Western Market Reports

Lack of New Office Supply Pushes Large Users to Tertiary Puget Sound Markets

by Taylor Williams August 2, 2019

A decade ago, the Seattle office market was still reeling from the effects of the global recession. Total downtown vacancy had reached 14.9 percent with nearly every submarket from the Central Business District (CBD) to Lake Union experiencing some form of negative absorption. Total vacancy today is slightly more than half of what it was back then, hovering at around 7.7 percent. This is despite the total net rentable area growing by more than 11 million square feet. Seattle has also shifted from largely being considered a secondary market to one of the leading real estate hubs in the nation, thanks to consistent talent and demand from the engineering, aerospace and technology industries. Seattle currently ranks second behind San Francisco in our annual Scoring Tech Talent report. And yet, while our extensive growth has been a benefit to the office market, a new problem has cropped up in the face of this progress: availability. The rise of coworking, as well as the surplus of partial floor spaces, has been a benefit to smaller companies in the midst of early stage growth and expansion. In fact, there are more than 700 options in Downtown Seattle for smaller tenants, primarily under 15,000 …

August 2, 2019

Industrial Market Reports Oregon Western Western Market Reports

Talent, Manufacturing Bolster Portland’s Industrial Market

by Taylor Williams July 27, 2019

Strong economic growth on the West Coast from the booming tech industry has benefited Portland’s economy. As a result, considerable employment and population growth, particularly from the Millennial generation, has elevated the industrial market significantly in recent years. According to CBRE, demographic growth and the national shift to online consumption have contributed to a steadily decreasing industrial vacancy rate since 2010, which reached 3.3 percent in early 2019. Demand for industrial space began to pick up speed about five years ago and has since boosted asking rents 45 percent. Build-to-suit construction projects were a growing trend in 2018, delivering more than 2.9 million square feet for existing tenants, the largest developments being the Troutdale Reynolds and Rivergate. To date, 2019 construction has been exclusively speculative with half a million square feet delivered thus far and 41 percent preleased. An additional 1.4 million square feet is under construction and expected to deliver by year-end 2020, none of which is pre-committed. At the same time, demand for industrial space of 100,000 square feet or greater accounts for 20 percent of users in the market. The speculative construction projects delivering during the next 18 months should provide some supply options for users of …

July 27, 2019

Market Reports Office Oregon Western Western Market Reports

Office Expansion Continues in Portland for 10th Consecutive Year

by Taylor Williams July 26, 2019

Consistent investment trends, a steady demand for tenants, stable in-migration and several new additions to the skyline have provided Portland with a strong first half of 2019. With more than 100,000 square feet of positive net absorption this year, the Portland office market shook off any lingering negative sentiment from 2018 and started the year strong. Portland has built a reputation as a second outpost to cities like Seattle and the Bay Area. Companies tend to initially set up small offices before quickly realizing Portland is a viable alternative to other larger hubs. In-migration remains strong but the major growth the market has experienced recently has been from homegrown companies ramping up or expanding their operations. We’re continuing to see office rents grow at almost 12 percent year over year. Portland office rents average $32.12 per square foot, making them nearly 60 percent cheaper than San Francisco and 25 percent cheaper than Seattle. The city is also well situated to attract companies that are being priced out of primary markets but still need to be geographically close. When you layer on our cost of living and high quality of life, Portland becomes even more attractive, which also contributes to its …

July 26, 2019

Market Reports Oregon Retail Western Western Market Reports

Construction Pipeline Woes Benefit Portland’s Retail Market

by Taylor Williams July 20, 2019

Portland’s retail market is supported by steady employment gains that are luring new residents. Employers have created almost 23,800 jobs over the past 12 months, while the metro added nearly 27,400 people. This is a population growth rate that is nearly double that of the U.S. Household income also advanced at a faster clip than most of the country. Portland’s median household income jumped 5.3 percent over the past year. This is well above the national level of 3.6 percent, providing residents with more discretionary spending power. Retail sales have surged 5.8 percent year over year as a result, which is significantly higher than the U.S. rate of change. These growth trends are expected to continue through 2019, boosting the retail sector. The need for retail space may be escalating, but construction remains measured. This has funneled expanding retailers into the dwindling supply of existing space as vacancy tightens. Developers added 319,000 square feet year over year in March, slightly lower than the 327,200 square feet 12 months earlier. Deliveries will remain sparse as builders have less than 300,000 square feet under construction. Much of the new supply is ground-level space in mixed-use office or apartment projects in walkable, urban …

July 20, 2019

Market Reports Multifamily Oregon Western Western Market Reports

Red Tape, Legislation Tie Up Portland’s Multifamily Market

by Taylor Williams July 19, 2019

The population in the Greater Portland metro grew by more than 80,000 between 2016 and 2019, while the total number of all housing units permitted was 31,538, according to the Census Bureau. This ongoing housing shortage both inside and outside Portland city limits is expected to keep property values and rents growing as demand continues to outpace supply for the foreseeable future. Since 2015, there has been an increase in the vacancy rate as thousands of new apartments have been added and absorbed. Rent and other concessions that grew during 2018 have decreased in close-in Portland, East Vancouver and Oregon City. They have increased, however, in neighborhoods where new units were delivered. After experiencing flat rents two years ago, rent increases averaged 3.7 percent between April 2018 and 2019, according to the Multifamily NW Apartment Report. Portland saw an overall transaction volume increase with a total of 38 institutional transactions in 2018. Properties valued at less than $10 million experienced only a slight increase in transactions between 2017 and 2018. Oregon also became the first to adopt statewide rent control on Feb. 28, 2019. Rent increases are capped at 7 percent plus inflation annually. No-cause evictions are limited. The Portland …

