By Brandon Wright, Associate, Blue West Capital Retail properties in Colorado have experienced significant cap rate compression over the past five years and are selling for premiums compared to most markets across the country. Since 2019, the average cap rate for a single-tenant retail property in Colorado has compressed by 79 basis points, while cap rates for multi-tenant retail properties have compressed by 74 basis points. Cap rates this year for single- and multi-tenant retail properties in Colorado averaged 5.42 percent and 6.10 percent, respectively, through September 2022. Nationally, the average cap rate for these two property types were 5.62 percent and 6.53 percent. Cap rates in Colorado have remained compressed despite various headwinds facing the market. There’s a notable supply and demand imbalance of high-quality properties. The limited inventory of available properties and strong national demand for Colorado properties has helped keep cap rates near record lows. Public and private REITS, family offices, high-net-worth individuals and 1031 exchange investors remain optimistic on Colorado for its long-term upside and growth, and are looking to deploy capital here. Colorado has a vibrant and diverse economy, in addition to strong demographics that include a young and educated workforce. It is the fifth most educated state, …
Western Market Reports
By Chris Pearson, Industrial Specialist, TOK Commercial Idaho remains a prime area for industrial growth in 2022, with nearly 180 deals completed across Southern Idaho’s top markets. Activity is strongest in the Boise MSA as more than 1.2 million square feet of net absorption has been recorded so far in 2022. This is up from 1.1 million square feet at the end of June 2021. Top deals for the year include Federated Ordinance leasing 265,200 square feet of new construction in Caldwell, as well as Amazon leasing 141,400 square feet in North Meridian. Overall industrial vacancy has remained low across Idaho. Total vacancy in the Boise area has been below 1.5 percent over the past 12 months. It currently sits at 1.2 percent. Vacancy is slightly higher in the Magic Valley & Eastern Idaho MSAs, with total vacancy above 2.5 percent in both markets. However, total vacancy in Idaho Falls, the largest market in Eastern Idaho, hit a historic low of 1.3 percent in June. Vacancy is also at a record low in Twin Falls, the Magic Valley’s main industrial hub, which is currently at just 0.2 percent. Based on vacancy alone, supply appears to lag behind demand. This should not remain the case for …
By Brandon Rawlins, Principal Broker, and Bronson Rawlins, Retail Lead and Associate, JLL Like much of the country, the Idaho retail market is seeing a strong rebound in various retail sectors that appeal to the return of social gatherings and a hybrid approach to work life. Moreover, experiential retail is making a strong comeback as consumers crave fun and a return to normalcy. According to JLL’s recent Retail Outlook report, retail fundamentals continue to improve across most of the country, but particularly in the Sunbelt states. Shoppers are heading back to stores, moviegoers are going back to the theaters, and new demand for fun and immersive experiences is on the rise. The Boise area is no exception, with the announcement of several new major players, including Top Golf, Scheels and several mixed-use concepts that appeal to the new hybrid work experience that combines food, shopping and residential. Eatertainment concepts — entertainment with an emphasis on food and beverage — saw a national traffic surge of 22 percent from April 2019 levels and more than 36 percent year over year. Interestingly, retail activity is not just taking place in certain submarkets or neighborhoods; there is strong activity throughout the entire state. The impact of these developments will bring new tenants …
By Karena Gilbert, Office & Investment Associate, Colliers With a population of a little more than 795,000, the Boise metro area has consistently ranked as one of the fastest-growing places in the nation. Ada and Canyon counties saw a population increase of 7.8 percent from 2020 to 2022. This growth has brought both business and talent to the Boise area and around the state. In a city already ripe with highly skilled, educated and community-minded people, the influx of more talent helped stimulate the growth of local and newly planted companies. Unemployment was 2.4 percent in June 2022, its lowest since May 2018. We are once again seeing companies that have to work to attract and retain employees in this growing market. Boise office tenants have returned to work. There is a degree of remote work, along with the adoption of hybrid work, as many employers and employees are unsure how many days per week anyone will be required in the office. There is a strong desire to have employees back to work as it fuels collaboration, mentorship and training. Companies that had thought about reducing their footprint are now reconsidering and finding value in having a collaborative environment. Boise has smaller office users …
By Phil Breidenbach, Senior Executive Vice President, Colliers Class A landlords are answering the call from tenants for captivating workplaces. These re-imagined environments are drawing businesses to buildings and invigorating absorption in the market. Greater Phoenix office vacancy fell to 13.5 percent at mid-year, which was a 0.6 percent drop from last quarter and 0.7 percent lower than mid-year 2021. This number also sits 1.6 percent below the national average. While 287,000 square feet of new product was delivered, more than 587,000 square feet was absorbed. This is evidence the workforce is finding its way back to the office, if not full-time at least a few days a week. The refreshing surge in absorption is driven by companies coming to the best and newest buildings — redefining Class A with amenities that compel the workforce back into the office. New buildings like 100 Mill and Cavasson are two great examples. The first, 100 Mill, was completed in the second quarter and is more than 90 percent preleased. The building will feature next-level common areas and best-in-class meeting and lounge areas. The flight to quality trend has evolved into a flight to experience trend. Companies are finally coming to grips with the reality that how they …
