Southeast Market Reports

Job Growth, Proximity to D.C. Help Boost Baltimore Multifamily Rents, Supply

by John Nelson October 24, 2016

Historically overlooked along the East Coast, Millennial migration has symbolized the dawn of a new day in Charm City. The recent influx of a budding dynamic workforce to Baltimore’s urban core neighborhoods has driven the fourth largest increase in college-educated young professionals amongst metro areas nationwide. These young professionals followed substantial job migration resulting in a paradigm shift from Washington, D.C., and other major Mid-Atlantic employment centers. Baltimore’s labor market has demonstrated year-over-year gains since 2010. As of March 2016, Baltimore metro-area non-farm employment totaled 1.4 million, up 2.6 percent over the past year, as compared to 2 percent growth nationally over the same period, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The professional and business services sector contributed the largest gains since March 2015, adding 13,500 jobs to Baltimore’s work force, representing a growth rate of 6 percent over the prior year. The recent surge in employment has driven sustained demand for rental housing, pushing vacancy rates to historic lows and placing upward pressure on rents. Despite its rapid ascension, Baltimore continues to benefit from its proximity to other East Coast cities, which have experienced economic expansion as well, with Baltimore remaining the most affordable of …

October 24, 2016

Industrial Market Reports Maryland Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Baltimore Industrial Revolution Fueled by Consumer Products Sector

by John Nelson October 17, 2016

Bigger — and strategically located — continues to be better in the Baltimore metropolitan region when it comes to the industrial real estate product sector. Blink your eye these days in Charm City, and you might miss the latest 100,000- to 500,000-square-foot transaction that transpired, fueled by the seemingly insatiable appetite among retailers to warehouse consumer products near large population areas and maintain same-day or next-day delivery models. Companies involved with the production and distribution of food products and home goods are the next most prolific users of warehouse and industrial space. The avalanche of large-scale logistics-related leases first started in 2014 when Amazon.com leased a 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center with Duke Realty in Baltimore City. Recent notable activity includes RPM Warehouse (435,000 square feet at Baltimore Crossroads in White Marsh); Pier 1 Imports (644,000 square feet in Harford County); Ikea (300,000 square feet with Federal Capital Partners in Halethorpe); Canusa Corp. Fiber Group (320,000 square feet in Dundalk); Sephora Americas (320,000 square feet of renewal space in Harford County, plus an additional 620,000 feet of new space); FedEx Ground (300,000 square feet at TradePoint Atlantic); US Lumber (260,000 square feet with MCB Real Estate and One Liberty Properties); Capital …

October 17, 2016

Market Reports Maryland Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Experiential Retail Emerges as Significant Driver in Baltimore Metro Area

by John Nelson October 10, 2016

Not so many years ago, the typical consumer thought of visiting the nearby regional mall or neighborhood center to go shopping — possibly for a new pair of jeans or some shoes. Like everything else in this world, the internet has significantly altered this exercise and, today, people tend to think of retail centers as places to “experience” something that cannot be easily acquired or replicated by simply tapping on a keyboard to request it. Developers and retailers alike have adapted to this behavioral change by introducing new concepts that emphasize the delivery of this experience, including new restaurants, entertainment-style concepts and health care services. This trend remains in full swing in the Baltimore metropolitan region, coupled with game-changing projects planned or rising throughout the Charm City region. Food, Medical, Entertainment The continued popularity of fast-casual restaurants is driven in large part by time-depraved families with dual-income households that seek eating options offering both quality and quickness. The “burger war” includes recent entries such as Bobby’s Burger Palace, Clark Burger and Shake Shack. Wahlburgers, operated by actor Mark Wahlberg and his brothers, might soon follow. Pizza remains a crowded, yet vibrant, category with new arrivals &pizza, Blake Pizza, MOD Pizza …

