Market Reports

Dallas Office Market: Do We Need, Want or Have to Return?

by Taylor Williams September 7, 2021

By Cynthia Cowen, managing director, Cushman & Wakefield Throughout the past 18 months, there has been an ongoing discussion about returning to the office. Culturally, financially, production-wise — does it make sense to return? There is so much that goes into making these decisions, and there isn’t a simple yes or no answer. It might depend on the industry, the generational differences among employees, the job functions being performed and more. Baby boomers tend to be critical of millennials’ desire to have greater balance and their preference for working at home, but what about recent college grads? They need to absorb as much as information as they can, but how do they achieve that at home? What about those in child-bearing years? They may want to stay home to juggle it all under one roof. In 25-plus years in the commercial real estate industry, our team has never witnessed employees possess so much control. In speaking with tenant representation brokers and their clients, the message remains that employers are struggling to figure out how to get their employees to come back to the office. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s “Workplace Ecosystems of the Future” report, there is a strong consensus …

September 7, 2021

Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports Tennessee

From Urban Core to the Suburbs, the Memphis Retail Market is Poised for Growth

by John Nelson September 6, 2021

Memphis is a city with a soul and is internationally famous for music, food and entertainment. The city draws over 12 million tourists annually, but less publicized is that Memphis is home to six Fortune 1,000 companies (FedEx, International Paper, AutoZone, Terminix, First Horizon and Sylvamo). Additionally, the city’s employment base includes a robust healthcare community with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the University of Tennessee Medical School and Regional One Health. Plus, Memphis is known as “America’s Aerotropolis” with the second busiest cargo airport in the world, Memphis International Airport. The Memphis metro statistical area (MSA) has jobs, low cost of living and a relatively young population with an average age of 34. There is a perception that the population is flocking to Nashville, but the latest Census Bureau statics show that between 2013 and 2017, slightly more Nashvillians moved to Memphis than the reverse. Memphis’ unique trade area encompasses parts of Arkansas and Mississippi, leveraging Interstates 40, 55 and 22 with the new Interstate 269 Corridor, a 60-mile half loop around southern Memphis and north Mississippi. The I-269 Corridor links to a web of seven converging highways, serving 152 metro areas and two-thirds of the nation’s population that …

September 6, 2021

Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Ohio Retail

Demand Rises for Convenient, Quality and Affordable Retail in Cleveland

by Kristin Harlow September 2, 2021

By Catherine Lueckel and Allison Giomuso, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services In nearly every major metro in the Midwest, the most active retailers expanding, leasing or developing involve grocers, discounters and drive-thru tenants. Most of the activity in the Midwest is reflective of the broader trend in shifting consumer demands, away from wants and more toward needs and services. Discount retailers It’s no surprise that discount retailers rose in popularity among shoppers during economic uncertainty, as they offer products for a fraction of the price. This trend is very apparent in the Midwest, with consumers focusing on value through the wake of the economic recovery. While discount retailers offer the best value in their products, they equally search for the best value in their real estate. Their expansion goals align closely with their financial goals; therefore, they target the Midwest, where deals are not overvalued and produce a higher rate of return. The Midwest boasts cheaper real estate compared with other regions, and more robust growth due to the affordable cost of living and lower costs of doing business. Discount-oriented retailers dominated Ohio’s leasing activity, specifically in Cleveland, where they accounted for the most move-ins and top leases in 2020. …

