Market Reports

What Atlanta Office Workers Need Is Energy at Their Doorstep

by John Nelson June 12, 2023

Five blocks doesn’t seem that far. It’s about a quarter of a mile, or 560 steps. But, it’s just a hair past convenient for today’s office workers. Now more than ever, tenants are seeking an office experience that is dynamic and energized with amenities. They want great options for coffee, lunch or happy hour that are steps away, not blocks. If it’s not right outside the office, it’s not close enough. In Atlanta, the Midtown submarket is still where the action is. In 2022, Midtown had 775,652 square feet of positive absorption, which was the highest in the metro according to Cushman & Wakefield. In keeping with the flight-to-quality trend, Atlanta leasing activity last quarter was dominated by Class A product, which accounted for 75.6 percent of all transactions. Most of this activity occurred in Midtown. With a Walk Score of 87, Midtown is Atlanta’s most walkable submarket. But even there, it’s the vertically integrated office developments that bring a new layer of urban density that are rising above the rest. Not only are they seeing more leasing demand, but they are also experiencing a constant hum of activity and energy due to immediate access to great retail and restaurants. …

June 12, 2023

California Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Opportunities Abound for Investors in Westside Los Angeles Apartment Market

by Jeff Shaw June 9, 2023

— By Kimberly Stepp, Principal, Stepp Commercial Group — Los Angeles’ Westside apartment market is poised to see a robust pipeline of transactions in 2023. Long-time owners have been increasingly seeking to trade into out-of-state assets, while 1031 investors or those looking to pay all cash seek to take advantage of opportunities in a high interest rate environment. Last year, Stepp Commercial Group saw a significant number of transactions with LA-area sellers who were frustrated with rent control and other problematic apartment legislation. They were looking to trade into states like Arizona, Florida and Texas because they provide a stronger ROI over the long-term and offer fewer landlord restrictions. We see that trend continuing into 2023 as owners want to enjoy a passive income as they achieve their individual investment goals and objectives. Additionally, while Measure ULA (“the mansion tax”) went into effect on April 1 — and impacts only homes and apartment complexes sold within the City of Los Angeles at $5 million or more — the overall sentiment has been sour from owners throughout the Greater LA area. They are justifiably concerned that similar legislation will soon be coming to their city, on top of other landlord-unfriendly restrictions …

June 9, 2023

Illinois Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Multifamily

Chicago’s Multifamily Sector Boasts Healthy Occupancy Rates, Strong Rent Growth

by Kristin Harlow June 8, 2023

By Mark Stern, JLL Chicago’s multifamily sector currently enjoys strong market fundamentals highlighted by healthy occupancy rates and continued rental rate growth. The current core apartment rents average over $4 per square foot, which is higher than previous peak pricing. After the pandemic, rental rates between late 2021 to 2022 recorded 10 to 15 percent growth, which is substantially ahead of the historical norms. Currently, the Chicago rental market is experiencing more stable rent growth in the 3 to 4 percent range. Chicago remains one of the most affordable major markets to rent an apartment when looking at the current average effective rents as a percentage of median household income. This affordability will allow owners to continue to push rental rates in the future. One of the major factors leading to strong operating fundamentals in the Chicago market is the lack of new supply. The supply in Chicago is currently 1 percent of the inventory, which is quite low in comparison to other markets where there could be as much as 10 to 12 percent of the inventory under construction. In the city, there are just over 7,000 units under construction slated for delivery between 2023 and 2024. The majority …

