Western Market Reports

1625-N-Market-Sacramento-CA

By Cole Sweatt, Brokerage Manager, Sacramento Region, TRI Commercial Now that we’ve had the chance to analyze the data from the first two quarters of 2021, it seems that consumers and businesses are experiencing positive trends throughout Northern California. However, the initial recovery has come with challenges, including semiconductor shortages, supply chain disruptions and increased commodity prices due to a confluence of demand from consumers. We have seen relief in some of these sectors, which has led to increased production and the stabilization of commodity pricing. Although inflation should curb a bit this year, this would seem to be a temporary activity as average inflation over the next couple years is projected to be higher than the average of the prior decade. How is the office sector reacting, particularly in the capitol region near Sacramento? Office sales have been lukewarm in the first part of 2021. Investment strategies continue to change due to economic uncertainty and the long-term goals of companies occupying real estate. Employees have continued to trickle back into the office, but many employers have extended their stay-at-home and/or part-time policies through the fourth quarter of this year. As a result, the market is trending toward a flight to …

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3100-E-Broadway-Rd-Phoenix-AZ

By Laurel Lewis, Senior Vice President, NAI Horizon The office market is in uncharted territory, like going “Down the Great Unknown.” When John Wesley Powell navigated through the Grand Canyon, he did not know what lay ahead. Perhaps if he did, he might have chosen to leave it uncharted. Yet here we are in the midst of the proverbial river, wondering what lies ahead. The advent of a pandemic is changing minds about how and where we work. The work-from-home model may have started a decade ago, but the pandemic and new technology have exacerbated the trend. How will this affect the office market and, more specifically, the office market in Phoenix? The long-term effects remain to be seen, but we know Phoenix continues to attract new residents and new businesses. The Central Business District, for instance, is experiencing renewed interest. This is enhanced by the City of Phoenix’s efforts to offer a pedestrian-friendly environment, more entertainment and access to the light rail. The investment is paying off. Companies in bioscience, education, technology and financial services are taking an interest in the area’s vibrancy. To top it off, the second quarter came to a close with the Phoenix Suns making …

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PSG-LA-CA

By Yair Haimoff, Executive Managing Director, Spectrum Commercial Real Estate The COVID-19 pandemic slowed or halted markets across the world. But how did Los Angeles fare? Well, the retail market slowed in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, but, fortunately, it is slowly picking up with reopenings and the adoption of the COVID-19 vaccine. Looking back, recent transactions in the retail space have predominantly included food-related deals. With established fast food businesses like In-n-Out, Starbucks, Popeye’s Chicken, Chick-Fil-A and more showing more transactions, there is definitely a pattern of increased demand for services that support activities necessitated by isolation. However, there have also been deals that included gyms/fitness users, family entertainment, tutoring centers and a few other ancillary retail uses. It looks as if the reopenings are starting to bring in a renewed demand for more social activities, which, blended with the rise of fast food establishments, is a good sign the market is picking up. Looking at current retail development activities, the local market has been mostly quiet in terms of retail-only centers. This makes sense, as retail stores suffered during the shutdown, with many existing retailers turning to curbside pick-up services to stay afloat. Many developers simply aren’t …

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745-E-Glendale-Ave-Phoenix-AZ

By Matt Harper, Senior Vice President of Retail, NAI Horizon Arizona relies heavily on a robust tourism industry. When COVID-19 hit, it was a massive blow to the hospitality and retail sectors. Coming out of the pandemic, however, the Metro Phoenix retail sector has shown great resiliency, especially mom and pops. Phoenix ended the fourth quarter of 2020 with a positive net absorption of 124,330 square feet of retail space. With negative net absorption in the second and third quarters of 2020 – the devastating months of the pandemic – Phoenix ended the year at negative 373,715 square feet. This was compared to an overall positive net absorption of more than 1.1 million square feet in 2019. Phoenix vacancy rose slightly in the second quarter of 2021 from the previous quarter, coming in at 7.7 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively. Net absorption for the second quarter was a negative 63,558 square feet, down from a strong first-quarter 2021 of 466,714 square feet. The average triple-net rental rate rose slightly to $15.81 per square foot. COVID-19 travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders attributed to the paltry second- and third-quarter 2020 numbers. Then those orders were lifted by Gov. Ducey, and the sun came …

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AtTraction-Los-Angeles-CA

By Steve Solomon, Senior Executive Vice President, and Kristen Bowman, First Vice President, Colliers International Greater Los Angeles leasing activity surged, reaching nearly 3 million square feet in the second quarter. Although higher than the past few quarters, it was significantly lower than the 2019 pre-pandemic quarterly average of 4.6 million square feet. Much of the activity occurred in West Los Angeles, where large expansions and renewals were signed by tech, media and entertainment tenants. While leasing did ramp up, overall vacancy continued to rise, eventually reaching a historic high of 19.4 percent. This rate, which includes direct and sublease space, is 160 basis points higher than the previous peak in 2013 when it hit 17.8 percent. Nearly 25 percent of office space, whether vacant or currently occupied, is available for lease. There is currently 4.9 million square feet of speculative new office construction underway delivering by 2023 in Greater Los Angeles. These major developments, which do not include renovations, are currently 30.7 percent pre-leased. Over half of this new construction is in West Los Angeles, which has a higher pre-leased rate of 36.6 percent. The rate is highest in Central Los Angeles, where Netflix has snatched up 44.6 percent …