By Dave Cheatham, President, Velocity Retail Group For decades, Arizona’s housing and commercial real estate industry have benefitted and fed the state’s robust gains as population grew. Even during the pandemic, Phoenix welcomed more than 140,000 new residents fleeing more expensive, crowded coastal cities for what many deemed an improved quality of life. As we know, retail follows housing. Phoenix’s housing market has restarted, and these new markets will need retail to serve them. It has taken 15 years for retail vacancy rates to return to pre-recession levels in Phoenix. In the second quarter of 2022, the direct vacancy rate for retail properties declined to 6.7 percent. West Phoenix, Northwest Phoenix and Scottsdale are currently the strongest submarkets, drawing residents to fast growing cities and towns. I see retail expanding as residential development at the edges of the city continue, and agricultural land is transformed into subdivisions. With inflation shrinking household budgets, consumers are making intentional choices on where they drive and what they buy. Those retailers who are large-space occupiers will continue to focus on delivering value and lower prices to their customers. Shopping center development has been anemic in Phoenix in the past decade, as those that lease big …
By Kimberly A. Rollins, Senior Vice President, Rollins & Randall Multi-Family Group, Commercial Properties Inc. The big question on everyone’s mind is where Phoenix’s multifamily market is going. After several years of pandemic-caused uncertainty, the implications are still transforming the market. Whether it is workforce mobility, supply chain issues, or labor shortages, uncertainty and inflation have affected all areas of real estate — no place more so than here in the Phoenix Metro Area. The perfect storm of historically low interest rates, job opportunities, limited new development and a low cost of living have given rise to the housing shortage that has played out in the Valley over the past several years. We saw multifamily effective rent increase 22.7 percent year over year in the third quarter of 2021, and an average market sale price per unit of $297,697, with a 3.9 percent year-to-date cap rate, according to CoStar. Over the past 10 years, vacancy rates have dropped every year. They fell from 8.3 percent in 2012 to a low of 5.8 percent in 2021. Conversely, year to date we are seeing a vacancy increase for the first time during that timeframe, to 7.7 percent. Last year also saw the highest level of …
By Bill Honsaker, Managing Director, JLL Metro Phoenix recorded more than 7 million square feet of industrial absorption during the second quarter of 2022, setting a quarterly record for the market. The average size of local industrial deals has also ballooned, increasing 25 percent year over year to a new high of 91,095 square feet. The Southwest submarket remains the Valley’s industrial powerhouse, accounting for 68 percent of total leasing volume this past quarter. But as demand for big space continues to swell, so does the pressure on inventory. That leaves the market divided into two groups: those already in the market with land or buildings in their possession, and those who missed the land rush and must now buy out someone else’s position. In fact, across the Valley’s industrial core (roughly bounded by the Loop 303 to the west, Phoenix Gateway Airport to the east, Deer Valley to the north and the lower 202 to the south), would-be investors, developers and tenants are beginning to ask, “Where do we go next?” This dynamic has become a boon for further-out markets to Phoenix’s east and west, as well as to the south — particularly Central Arizona. With projects like Inland Port Arizona, Pinal …
By Mike Adams, Managing Director, Stream Realty Partners The state of office is transitioning to a desire for dynamic spaces. Tenants in the Orange County office market are gravitating toward assets that act and function like hotels. They are seeking out the newest buildings and the most unique office environments. This is evidenced through leasing activity being the strongest in the Irvine/Tustin Legacy and Irvine Spectrum submarkets. Employers are looking for a reason to bring their workforce back to the office and are recruiting high-caliber employees. One way to do this is through office space. Creative office space is still in high demand — and won’t likely change soon. Companies focused on employee retention want to create an “Instagram-worthy” type office environment. They are looking for office space that will create a buzz and function as a recruiting tool. Office buildings are unique assets that facilitate collaboration, culture and training. This interest in new development signifies a flight to quality of office assets — for landlords and tenants alike. Several trends related to the desire for quality include: Hotelization — office spaces that act and function as hotels Biophilic design — the concept of connecting a building with nature Proptech — using innovative technology and …
By Jordan Carter, Executive Vice President, Kidder Mathews Much like the city itself, Portland multifamily owners are no stranger to adversity — whether that refers to the weather, news media or the instability of today’s economy. There’s no doubt the rising interest rate environment will have an impact on the lending market for both refinances and sales in the short-term, but the good news is market fundamentals in the Portland metro remain solid. At 4.53 percent, our vacancy rate sits well below the national average of 4.98 percent, per CoStar. The average apartment rent is now $1,600 per month, thanks to year-over-year rent growth of 8.5 percent, which CoStar projects to remain near 5 percent for the next couple years. New construction, which peaked at nearly 13,000 units in 2018, has slowed dramatically due to legislative and policy changes that have disincentivized developers. These challenges have been magnified by elevated material costs and an arduous permitting process. Year-over-year deliveries of 4,000 units illustrate the dramatic slowdown, as they’re well below the supply needed to meet a demand of more than 10,000 new units annually. The hot single-family home market also continues to push prospective home buyers out of the market. …