July 19, 2019

California Market Reports Office Western Western Market Reports

Los Angeles’ Office Craving Shows No Sign of Satiation

by Taylor Williams July 13, 2019

The Los Angeles office market ended the first quarter with the average asking rent steady over the prior quarter. However, at $3.20 per square foot, the average asking rent remains the highest level on record, up 4.2 percent over the first quarter of 2018 and 15 percent above the prior peak reached in 2008. While the vacancy rate this quarter increased 30 basis points over the prior quarter, it is down 10 basis points from Q1 2018 at 10.6 percent. This is about where it was pre-recession in 2004. This rise in vacancy was the result of several large move-outs, including about 200,000 square feet in the South Bay and 50,000 square feet in the Central office markets. Leasing volume fell to 5.8 million square feet, down 19.6 percent from the prior quarter and 7.9 percent from Q1 2018. The rate of job growth is having some impact on the office market. Los Angeles County remains near full employment with the unemployment rate at 4.6 percent, one of the lowest rates on record. The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) notes the county added 59,000 jobs in 2018. The latest LAEDC jobs forecast points to a strong and steady …

July 13, 2019

California Market Reports Restaurant Retail Western Western Market Reports

Food and Beverage Remain the Stars of LA’s Retail Scene

by Taylor Williams July 12, 2019

One fact is very clear as we assess the retail landscape and take note of the variety of retail activities taking place: food and beverage (F&B) and dining out continue to reshape consumer trends. These trends are heavily influencing retail activities throughout the region, especially in the Downtown Los Angeles submarket. The market continues to show great activity in F&B as landlords look to absorb vacancies with more food uses by creating unique dining experiences and take-out options for today’s consumer. This new demand has been the catalyst for the increase in commissary kitchens and restaurateurs leasing spaces for delivery models that cater to the growing, app-based delivery services. CBRE’s latest report, the Food in Demand Series, highlights the momentum of F&B. This extends to fast-casual dining, prepared dining options offered in grocery stores, and as stand-alone offerings in mixed-use settings, such as residential, creative office and hospitality projects. Per the report, consumer spending in restaurants amongst Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers has outpaced spending on grocery items. This is a significant shift for consumers. For this reason, we will likely see landlords maintain a focus on F&B as a means to bring value to their assets and create …

July 12, 2019

California Industrial Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

LA’s Industrial Basin Heads North

by Taylor Williams July 6, 2019

The Los Angeles County industrial market continues to see record low vacancy rates, which are hovering in the 1 percent range with a conservative forecast calling for rents to increase by 7.5 percent in 2019. Ecommerce companies and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) — many of which support ecommerce operations — will continue to be dominant market players, according to NKF’s Los Angeles industrial market report for Q1 2019. In North Los Angeles, we are seeing multiple submarkets, including those in the San Fernando Valley, Ventura County, Conejo Valley, Kern County, and the Santa Clarita areas, becoming more connected than ever before. These areas and projects are now “connecting the dots” between all the submarkets as the opportunities for industrial space in Los Angeles’ core markets become increasingly more competitive and scarce. For example, occupiers that have been in the 130 million-square-foot San Fernando Valley industrial market for decades are now needing more space. However, the opportunities for larger, modern product are just not there. The majority of industrial product is less than 100,000 square feet with 16- to 24-foot clear heights. This can work for users like cosmetics, entertainment and aerospace, but others need more modern features to streamline operations. …

July 6, 2019

California Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Greater Los Angeles Apartment Sector Stays Strong After Record 2018

by Taylor Williams July 5, 2019

The City of Los Angeles checks all the boxes for an excellent apartment owner environment. This includes a booming economy, expensive housing, meaningful job growth, and an abundance of Millennials and professionals. Los Angeles enjoys an immense and fast-growing high-tech industry, especially within the media, tech, aerospace and advanced transportation industry with the likes of Netflix, Google, SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. Los Angeles County houses the nation’s largest international trade industry, the nation’s largest manufacturing base, and an increasing amount of venture capital investment startups. A growing economy is almost always paired with escalating housing costs, and Los Angeles is no exception. More than ever, residents are driven to rental housing as homeownership is prohibitively expensive and not conducive to job mobility and flexibility. Last year was a banner year for region’s apartment sector. The average market rent in the Los Angeles MSA has seen extremely impressive growth, increasing an average of 5.3 percent annually since the turn of the century, according to Axiometrics. This remarkable trajectory has been spurred by the extremely tight rental market, with annual occupancies averaging between 94 percent and 97 percent. Such indicators allow landlords to be extremely discerning when vetting tenants, which, in turn, …

July 5, 2019

Arizona Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Job, Population Growth Spur Phoenix’s Multifamily Market

by Taylor Williams February 19, 2019

The multifamily investment activity in Metro Phoenix remains extremely strong. This is driven by the employment and population growth in these markets, as well as by the affordability of rental housing compared to other parts of the nation. The employment growth has occurred in many segments, including technology, medical and finance. Technology companies are focused on cities where universities provide an abundant supply of skilled labor for these types of jobs. Arizona State University (ASU) in Metro Phoenix is one of the largest universities in the country with more than 87,000 students. It is working hand in hand with technology companies and other expanding employers to provide the education their students will need to fulfill openings in the market. A skilled workforce and affordable housing have been strong pulls for companies looking to relocate, expand or get off the ground. The increases in jobs and population have led to further increases in rent, occupancy, construction and absorption. The public’s changing perception about home ownership and the freedom that renting allows — along with the amenities provided in many of today’s apartment communities — has propelled multifamily demand in Metro Phoenix. The area’s overall vacancy rate for the third quarter was …

February 19, 2019

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