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Peak16-Apts-Phoenix-AZ

By Drew Ricciardi, Research Manager, ABI Multifamily Research Manager Following a chaotic year that left investors on the sidelines, the Phoenix market proved resilient. In fact, it ended up witnessing one of the most significant rebounds nationally. The Phoenix multifamily market exploded with a record start for 2021 and is now considered one of the top multifamily markets in the country. Phoenix continues to see robust population increases due to job growth, quality of life, industry diversity and affordability. According to a Redfin study, the Phoenix metro market had the highest population net inflow in 2020 of all U.S. metros. Phoenix benefited from the work-from-home phenomenon due to COVID-19, which resulted in high-paid workers fleeing high-priced, high-density markets for more affordable markets offering more spacious living options. Not only are people migrating to Phoenix, but the area is becoming a prime spot for company headquarters and advanced facilities. The metro area’s educated workforce, strong talent pool, business-friendly tax environment, and affordability are all key factors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plans to invest around $35 billion in new Phoenix facilities. This is the most substantial direct foreign investment in Arizona to date. The investment will have significant ripple effects on the …

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By Robert Flores, Senior Vice President, CBRE Not too long ago, industrial real estate was generally viewed as an obscure and often unpopular subset of commercial real estate. Instead of owning a concrete box, many investors and developers were drawn to the flashier structures in Central Business Districts and hip submarkets. Fast forward a few short years, and industrial has firmly taken center stage for many who might have previously shunned the sector. The Greater Los Angeles area is one of the beneficiaries. The Greater Los Angeles region is the second-largest metro in the U.S. and is home to some of the nation’s most critical infrastructure. With the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach accounting for more than 40 percent of the country’s inbound container traffic and Los Angeles International Airport serving as a major gateway for passengers and air cargo, the local industrial market is ground zero for industrial users. At the close of the second quarter, the Greater Los Angeles industrial market totaled more than 1 billion square feet of rentable space with a vacancy rate of just above 1.5 percent, according to our CBRE research. Based on current activity levels and leasing velocity in the market, …

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CapRock

By Rob Martensen, Executive Vice President, Colliers As a racing driver, it is important that my vehicles fire on all cylinders to run their best. In the Phoenix metro area, the engine cylinders of the industrial market are the different industries, as well as the geographic locations around the Valley where these industries conduct business. First, let’s look at advanced manufacturing. Intel, which already has a large presence in the Southeast Valley, just announced a $20 billion expansion of its Price Road facility. This will create hundreds of construction jobs and demand for these contractors to find space, not to mention all the equipment suppliers, etc., that will require space for the long-term. With the huge demand for semiconductors and the supply of land and labor, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has chosen Phoenix to build its next fabrication plant. TSMC will spend $12 billion to build the new factory, which is already under construction in North Phoenix. This will create a huge demand for industrial space in the Deer Valley submarket to support TSMC. Other manufacturing companies like Apel Extrusions, MLILY and Ball Container have either recently completed projects or are under construction on new manufacturing facilities. Food and beverage …

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By Mark Ventre, Senior Vice President, Stepp Commercial As it turns out, COVID has once again delayed hopes of a return to normalized operations for apartment owners. Just when it seemed the shackles that have hindered the ability to raise rents and recoup lost income would be removed, it now appears the light at the end of the tunnel has grown more distant. Fortunately, there have been positive indicators that the economic environment in Los Angeles for the first half of 2021 has improved considerably from the second half of 2020. According to the California Labor Market, the unemployment rate lowered from 17.9 percent to 10.6 percent a year ago. Apart from the third quarter of 2020, which experienced an enormous economic bounce back of 33.4 percent, the second quarter of this year has seen a GDP increase of 6.5 percent, one of the strongest since 2003. This is great news for a city that was particularly hard hit, considering the amount of hospitality and leisure jobs. However, Los Angeles has still lagged the nation with respect to rent growth in 2021. Average asking rents have improved by 3.9 percent since the beginning of the year, far below the national average …

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By Alexandra Loye, Senior Vice President, Healthcare & Life Sciences Services, Colliers Despite global and domestic market challenges from the pandemic, Phoenix continues to shine amongst its competitive Western cities. With Maricopa County being the fastest-growing county in the U.S., Phoenix offers employers a diverse, educated workforce, business-friendly environment and affordable housing options. Arizona’s economy is booming and experiencing record revenue growth, as well as personal income growth. From 2019 to 2020, Arizona led the nation (tied with Montana) in the category of highest personal income growth with a 7.1 percent increase. The state is also projected to add 325,000 jobs in the next 12 months. Phoenix’s life sciences industry has gained significant momentum during the past 12 months, with no slowdown in sight. The Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC) in downtown Phoenix is ground zero for life sciences development and tenant activity. The 30-acre campus is currently occupied by Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), OncoMyx Therapeutics, Calviri, Vidium Animal Health, and Exact Sciences, which recently acquired Paradigm Diagnostics and Ashion Analytics. The PBC is the ideal environment when it comes to collaboration and innovation for life sciences tenants. The 227,000-square-foot, …

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