Western Market Reports

Small Businesses Make Big Strides in Phoenix’s Retail Market

by Jeff Shaw October 19, 2021

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 …

October 19, 2021

California Market Reports Office Western Western Market Reports

Greater Los Angeles’ Office Market is Bouncing Back

by Jeff Shaw October 13, 2021

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 …

October 13, 2021

Arizona Market Reports Multifamily Single-Family Rental Western Western Market Reports

Phoenix Multifamily Continues Its Upward Trajectory

by Jeff Shaw October 12, 2021

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 …

October 12, 2021

California Industrial Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

Industrial is the Belle of the Ball in LA

by Jeff Shaw October 6, 2021

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, …

October 6, 2021

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Phoenix’s Industrial Market is Firing on All Cylinders

by Jeff Shaw October 5, 2021

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 …

October 5, 2021

California Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Los Angeles’ Apartment Market Turns a Corner

by Jeff Shaw September 29, 2021

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 …

September 29, 2021

Arizona Life Sciences Market Reports Office Western Western Market Reports

Phoenix’s Life Sciences Market is on a Record Rise

by Jeff Shaw September 28, 2021

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, …

September 28, 2021

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Outlying Seattle Submarkets Positioned for Retail Expansion

by Jeff Shaw August 31, 2021

By Hank Wolfer, First Vice President of Investments, and Derek Peterson, Associate, Marcus & Millichap National retail chains favor Seattle’s surrounding neighborhoods. Prior to the pandemic, retailers were taking notice of strong demographic trends in the submarkets surrounding Seattle. Between 2009 and 2019, the number of households across the metropolitan area grew by 13 percent, nearly double the national rate. High homeownership costs directed many of those new households to the suburbs where living expenses are lower. Following rooftops, multiple developers have pursued expansion opportunities in these areas, with recently opened projects in locations like Renton, Frederickson and Shelton. These new floor plans are drawing prominent retailers, including 7-Eleven and medical provider DaVita Dialysis, as well as fast food operators like Popeyes. Although initially challenged by lockdowns, these facilities are poised to benefit from the ongoing economic recovery. Suburban properties are outperforming urban counterparts. While no tenant was free of pandemic-induced challenges, operations outside the urban core proved more resistant on average. Vacancy in downtown Seattle rose 80 basis points over the 12-month period that ended in March. This is compared with a 60 basis point climb in Tacoma and a 20 basis point increase in the Southend. Moving through the rest of 2021, metro-wide vacancy is …

August 31, 2021

California Market Reports Retail Western Western Market Reports

Outlook is Bright as Orange County Retail Continues to Heal

by Jeff Shaw August 27, 2021

By Terrison Quinn, Managing Principal, SRS Real Estate Partners Despite a recent uptick in vacancy from 4.07 percent to 4.5 percent and a softening of rents from $32.99 to $32.55 per square foot, Orange County remains Southern California’s tightest retail market. And retail investors remain bullish for good reasons. Theaters, gyms and other uses shuttered by the pandemic have reopened to greater-than-expected customer demand. In fact, several health club chains have reported they are back to pre-COVID membership numbers. A multitude of entertainment groups and theaters are also communicating positive messages about demand and expressing an interest in expanding. Theater operators have generally said their limitation is more related to content than demand. The reopening success is even more obvious in categories like grocery stores and drive-thru restaurants. This is apparent in nearly every Orange County city as parking lots are visibly impacted and cars continue to spill out of fast food drive-thru lanes. Most notably, Amazon Fresh is aggressively opening new stores, while fast feeders like Raising Cane’s, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks can’t seem to open new stores fast enough. Sit-down restaurants have also experienced a resurgence in demand with many national and regional groups setting record same-store sales. Clearly, …

August 27, 2021

Market Reports Multifamily Washington Western Western Market Reports

Seattle’s Apartment Market Roars to Life

by Jeff Shaw August 23, 2021

By Dylan Simon, Executive Vice President and Multifamily Specialist, Kidder Mathews It’s always easy to pick on the new kid. Seattle has enjoyed its emergence as a global city and, as such, exemplified “New Kid-itis” — yet it’s roaring back to life, and critics should take notice. It was only 18 months ago that Seattle could do no wrong. The city was teeming with young, upwardly mobile and highly employable apartment renters clamoring for places to live while selecting high earning jobs of their choice. Skyrocketing demand across nearly all sectors of commercial real estate was palpable, especially apartments. The impacts of COVID-19 and social unrest that ravaged the nation had a disproportionate impact on many urban centers. Arguably, its effects on Seattle lingered the longest. Demand for high-rise office space remained questionable as apartment renters second guessed urban living altogether. Civic dysfunction amplified the questioning of downtown Seattle’s livability, causing the apartment market to noticeably suffer. Yet spring is a time for regeneration and growth, and spring 2021 marked a turning point for the Seattle region and the entire apartment market. Occupancy Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels The Seattle region’s multifamily market unquestionably enjoyed a bull run this past decade. Average …

August 23, 2021

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