The Central Florida market continues to be a bright ray in the Sunshine State with 68 million plus tourists in 2016, and over $10 billion currently invested in major projects either recently completed or underway. Area theme parks, such as Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World, continue investments in new rides and attractions, drawing even more visitors to Orlando, and setting record attendance numbers on an annual basis. Tourism isn’t the whole story in Central Florida, though. Notable projects in the urban core include the University of Central Florida’s downtown campus at Creative Village for 10,000 students, the 650,000-square foot Orlando Magic mixed-use entertainment complex adjacent to the Amway Center, and the new $450 million second phase expansion to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. All of these new urban core projects are creating a true live-work-play dynamic in downtown Orlando. The suburban market is also seeing significant activity. For example, the Health & Wellness cluster at Lake Nona; the $3.1 billion redevelopment at Orlando International Airport; the $43 million improvement of the Orlando Sanford International Airport; and the $1 billion West Orange County mixed-use community all showcase that new investment is not centered in one part …
Orlando’s retail market is experiencing renewed vigor. Construction cranes are rising in key areas due to increasingly high demand, and low vacancies are fueling rental rate growth, which has been somewhat stagnant over the last several years. There is also demand for larger vacated boxes as a result of the downsizing and bankruptcies of retailers. Spaces once occupied by Sears, Sports Authority and hhgregg, for example, are being filled by retailers entering or expanding their presence in the market, such as Luckys Market, Earth Fare, Orchard Supply, Ollie’s, 24 Hour Fitness and At Home. The activity is both resulting in and benefitting from exciting new developments and infrastructure improvements in the market. Development, Infrastructure Current development activity in Orlando is in direct response to considerable consumer demand, with many major retail projects recently completed or under construction. Lake Nona Landings, a 53-acre development in Tavistock’s master-planned Lake Nona community, opened in early 2017 with the area’s first Walmart Supercenter and Sam’s Club, and will serve as an anchor for the growing Narcoossee corridor south of State Road 417. Horizons West/Four Corners is a thriving residential area encompassing parts of western Orange and north Osceola counties where retail, restaurant and multifamily …
Anxiety and hand-wringing about the future of retail were evident at this year’s ICSC RECon event, as developers, retailers and restaurant operators continue trying to make sense of the persistent march of online buying, while also looking to inject new enthusiasm into the bricks-and-mortar shopping experience. In the greater Baltimore metropolitan region, we are experiencing many of same issues as the balance of the country. But, like always, we believe this region has several built-in advantages that will continue to buoy the retail environment, including a diversified business climate, proximity to Washington, D.C., and presence of defense contractors. While “caution ahead” signs seem to be lurking around every corner, there are numerous developments in Baltimore that are screaming “full steam ahead.” Darwinism is in full effect locally, as shopping centers embedded within planned-unit developments or retail destinations offering e-commerce-resistant experiences are the venues with the brightest futures. The developers and retailers that are willing to accept and adapt to changing trends, such as millennials’ preference for experiences rather than ownership, are the entities that will be left standing after this latest seismic shift. Here is a quick look around the Baltimore area landscape, with a focus on the various starts …
The housing market remains hot in Charlotte with sustained growth in both sales activity and sales price. Affordable prices, a strong market and robust salaries are driving first-time buyers to take the plunge and purchase their first home and there’s no better place to live in Charlotte than in the 28277 zip code, otherwise known as Ballantyne. The Ballantyne area is nationally known for not only a place to work with more than 5 million square feet of Class A office space, but also a desirable place to live with housing opportunities ranging from $145,000 to over $4 million. The 28277 zip code has top-rated schools, an abundance of restaurant and shopping options, private and public golf courses, and the area’s only Four-Star recognized hotel, spa and restaurant. The office sector remains hot with continued employment growth attributing to falling vacancy rates, new construction and rising rents. Charlotte has an overall vacancy rate of 10.4 percent and the overall weighted average asking rent for Class A space in Charlotte is $25.98 per square foot. There is currently over 2.3 million square feet of office product under construction in Charlotte and close to 7 million square feet planned or proposed. The …
The Charlotte economy has created jobs at a faster rate than the national average throughout this cycle. With 34,900 new jobs over the last 12 months and more than 110,000 over the last three years, the regional job market has created a new demand for the luxury multifamily inventory throughout infill and select suburban submarkets. Four of the MSA’s top five employers — Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Carolinas HealthCare System and Novant Health — each have a combined 1,000-plus job openings in Charlotte, while AXA, Red Ventures, Dimensional Fund Advisors and CompuCom have begun major expansions across the metro area. This has created a need for additional multifamily inventory, which has expanded by 7,700 units over the last 12 months, while absorption was just shy of 7,000. The modest downtick in occupancy was more than offset by a 4 percent same-store rent growth (30 basis points higher than the five-year trailing average of 3.7 percent). Two marquee high-rise projects are nearing completion in the central business district’s Third Ward: Greystar’s Ascent and Childress Klein’s Museum Tower. The early returns show unprecedented per square foot rents for the metro area. In most infill locations, developers are offering one month free …