September 2, 2021

Market Reports Retail Washington Western Western Market Reports

Outlying Seattle Submarkets Positioned for Retail Expansion

by Jeff Shaw August 31, 2021

By Hank Wolfer, First Vice President of Investments, and Derek Peterson, Associate, Marcus & Millichap National retail chains favor Seattle’s surrounding neighborhoods. Prior to the pandemic, retailers were taking notice of strong demographic trends in the submarkets surrounding Seattle. Between 2009 and 2019, the number of households across the metropolitan area grew by 13 percent, nearly double the national rate. High homeownership costs directed many of those new households to the suburbs where living expenses are lower. Following rooftops, multiple developers have pursued expansion opportunities in these areas, with recently opened projects in locations like Renton, Frederickson and Shelton. These new floor plans are drawing prominent retailers, including 7-Eleven and medical provider DaVita Dialysis, as well as fast food operators like Popeyes. Although initially challenged by lockdowns, these facilities are poised to benefit from the ongoing economic recovery. Suburban properties are outperforming urban counterparts. While no tenant was free of pandemic-induced challenges, operations outside the urban core proved more resistant on average. Vacancy in downtown Seattle rose 80 basis points over the 12-month period that ended in March. This is compared with a 60 basis point climb in Tacoma and a 20 basis point increase in the Southend. Moving through the rest of 2021, metro-wide vacancy is …

August 31, 2021

Industrial Market Reports North Carolina Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Charlotte’s Industrial Market Expected to Close Another Robust Year of Leasing

by John Nelson August 30, 2021

The Charlotte industrial market is seeing significant tenant demand and investment activity at mid-year 2021 as the market begins to return to normalcy after the disruption during the early days of the pandemic. Like many other Southeastern industrial markets, Charlotte saw a lag in activity through the second and third quarters of 2020. One year later, the impacts of the pandemic continue to burn off, creating an almost insatiable appetite for modern warehouse and distribution space. Since the start of the year, the market has seen a strong increase in overall activity as local economies continue to open up, employment levels rebound and businesses move forward with decisions about space utilization. Tenants in the e-commerce, consumer goods, retail and light manufacturing sectors are particularly active. While the market finished 2020 with nearly 5.3 million square feet of net absorption, a figure that outpaced 2019’s total of 2.7 million square feet and was on par with the nearly 5.4 million square feet absorbed in 2018, 2021 is expected to reach a net absorption for the calendar year that is equal or greater than 2020. Many tenants expanding in or entering the market are taking mid- to large blocks of space, a …

August 30, 2021

California Market Reports Retail Western Western Market Reports

Outlook is Bright as Orange County Retail Continues to Heal

by Jeff Shaw August 27, 2021

By Terrison Quinn, Managing Principal, SRS Real Estate Partners Despite a recent uptick in vacancy from 4.07 percent to 4.5 percent and a softening of rents from $32.99 to $32.55 per square foot, Orange County remains Southern California’s tightest retail market. And retail investors remain bullish for good reasons. Theaters, gyms and other uses shuttered by the pandemic have reopened to greater-than-expected customer demand. In fact, several health club chains have reported they are back to pre-COVID membership numbers. A multitude of entertainment groups and theaters are also communicating positive messages about demand and expressing an interest in expanding. Theater operators have generally said their limitation is more related to content than demand. The reopening success is even more obvious in categories like grocery stores and drive-thru restaurants. This is apparent in nearly every Orange County city as parking lots are visibly impacted and cars continue to spill out of fast food drive-thru lanes. Most notably, Amazon Fresh is aggressively opening new stores, while fast feeders like Raising Cane’s, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks can’t seem to open new stores fast enough. Sit-down restaurants have also experienced a resurgence in demand with many national and regional groups setting record same-store sales. Clearly, …

August 27, 2021

Industrial Market Reports Michigan Midwest Midwest Market Reports

Auto Innovation Continues to Drive Detroit Industrial Market

by Kristin Harlow August 26, 2021

By Anthony Pellegrino III, P.A. Commercial Detroit is the industrial, transnational logistics and auto powerhouse of the Midwest. Detroit has continued year after year to grow and transform its industrial sector in three prominent geographical locations. Each of these locations is anchored by auto innovation, creating a stable market for suppliers and transport: 1. The Mount Elliot Employment District: This is the home of General Motors’ $2.2 billion investment into its existing Hamtramck Assembly. GM is renaming it “GM Factory Zero” to represent its full dedication to electric vehicle production. 2. Southeast Detroit: Fiat Chrysler’s $2.5 billion expansion to Jefferson North includes a new 1.4 million-square-foot Mack Avenue Engine Complex. This is part of a total $4.5 billion earmarked for Michigan plants. 3. Southwest Corktown: Ford is conducting an ongoing investment of $1.45 billion into its autonomous vehicle campus in an area called Corktown. The multi-building transformation is near Detroit’s international bridge and tunnel. Each area contains various tax incentivized Opportunity Zones, New Market Tax Credits and qualified HUB Zones. According to Costar Group MLS, Greater Detroit has a healthy 4.6 percent vacancy rate while Detroit proper has a 9.45 percent vacancy rate for industrial buildings. Much of the 9.45 …