October 10, 2016

Market Reports North Carolina Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Limited Office Construction in Triangle Area Bolsters Market Fundamentals

by John Nelson October 3, 2016

The Raleigh-Durham office market has not only recovered from the Great Recession, it is solidly in expansion mode, and tenants are facing market conditions not witnessed in 15 years. The current cycle has been marked by a prolonged period of limited development activity. While job growth in the local market has been rebounding for more than five years, the construction pipeline has only recently filled in a meaningful way, and a large portion of the development activity in 2014 and early 2015 was driven by build-to-suits. With Class A vacancy now at a 15-year low, speculative development is heating up again. While projects totaling 1.4 million square feet were underway in the first quarter, most of this product will not be delivered until 2017 or later, and approximately half of the space has already been spoken for. In the near term, the market heavily favors landlords. The Triangle office market began 2016 with strong activity as tenants absorbed 453,997 square feet, driving vacancy down by 40 basis points to 12.1 percent. This figure is down by 180 basis points on a year-over-year basis and has fallen from a cyclical high of 18.7 percent. Class A vacancy ended the first quarter …

October 3, 2016

Market Reports North Carolina Retail Southeast Market Reports

Infill, Transit-Oriented Developments are Driving Charlotte’s Retail Market

by John Nelson September 26, 2016

As Charlotte’s employment surpasses the pre-recession peak of 2007 and the metro swells to almost 2.4 million residents — growing three times faster than the national average — Charlotte is on every retailer’s radar and poised for continued retail growth. Retailers seeking customers with disposable income benefit from Charlotte’s strong affordability index, relative to similarly sized cities, and have enjoyed a positive trend in household incomes, which increased 8 percent between 2010 and 2015. This income growth is bolstered by the 35- to 54-year-old “big-spender” segment, which makes up approximately 30 percent of Charlotte’s population, and is expected to continue to grow in spite of shrinking nationally. Retail developers and investors are also big fans of these fundamentals, which have yielded positive retail absorption over the past 12 months, impressive rent growth of 4.3 percent year-over-year, and vacancy of 5.5 percent, well below the historical average. Similar periods of growth in Charlotte’s history have delivered traditional grocery-anchored neighborhood centers, garden-style apartments and mid-rise office buildings, primarily surface-parked to accommodate the vehicle-centric nature of Charlotte. That trend is changing as Charlotte adapts to the cultural shift and increased density that now prioritizes proximity, access and convenience over McMansions and white-picket-fenced suburbia. …

September 26, 2016

Industrial Market Reports North Carolina Southeast Southeast Market Reports

New Industrial Construction is Easing the Supply Squeeze in Charlotte

by John Nelson September 19, 2016

In recent years, the fundamentals in Charlotte’s industrial real estate market have continued to improve. Overall, the market can be characterized by an increase in tenant activity and the emergence of new submarkets more active on the development front than in the past. Tenant growth can be attributed to organic growth from users expanding, velocity of new deals, as well as emerging submarkets within the market. Charlotte’s central location near the transportation arteries of I-77 and I-85 continues to make the city’s industrial space very attractive to logistics and distribution companies. Charlotte is growing by approximately 20,000 residents per year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The population growth, coupled with the trend of brick-and-mortar retailers transitioning portions of their business to e-commerce, makes for a positive outlook on Charlotte’s industrial fundamentals. The strongest tenant activity is in the 25,000- to 75,000-square-foot range, with tenants looking to upgrade the quality and functionality of their space. Beginning in fourth-quarter 2015 and continuing into first-quarter 2016, there was noticeable activity among tenants relocating from owner-occupied facilities to leased spaces. This trend has been driven by a limited supply of options for purchase, historically high construction prices and a steady economy. Furthermore, the …