The industrial market in Charlotte is healthy, with trends pointing to another solid year of net absorption and rent growth. The market continues to attract institutional capital, as cap rates hover slightly below 6 percent for Class A product in the metro’s primary submarkets. Charlotte’s job growth continues to drive population migration into the market. More than 37,000 new jobs have been added in the past 12 months, dropping the unemployment rate from 5.2 percent to 4.9 percent. North Carolina has a young, educated workforce and boasts 53 universities and colleges. The state is nationally recognized for its labor climate. Major employers span the gamut of the business world, from financial and energy stalwarts such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo, Duke Energy and Siemen’s Energy Inc., to more industrial players such as Daimler Trucks North America, Lowe’s, FedEx and Snyder’s-Lance Inc. Charlotte is a logistically sound market, with the city’s airport ranking as the eighth busiest in the U.S., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A relatively new intermodal rail facility and continued investment in road infrastructure projects are also helping to foster an optimistic environment. The HB2 legislation, which proved a major obstacle to attracting new companies …
The multifamily market in South Florida is gaining strength but not sales velocity due to converging market and demographic forces. Sales topped $400 million for the third year in a row in 2016, largely because the average price per unit jumped 13 percent to $185,300 per unit. The vacancy rate fell below 4 percent at the end of last year, and rents climbed almost 4 percent on all types of units to an effective rate of $1,351 per month. It’s clear the current upcycle will continue beyond the usual period as immense demand from investors is causing an incredible scarcity of Class A product, and the lifestyle preferences of millennials are intersecting with the luxury condo boom. Opportunities, Challenges In 2005 and 2006, adequate inventory kept the multifamily market in balance. Today, buyers are plentiful, capital is available and interest rates are affordable. What we don’t have is product, a phenomenon not exclusive to Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Why? Sellers have few options. They’re thinking, “If I sell at a premium and I want to stay in a similar market, I’m going to pay a premium. So, what’s the point of selling?” Therefore, owners are putting properties on the market …
Looking ahead to the rest of 2017, we can expect to see continued improvement of Miami’s office market based on strong market fundamentals and employment growth. Key trends to watch in 2017 that will help drive and shape the market, include: • Steady, modest growth in office rents • Declining available office supply • New transit-oriented mixed-use developments that include office space in both Miami’s downtown urban core and other connected walkable neighborhoods such as Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and Wynwood • Tenants adopting new office design standards • Increased moves between submarkets and new-to-market companies positively impacting net absorption Office demand will continue to be fueled by vibrant population growth of young professionals and Miami’s appeal as a growing, global and entrepreneurial city. Miami-Dade County’s population has grown 8 percent in the past five years, making it the seventh-largest county in the United States. In 2016, more than 20,000 jobs were added in the county, predominately in the construction, real estate, professional services and financial services industries. This economic growth has fueled expansion activity in the office market and should hold steady in 2017. Miami’s focus on cultivating innovation and entrepreneurship has also positively impacted the office market. In …
There are two major trends affecting retailers across South Florida: the reduction of affluent foreign tourists in the market and the internet, which is forcing retailers to shift their concepts at an accelerating pace. Both factors have led to a slight decline in market conditions, specifically a deceleration of growth rates, but not significantly enough to cause great concern or to feel South Florida has become a “falling market.” Instead, much like origami, one must shape retail concepts to adapt to the new online reality. The American dollar is still very strong against Latin American and most foreign currency. This has created a downward spiral for hotel occupancy and retail sales in South Florida’s tourist driven areas such as South Beach and Lincoln Road. Miami-Dade County hotel occupancy was down 0.6 percent year-over-year to 83.5 percent in February/March 2017. This tourism decline has also created a shift in foreign investing. While large foreign investors are still active in the market, there has been a noticeable exit of smaller foreign investors. This has created an unusual twist in the South Florida market as now domestic (primarily from the Northeast) and Canadian investors are actively looking and purchasing retail opportunities given they …
In 2016 and the first quarter of this year, Atlanta’s economy boomed, showing several positive signs that point to another banner year for the multifamily market. From December 2016 through February 2017, Atlanta added 96,700 total non-farm jobs, an increase of 3.7 percent over the same time the previous year. Additionally, in 2016 the city experienced 3 percent wage growth overall. This translates to a robust multifamily market with solid fundamentals. According to Axiometrics, Atlanta’s average effective rent broke the $1,000 ceiling in second-quarter 2016 and has not stopped climbing since, reaching $1,068 as of first-quarter 2017. Rents are projected to increase by just under 5 percent in 2017. While the market’s rent growth rate is slowing, we cannot forget that Atlanta is breaking historical rent records while maintaining an occupancy rate in the 94 percent range for the last 11 consecutive quarters. Throughout the city, all asset classes — from Class C suburban properties to trophy Class A properties in the urban core — are posting strong performances. One trend we are keeping an eye on is single-family development, which is starting to come back as rental rates continue to rise and renters look to make a more permanent …