, Newmark Zimmer Since 2016, the Kansas City industrial market has been on a hot streak. We observed more opportunities and increased user activity. There have been consistent years of record positive space absorption and the delivery of Class A buildings, whether speculative or build-to-suit. The peak of that hot streak was in 2022. The year concluded with records in positive absorption, vacancy and rental growth. By the end of 2022, Kansas City became the 15th-largest industrial market in terms of square footage, surpassing Seattle. Significant statistics for 2022: •Over 16 million square feet of positive absorption •A vacancy low of 3.6 percent •A 10.6 percent increase in rental rates The year 2023 has been unique due to economic conditions and uncertainty. New speculative construction starts are down approximately 70 percent, with around 2.5 million square feet breaking ground in 2023. Most of the speculative buildings delivering in 2023 were projects that began construction in 2022. Annual net absorption has decreased to 2.5 million square feet in the first and second quarters. For reference, the fourth quarter of 2022 saw a record-setting net absorption of approximately 7.3 million square feet, and the third quarter of 2022 had 3.2 …

September 21, 2023

California Industrial Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

Commercial Real Estate Goes Hollywood as Investors Buy Studios, Soundstages

by Jeff Shaw September 19, 2023

— By Nellie Day — Santa Monica, Calif.-based BLT Enterprises has been an owner, investor, developer and manager of commercial properties since 1984. The firm has seen a lot of changes over that time, which means adaptability remains key to its strategy — and long-term survival. One of the ways the firm is adapting to current market conditions is through the acquisition and operation of production studios and soundstages. The most recent data on usage and demand for these product types is from the year 2020. At this time, CBRE noted there was 11 million square feet of soundstage space in North America, with half of it being in Los Angeles. Speaking of 2020, the pandemic was also responsible for a 74 percent year-over-year increase in streaming video demand. FilmLA’s 2020 Sound Stage Production Report also noted the industry maintained an average occupancy of 94 percent that year, with the report further showing television production increased 10 percent in 2020. For comparison, studio occupancy averaged 70 percent in 2017. Though the world isn’t locked down the way it was in 2020, digital content demand shows no signs of slowing down. Consumers will spend an estimated $151 billion on technology services, …

September 19, 2023

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