Southeast Market Reports

Port Authorities in Charleston, Savannah are Pushing the Boundaries

by John Nelson January 30, 2023

As port authorities around the country invest billions of dollars in infrastructural improvements, industrial users are taking notice and looking for sites near all the action. In the Southeast, the elevated demand for new industrial space near the Port of Savannah and Port of Charleston is pushing the boundaries as far as what’s considered normal levels for property performance indicators such as new construction, rent growth and leasing activity. “It’s hard to say that anything is ‘normal’ right now — there are a lot of new phenomena out there,” says Robert Barrineau, senior vice president of CBRE’s Charleston office. “We are seeing nationally now that a tie to a seaport as being key for economic growth and for operational efficiencies for companies.” In one of the bigger announcements in 2022, Hyundai Motor Group chose a 3,000-acre site in Bryan County, which is close to both the Port of Savannah and Interstate 95, for its $5.5 billion manufacturing plant. Construction is already underway, and the facility should be operating at full capacity, which entails production of 300,000 units annually, by the first half of 2025. The South Korean automotive giant intends to use a combination of local labor and AI technology …

January 30, 2023

Market Reports North Carolina Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Raleigh-Durham Office Market is Facing Even Stronger Headwinds at Start of 2023

by John Nelson January 25, 2023

Talk to any commercial broker across the Raleigh-Durham market and you will hear much of the same feedback. In answer to the basic questions, one hears, “The in-office work week is now three days, primarily Tuesday through Thursday.” This trend, which was slowly becoming more evident over the last 20 years with the growth of the digital economy, was accelerated by the pandemic. And further aided by the wider availability of high-speed internet, the demands of the digital workforce are taking people out of their offices and, in some cases, around the world. Companies that value their digital workers are letting them make business decisions that affect the office building markets around the world. It is fascinating to watch. Recent data published by Kastle Systems (a keycard and security supplier for commercial buildings) shows that based on keycard swipes across the 10 largest cities in the United States, we are witnessing structural change in both the traditional work week and employee work hours, in degrees that are directly impacting the need for office space. As a result, employers are downsizing their leased footprints, opting for less square footage and/or shorter leases. Those companies with large numbers of digital workers are …

January 25, 2023

District of Columbia Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

D.C. Multifamily Remains a Safe Haven for Investment Amid Economic Uncertainty

by John Nelson January 16, 2023

Across the country, investors are facing some difficult hurdles. Rising interest rates, impending economic recession and rising construction costs are making it increasingly difficult for proposed deals to penicl out for investors. These issues, coupled with a swath of non-performing loans that are nearing maturity, have been the first indications we have seen of a bear market in the real estate world, and there are no signs of improvement in the near future. In times of uncertainty, we often see investors adhere to a conservative approach to investment, which normally means increased focus on core markets and assets. One area of focus in which investors have remained bullish is Washington, D.C.’s multifamily market as it continues to thrive, despite turmoil in the larger U.S. economy. Developers broke ground on new multifamily product in excess of 4,000 units for the fourth consecutive quarter, a first for the D.C. market. Multifamily sales volume has not quite matched the bull market of 2021; however, sales in 2022 still outpace most years in the metro’s history. Whether it’s construction on ground-up development of multifamily product, or the purchase of existing multifamily product, the D.C market has not shown any signs of slowing down. For …

January 16, 2023

District of Columbia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports Virginia

Industrial, Warehouse Product Remains Tight Throughout Northern Virginia

by John Nelson January 9, 2023

Sustained leasing velocity for industrial/warehouse space in the Northern Virginia market, combined with the nearly insatiable demand for data center product, is contributing to developers repurposing existing business communities with this asset class to support demand, as well as companies expanding their geographic footprints into suburban Maryland and Central Virginia to secure space. This trend could be pivoting slightly due to the recent slowdown in leasing activity both locally and nationally as it relates to rising interest rates, the prospects for a looming recession and the possible end of a prolonged real estate cycle. The vacancy rate for industrial/warehouse space in the region currently stands at just over 2 percent. In the last quarter, the Northern Virginia industrial market experienced the largest pipeline in its history with more than 1 million square feet of space delivered, with nearly 5 million square feet of space in the development pipeline. The largest projects are contained within Stafford County as land in Loudoun and Fairfax counties has become unaffordable, or simply unattainable. Triple-net asking rents reached another all-time high of $12.45 per square foot in the third quarter, aided in part by these new deliveries. New space remains scarce and commands a premium, …

January 9, 2023

District of Columbia Market Reports Restaurant Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

D.C. Retail Sector is a Tale of Two Markets: Downtown and Everywhere Else

by John Nelson January 2, 2023

So much has been made about the future of retail in the United States. Is it dead? Is it back? How has it evolved? No doubt, retail was the sector most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that is also true here in Washington, D.C. If you look at regional data, it appears to be rebounding nicely. The overall market currently boasts a near record-low vacancy rate at just 5.1 percent, according to CoStar Group. Tighter market conditions have helped landlords restore pricing power throughout the District, and asking rents and rent growth have surpassed pre-pandemic highs. When we measure by net absorption, retail demand in the region in 2022 is on pace to reach its highest level since 2016. But numbers don’t tell the whole story as the retail sector’s recovery in D.C.’s downtown market post COVID differs greatly from all of the metropolitan area’s other submarkets in a scenario that can only be described as a tale of two markets. Downtown D.C. So, what’s driving downtown retail these days? Simply, it’s the office market. Retail’s post-pandemic recovery is almost entirely dependent on office workers, and there is no more significant factor at play for its success than corporation’s …