September 19, 2016

Market Reports Retail South Carolina Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Columbia’s Retail Market is Uniquely Equipped to Meet the Needs of Millennials

by John Nelson August 29, 2016

It is impossible to have a discussion about retail commercial real estate without considering the implications of shifting demographics. This is true both nationally and in the Columbia market. The unique demographic characteristics of the local market serve as an explanation for the current situation in retail real estate. The trends in retail real estate in Columbia echo those on that national level, although with the local market’s heavy concentration of Millennials (one of the highest in the Southeast), the opportunity for disproportionately high growth is significant. Those trends involve the sector being the last to emerge from the recession with low levels of retail development on a broad scale, but increasing activity and viability in urban and infill environments, especially for restaurants. Much of the retail activity in the market uniquely caters to that 20 to 34 age demographic. At this stage in their lives, the overwhelming majority of the younger demographic is focused on living in an active lifestyle, preferably in urban environments. This is making the prospect of infill retail, particularly as a component of mixed-use development, more feasible. This is resulting in increasing retail and multifamily development in Columbia’s downtown. For urban retail, there are three …

August 29, 2016

Florida Market Reports Office Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Miami’s Office Rents Continue to Rise, Create New Opportunities for Investment

by John Nelson August 22, 2016

Miami’s four major office submarkets — Brickell, Downtown, Coral Gables, and Airport West Dade — are enjoying record growth in Class A asking rental rates, an emerging trend that is further strengthening the city’s positioning as a highly desirable market for local, national and foreign investors. In the city’s Brickell/Downtown business district, Class A office rents have skyrocketed more than an average of 14 percent per square foot during the past year — a significant difference from the historic average annual increases of 2 to 3 percent per square foot. In fact, the disparity in Class A and B rents in the urban core, where Class A rents range from 40 to 70 percent higher per square foot than Class B rents, is much greater than in submarkets, where Class A rents are approximately 24 percent higher than Class B rents. This creates further incentive for Class B buildings in the urban core to raise asking rental rates and stay apace with Class A, making it a strong business case for investors who are looking for a long-term play with maximum ROI. The rent growth is attributed to several factors. While we have seen strong net absorption by local companies …

August 22, 2016

Florida Market Reports Retail Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Miami’s Overall Growth Fuels Major Retail Projects in City’s Development Pipeline

by John Nelson August 15, 2016

Miami is coming into its own as an increasingly international city that continues to attract new residents, visitors and investment and development activity. The city’s urban core is flourishing, with residents gravitating toward a downtown area that allows them to live, work and play in the same neighborhood. The Miami retail market is experiencing a development surge to accommodate the city’s growth. Through the end of the first quarter of 2016, about 2.3 million square feet of retail space was under construction, according to CoStar. The developments are bringing a new class of retailers to the market. Major projects include Brickell City Centre, a 500,000-square-foot shopping center with a roster of tenants that includes Armani Collezioni, anchor tenant Saks Fifth Avenue and Valentino. North of downtown Miami, the $1.7 billion Miami Worldcenter project will introduce a high-street retail concept that is similar to the popular Lincoln Road open-air mall in Miami Beach. In Miami’s Design District, the $1 billion redevelopment of the neighborhood is attracting luxury retailers like Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Cartier. Downtown residents will have easy access to all of these retail destinations. Retail operating fundamentals remain strong in the Miami market. Vacancies closed the first quarter of …

August 15, 2016

Florida Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Miami’s Industrial Market Poised to Benefit from Panama Canal Expansion, Cuba

by John Nelson August 8, 2016

Given a handful of macro-factors in the Miami industrial market including the Panama Canal expansion nearing completion, PortMiami expansion, strong American dollar, and improving relations with Cuba coupled with the country’s new mega-port project, it is a unique time to be an industrial real estate service provider. To succeed in this environment, it takes deep local knowledge and a global understanding of how Miami, the Caribbean and Latin American economies and infrastructure are intertwined into global commerce. The first macro-factor is the Panama Canal expansion, its first major renovation since the 1914 opening. The expansion is set to have a major impact on global trade; specifically, the way cargo will be handled and transported throughout the Western Hemisphere. The larger canal will accommodate the new line of Post-Panamax vessels — supertankers, container and passenger ships too large to previously pass through the canal. Miami is a prime location for these vessels and offers a tremendous expansion opportunity for the local industrial market provided the vessels have a port to dock. In response to the Panama Canal expansion, PortMiami completed a deep dredge project to allow the Post-Panamax vessels full access, which is the second macro-factor affecting Miami’s industrial market. The …

August 8, 2016

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