August 26, 2021

Market Reports Northeast Northeast Market Reports

How New York City Construction Firms Can Position Themselves for Leadership Transitions

by Taylor Williams August 25, 2021

By Phil Ross, CPA, accounting & audit partner, Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP After nearly 15 months of shutdowns and restrictions, New York City has taken a major step forward. Seventy percent of the city’s residents are now vaccinated, and restrictions significantly reduced across the area’s commercial spaces, from offices and retail to dining and hospitality. Mask mandates have been lifted and the hum of the metro area’s business districts is growing loud again. With an expected increase in demand for building upgrades and repositioning services to meet new market needs, as well as new projects across housing, infrastructure and healthcare, the construction sector is poised to see a more robust pipeline. During the pandemic slowdown, construction firms were understandably more focused on the short term. But with the market back on the upswing, now is the time to refocus on long-term goals and strategies. A major part of this is ensuring you have an internal organizational pipeline to continue growth well into the future and maintain your firm’s legacy of success. This is just as important as creating a business development strategy and building up a backlog of projects. Transitioning a construction business for the next generation and beyond …

August 25, 2021

Market Reports Texas Texas Market Reports

Supply of Capital Exceeds Available Deals in Texas

by Taylor Williams August 24, 2021

By Taylor Williams There is a pronounced imbalance between the amount of capital looking for placement in commercial real estate in Texas and the number of available deals on the market, making it a good time to be a borrower or seller. In addition to the time-tested fundamentals that have fueled growth in Texas over the last decade — exceptional job and population growth, corporate relocations, a low-regulation business environment — the state has seen elevated capital flows over the last nine months as a leader in reopening and supporting its economy in response to COVID-19. The fact that the state’s economy never really had a prolonged, major shutdown during the pandemic means that investors have had more reliable data about cash flows and other key metrics for Texas real estate assets than in many other markets. Access to that data has reduced some of the uncertainty that investors despise but which has been rampant over the last 17 months. As a result of these factors, more capital sources are targeting deals in Texas. “The inflow of capital to Texas from all parts of the country has been tremendous, dating back to the late third and early fourth quarters of …

August 24, 2021

Market Reports Multifamily Washington Western Western Market Reports

Seattle’s Apartment Market Roars to Life

by Jeff Shaw August 23, 2021

By Dylan Simon, Executive Vice President and Multifamily Specialist, Kidder Mathews It’s always easy to pick on the new kid. Seattle has enjoyed its emergence as a global city and, as such, exemplified “New Kid-itis” — yet it’s roaring back to life, and critics should take notice. It was only 18 months ago that Seattle could do no wrong. The city was teeming with young, upwardly mobile and highly employable apartment renters clamoring for places to live while selecting high earning jobs of their choice. Skyrocketing demand across nearly all sectors of commercial real estate was palpable, especially apartments. The impacts of COVID-19 and social unrest that ravaged the nation had a disproportionate impact on many urban centers. Arguably, its effects on Seattle lingered the longest. Demand for high-rise office space remained questionable as apartment renters second guessed urban living altogether. Civic dysfunction amplified the questioning of downtown Seattle’s livability, causing the apartment market to noticeably suffer. Yet spring is a time for regeneration and growth, and spring 2021 marked a turning point for the Seattle region and the entire apartment market. Occupancy Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels The Seattle region’s multifamily market unquestionably enjoyed a bull run this past decade. Average …

August 23, 2021

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