June 8, 2023

California Market Reports Mixed-Use Office Western Western Market Reports

Office Leasing Remains Robust in California’s Mixed-Use Projects

by Jeff Shaw June 6, 2023

The pandemic has done a lot to the office sector, not the least of which is convince employees they don’t need to sit in a cubicle eight hours a day, five days a week. Turns out, unsurprisingly, many people appreciate the freedom and flexibility that comes with working from home. The average U.S. office vacancy rate was 18.6 percent in the first quarter of 2023, according to Cushman & Wakefield. This was 5.9 percentage points higher than fourth-quarter 2019. Three California regions are also listed on the “Bottom 10 Performers of 2022” list (according to vacancy rate) put out by the National Association of Realtors. These include San Rafael (19.3 percent vacancy), San Francisco (16.4 percent) and Los Angeles (14.4 percent). Yet, leases are still getting signed, particularly at urban mixed-use projects throughout the state. Sean Slater, senior principal in RDC’s San Diego office, thinks this type of environment is a no-brainer for companies looking to bring employees back to the office. “Office workers want choice, especially with the current work-from-anywhere trend,” he says. “For a long time, suburban office parks have lacked choice of food and beverage, a diverse population of tenants, and a meaningful connection to their community. …

June 6, 2023

Georgia Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Atlanta’s Retail Market Remains Robust for Investors, Tenants and Landlords

by John Nelson June 5, 2023

Atlanta has historically been a favorite metro for real estate investors to consider when it comes to a market that checks all the boxes. The Peach State Capital and its surrounding suburbs always have been a beneficial and desirable region for residents to live and work. Topping the list as the most popular city for apartment renters in 2022, Atlanta offers more benefits to its residents than just an affordable city to live. Other benefits of living in and around the city include professional sports teams, a rich arts and entertainment scene and renowned restaurant and retail lineups, among others. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport also offers domestic and international flights to practically anywhere in the world, and it’s situated minutes from downtown. Home to 17 Fortune 500 company headquarters, including prominent names such as The Home Depot, United Parcel Service (UPS), Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines, Atlanta’s job growth is outpacing the rest of the country. Coming out of the pandemic, Atlanta recorded a job growth rate of nearly 23 percent since April 2020, which outperforms the comparative U.S. metric of 11.7 percent in the same time period. Atlanta has also historically held an unemployment rate below the national average. With …

June 5, 2023

California Industrial Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

Supply Constraints Continue to Drive Value for LA’s Industrial Market

by Jeff Shaw June 2, 2023

— By Tony Solomon, Senior Vice President, District Manager, Marcus & Millichap — Industrial continues to be one of the most sought-after asset classes across the Los Angeles County commercial real estate market. This year, the metro will maintain its position as one of the tightest industrial markets in the nation. It also ranks fifth in rent growth among major markets west of the Mississippi. For the 17th time in the past 18 years, the Los Angeles metro’s industrial stock will increase by less than 1 percent, as 4.3 million square feet is slated for delivery. Supply additions will be concentrated in the South Bay and San Gabriel Valley, leaving less than 1 million square feet to come online in the rest of the county. While vacancy was below 2 percent in four of the metro’s biggest submarkets to start 2023, speculative completions and industrial users re-evaluating their space requirements will push vacancy to 3 percent by year end. This is a rate 80 basis points under the long-term mean. Rents are projected to grow by 7.6 percent as a result, bringing the average asking rate to $21 per square foot. Part of this rise in vacancy can also be …

June 2, 2023

Georgia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Industrial Users are Pondering Where in Atlanta They’ll Set Up Shop

by John Nelson May 30, 2023

The Atlanta industrial market needs very little validation when it comes to answering the question “Why Atlanta?” More than a dozen companies started or based in Atlanta have grown over the past decade to valuations above $1 billion. Metro Atlanta had the second highest rate of job growth in the nation among large metro areas (6.7 percent), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. So rather than ask “Why Atlanta,” the better question is “Where in Atlanta?” As the Southeast’s population continues to grow, the metro Atlanta area continues in equal parts to add density to its thriving urban core as well as expand its suburban reach. With limited geographic barriers to development, outlying towns are quickly becoming absorbed into the definition of the Atlanta area. This persistent growth is placing demand on industrial space at an all-time high, requiring a nuanced view of site selection within the Atlanta MSA. The four corners of the Atlanta market reach nearly 60 miles from the urban center in each direction along highways I-75 and I-85, with new speculative projects under construction as far out as Adairsville, Commerce, Locust Grove and La Grange. Its breadth now includes Bremen and Rutledge in either …

