Strong Economy, Low Unemployment Drive Twin Cities Office Market Success

Our Twin Cities office market remains strong as the population of millennials and empty nesters continues to migrate to first- and second-ring areas, bringing revitalization and new investment into the city’s commerce and infrastructure. With vacancies remaining exceptionally low and fewer developments on the horizon, rents have shown consistent growth. We are seeing fewer new buildings under construction for single-tenant users. Most are geared toward multi-tenant, mixed-use …

September 19, 2019Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Office

Mixed-Use and Apartments: Is There Still Room for Growth in the Twin Cities?

As a team, we work heavily in mixed-use leasing and development sourcing. Our team handles the commercial leasing on many mixed-use projects within the Twin Cities market, where we also source and find locations for mixed-use apartment developers. This article will give a current snapshot of the mixed-use retail and apartment market within the Twin Cities. What types of projects? There are many three- to six-story, podium-style apartment buildings popping up all over the urban areas of …

September 5, 2019Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Multifamily

Twin Cities’ Apartment Market Poised for a Strong 2019

The Twin Cities apartment market is historically characterized by high occupancy and minimal volatility, with consistent and solid year-over-year rent increases, minimal concessions and a sustained vacancy rate well below 5 percent. As a result, there is abundant interest from investors and lenders alike to place capital in the Twin Cities. The lending environment for Twin Cities’ apartment owners appears poised for another great run in 2019, with all lender types having a large …

March 28, 2019Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Multifamily

To Attract and Retain Tenants, Office Landlords Get Creative in Minneapolis

Stakes are rising in the war for talent, and employers are using amenity-rich real estate to win the hearts and minds of the brightest young recruits. Determined to outflank the competition, companies are increasingly focused on occupying buildings with the best available on-site features, proximity to nearby amenities, and the elusive “cool” factor. Competition escalates To heed the call for better offerings, landlords in Minneapolis have begun to offer unconventional …

March 21, 2019Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Office

Industrial Owners Find Success in Reinventing Flex and Showroom Spaces

The most active commercial real estate category in the Twin Cities metro area over the last several years, in terms of leasing activity and new construction sales, has been industrial product. New construction has been trending toward office warehouse and bulk buildings with higher clear heights, as tenants are implementing new racking systems and growing upward to optimize their space. On the surface, this trend may sound like it will leave behind the lower-clear height flex and office …

September 27, 2018Industrial, Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota

Influx of Supply Begins to Impact Minneapolis Multifamily Market

Like several other markets across the country, the Twin Cities is experiencing the peak of the post-recession construction cycle. However, the traditionally tight multifamily market is in one of the best positions to absorb new units. In fact, Minneapolis-St. Paul has consistently reported one of the lowest vacancy rates in the nation due to a strong economic base and pent up demand for new units. Metro Minneapolis is the second-largest economic center in the Midwest and the local economy …

September 20, 2018Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Multifamily

Future Is Bright for Senior Living Development in the Twin Cities

Exciting times are in store for the senior living industry. A massive generation of baby boomers is entering the golden years of retirement and beyond, driving a wave of demand for seniors housing. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates 78 million baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. The youngest boomers are 54 this year and the oldest are 72, so we are just eclipsing the front end of the wave. [caption id="attachment_198293" align="alignright" width="100"] Matt Rauenhorst, Opus …

March 29, 2018Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Multifamily, Seniors Housing

From Pop-Up Shops to Escape Rooms, Minneapolis Embraces Experiential Retail

The retail sector in metro Minneapolis continues to adapt to changing consumer preferences, fast-moving economic opportunities and new state laws. Over the course of 2017, the retail real estate market showed positive growth in every category. Absorption of 1.4 million square feet surpassed the 1.3 million square feet of deliveries, according to CoStar Group. The rising cost of construction, low vacancy rate (3.1 percent) and increasing rental rates are creating new barriers to entry for …

March 22, 2018Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Retail

Minneapolis Market Ready to Embrace Shifting Retail Trends

The Minneapolis retail market ended the second quarter with a vacancy rate of 3.1 percent. The freestanding retail segment (buildings not contained within a shopping center) posted a vacancy rate of 1.8 percent. Over the past year, there has been a pattern of positive absorption in the market. The average quoted asking retail rental rate at the end of the second quarter was $13.94 per square foot. Comparably, a year ago this rate was $13.29 per square foot. Meanwhile, construction of retail …

October 12, 2017Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Retail

Stars Are Aligned for Twin Cities’ Apartment Market to Remain Strong

Following the recession, demand for multifamily development took off in many areas of the country. We predicted it as significant economic and demographic changes were happening, spurring a shift from homeownership to renting. As a result, the multifamily sector experienced a resurgence that hadn’t been seen in decades. In some cities where an abundance of multifamily projects have been delivered, there is discussion of potential saturation. That’s not the case in the Twin Cities of …

March 23, 2017Market Reports, Midwest, Midwest Market Reports, Minnesota, Multifamily