January 2, 2023

District of Columbia Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Something is Happening in Downtown D.C.’s Office Market

by John Nelson December 19, 2022

Downtown Washington, D.C., is confronting many of the same pandemic-generated challenges as other urban markets across the United States. This includes above-average and record high commercial vacancy (office and retail), as well as lower-than-average daytime foot traffic, in part due to an increase in hybrid work. Yet there is a case to be made that now is a unique moment for leasing office (and retail) space in the District’s central business district (CBD). The loss of foot traffic has hit downtown retail particularly hard, especially fast-casual dining. Coffee shops and sandwich places that depend on office workers have closed at a higher rate than other food-related retail. But the pedestrians are coming back. Kastle Systems’ data from the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) shows an increase since Labor Day in the number of workers at their desks, with approximately 42 percent of the pre-pandemic number of employees in-office on a weekly basis, compared with around 33 percent last spring. This is expected to rise as more employers establish return-to-office policies. Despite 2022’s turbulent economy over the first six months, D.C.’s office leasing activity was up 16 percent compared with the first half of 2021, according to Cushman & Wakefield. The …

December 19, 2022

Louisiana Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

New Orleans Apartment Market is Performing Well Due to High Barriers to Entry

by John Nelson December 5, 2022

Increased interest rates and challenging insurance costs would normally stifle a multifamily market. However, an inventory constrained by a lack of land, supply chain issues, labor shortages and the increased cost of homeownership have contributed to a further stabilization of the metro New Orleans multifamily market. The overall vacancy factor for our seven primary submarkets that make up metro New Orleans are in the 5 to 6 percent range. We anticipate occupancy rates to steadily increase going forward as new construction has stalled and rising interest rates have delayed many tenants from transitioning to homeownership. Overall rental rates in the metro average in the $1,250 to $1,350 per month range. The rents represent a 3.5 percent increase over the past 12 months. It should be noted that some submarkets have seen considerably higher increases. The highest rental rates reported in the metro for garden-style communities are in Eastern St. Tammany Parish, where the newest inventory exists. The highest rents in New Orleans are downtown in the CBD/Warehouse District. These communities comprise mid-rise and high-rise developments and command rents exceeding $2.50 per square foot. The downtown market experienced some softness during the COVID-19 pandemic but made a robust recovery once restrictions …

December 5, 2022

Louisiana Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Plenty of Opportunities Exist in New Orleans Retail Sector, Despite the Headwinds

by John Nelson November 28, 2022

New Orleans has seen significant, pent-up retail growth over the past 12 months as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, however, external forces have provided some headwinds and caused tenants and investors to go back to their corners to reassess. Inflation, rising interest rates, insurance premium increases and elevated construction costs have all contributed to uncertainty in the Greater New Orleans retail landscape. Within the French Quarter and CBD, growing concerns from crime have forced some CEOs to look outside of the city core for their office headquarters. This issue, coupled with the current “work-from-home” environment, causes downtown retailers to rely even more on tourism and convention business. Thankfully, the hospitality sector has had success and is now exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Due to an active 2021 hurricane season that saw Hurricane Ida devastate South Louisiana, insurance rates have skyrocketed as carriers continue to leave the state. As a result, landlords have struggled with how to handle these unforeseen spikes in expenses. Should they pass those on to the tenant or eat them to remain competitive, or a combination of the two? 2022 has been a surprisingly quiet storm season, so with any luck these rates should begin to …

November 28, 2022

Louisiana Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

See You at Work: New Orleans Employers Rethink the Office Environment

by John Nelson November 21, 2022

In the post-pandemic environment where employers are trying to navigate new work schedules, office tenants are focusing more on the finish and design of office space than they are the rents. In New Orleans, we are seeing office tenants rethink the concept of office space altogether, and their employees are thinking differently about their individual offices as well. There has been a shift from the traditional office space of years past where one spends eight hours a day in a large private office with the door closed. The office has evolved into more of a social place. Companies want their employees to come back to the office and not to be fully remote. Many employees want to get out of their pajamas and come back to the office. But, getting them all to come back has proven to be the challenge. Companies are now enticing their employees with redesigned spaces that are more aesthetically pleasing and rich with amenities that allow for more social interactions and collaboration. Employees who work remotely a few days a week are coming to the office because they want that engagement with their colleagues. Tenants are now less interested in refurbishing private offices and spend …

November 21, 2022

Georgia Market Reports Multifamily Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Atlanta Attracts Reputable Employers, Discerning Investors and Qualified Renters

by John Nelson November 1, 2022

Atlanta’s prowess within the Sun Belt as the dominant multifamily market did not happen by accident, nor did it occur overnight. Back in the 2000s, Atlanta was still an emerging market that was working to attract new employers while battling a season of oversupply that hampered rent growth across the city’s numerous submarkets. Now, and since the mid-2010s, Atlanta has defined itself as the premier entry point for investors looking to break into the Sun Belt, and its proven track record ensures it will continue serving as a global magnet for relocation, investment and expansion. Atlanta’s diversified economy has attracted some of the nation’s biggest and best names in just a few years’ time. While Silicon Valley has captured the tech world’s eye for decades, global powerhouses such as Microsoft, Google and Meta (Facebook) have started planting their flags in Atlanta with reported goals of adding tens of thousands of highly paid employees by 2030. Tech companies are capitalizing on a strategic opportunity in Atlanta to broaden their workforce in a market that boasts a highly educated and diverse population while providing an attractive cost of living. With respect to Atlanta’s employment growth, the presence of Georgia Tech cannot go …

November 1, 2022

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