May 30, 2023

California Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Apartment Market Fundamentals Remain Strong in Los Angeles Despite a Shifting Market

by Jeff Shaw May 26, 2023

— By Priscilla Nee, Executive Vice President, CBRE — The Los Angeles apartment market started showing signs of cooling as supply has risen to meet demand. Rents decreased marginally year over year as last year’s apartment demand decreased following pent-up pandemic demand. In response to decreased prices, renter demand for space has seen an increase in the first few months of 2023. Across the market, vacancy is sitting just below 4.5 percent as of first-quarter 2023, which is up from all-time lows of around 3.7 percent one year prior. Concessions for new renters are present. They have been steady and increasing since the third quarter of 2022 as landlords work to attract great renters to new and existing projects. Additional new supply is outpacing present demand, despite early upticks in demand for the year. That, paired with a strong development pipeline and an additional 27,000 units under construction, may continue to drive vacancy rates up should demand not increase in kind. This could lead to potential reductions in lease rates if a property sits vacant on the market long enough. Most current development and construction is centered in Downtown LA, Koreatown and South LA. Markets like Inglewood are setting themselves …

May 26, 2023

Market Reports Retail Texas Texas Market Reports

North Texas Emerges as Entertainment Magnet

by Taylor Williams May 24, 2023

By Taylor Williams North Texas is attracting new and existing entertainment concepts at a frenetic pace as operators of these facilities seek to position themselves squarely in pathways of major growth and capitalize on any remaining pent-up demand from the pandemic. According to a 2022 report from the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the region’s population surpassed 8 million last year. In addition, more than 20 cities in North Texas — the area that includes and surrounds the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex — saw their populations swell by 10 percent or more on a year-over-year basis between mid-2021 and mid-2022. This growth inevitably encompasses key demographics that entertainment operators covet, including families with children and young working professionals. High-paying jobs continue to flow into DFW in the form of corporate relocations and consolidations. Developer KDC recently began construction on Wells Fargo’s 850,000-square-foot regional campus in Irving. New pieces of the PGA of America’s headquarters campus in Frisco are coming on line every quarter and sparking feverish development in surrounding neighborhoods. Global engineering consultant AECOM and construction machinery manufacturer Caterpillar are also in the process of relocating their headquarters from Los Angeles to Dallas, among others. Checking the two boxes …

May 24, 2023

Affordable Housing Build-to-Rent Georgia Market Reports Multifamily Single-Family Rental Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Why Investors Should Love Atlanta’s Multifamily Market

by John Nelson May 22, 2023

Like most of the country, the metro Atlanta multifamily market has experienced a dramatic storyline over the past three years. While the continuing plot twists are difficult to predict, important cues suggest Atlanta’s multifamily market will reestablish a solid upward path quicker than many other cities in the country. Economic strength Atlanta’s economic fundamentals make it a favored market for investors, lenders, new residents, and business relocations. Today, metro Atlanta’s population stands at approximately 6 million, growing by 64,940 in 2022. Atlanta also added 126,400 new jobs in 2022. Georgia’s unemployment rate of 3.1 percent is below the national average of 3.6 percent. These figures are a key part of Atlanta’s desirability as an investment market and an indicator of the region’s ability to rebound quickly from cyclical economic disruptions. Record volume Atlanta is a top 10 U.S. market for multifamily inventory and investment. As the nation experienced an 11-year economic expansion after the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), Atlanta’s multifamily sales volume averaged between $7 billion and $9 billion annually. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, most industry participants expected a major transaction pullback. The reality proved different. Sales volume dropped initially but rebounded sharply for a full-year 2020 …

May 22, 2023

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