Georgia

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ATLANTA — The multifamily market in the Southeast still prevails as one of the nation’s most dynamic real estate ventures, but one aspect in particular is casting a dark shadow — the cultivation of oversupply in the region. When the demand for housing during and after the COVID pandemic increased, developers energetically responded with an aggressive building boom. However, when new supply began to outpace demand, vacancy crept up and concern for the market became more prominent. “We put shovels in the ground and started developing — and now we’re paying for that sin,” said Greg Mark, executive managing director at Cushman & Wakefield. “Across the board, we’re just not seeing the same kind of returns.” Mark’s comments came at the operations panel during the 2025 InterFace Multifamily Southeast conference, which was held at the InterContinental Buckhead in Atlanta. Co-hosted by France Media’s InterFace Conference Group and Multifamily & Affordable Housing Business magazine, the two-day event attracted a little more than 300 attendees. Ed Wolff, CEO of Dallas-based Aerwave, moderated the panel. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. Karen Key, Southeast …

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KENNESAW, GA. — The Atlantic Cos. has announced that 1075 Big Shanty, a 72,633-square-foot office building in the northwest Atlanta suburb of Kennesaw, is now fully leased following three long-term lease executions totaling nearly 65,000 square feet. FEI Group, a national network of interior finishing contractors specializing in floors and cabinetry, has signed a new lease for 14,700 square feet. The Emory Clinic has also signed a new 19,840-square-foot lease at 1075 Big Shanty. Additionally, WSP, a global engineering and professional services firm, has renewed its 30,255-square-foot lease at the property. Michael Howell, Hunter Henritze and Maia Perri of Lincoln Property Co. represented the landlord in the lease negotiations. Situated near I-75 and Kennesaw State University, 1075 Big Shanty is a one-story office building that features a modern design, full-height glass, abundant natural light and outdoor seating.

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ATLANTA — For many multifamily professionals, 2025 is a year to forget. Paul Berry, president and chief operating officer of Mesa Capital Partners, said that U.S. multifamily investment sales are on track to close out the year at $125 billion, which represents a 25 percent decline from an average pre-COVID year and a little more than a third of 2021’s total (a torrid $354 billion). Andrew Zelman, senior vice president of Southeast investments at Boston-based GID Multifamily, said that owners are doing “everything they can to hold out for a profit.” Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. “As simplistic as this is, sellers will avoid transacting at less than peak values at any cost,” said Zelman, who added that owners are essentially kicking the can down the road by recapitalizing their assets or stopping and starting the marketing process if their pricing expectations aren’t being met. Zelman’s comments came during the opening panel on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the 2025 InterFace Multifamily Southeast conference, which was held at the InterContinental Buckhead in Atlanta. Co-hosted …

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NEW YORK CITY — CBRE has arranged the sale of a 20-property last-mile distribution and light-manufacturing industrial portfolio across eight states. New York City-based Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp. (NYSE: ACRE) acquired the portfolio, which spans more than 3 million square feet. Brian Fiumara led CBRE’s National Partners team in marketing the portfolio and representing the undisclosed seller in the transaction. The CBRE team also procured the buyer. The properties include: The industrial portfolio consists of well-maintained industrial buildings ranging in size from 16,000 to 500,000 square feet, while average occupancy across the properties currently sits at 95 percent. “The acquisition by Ares allows the company to expand its existing portfolio with a critical mass of light industrial and well-located last-mile assets in major population centers with access to key distribution infrastructure,” says Fiumara. ACRE is a real estate investment trust (REIT) managed by Ares Commercial Real Estate Management LLC, a subsidiary of Ares Management Corp., which manages approximately $596 billion of assets.   ACRE’s stock price closed on Thursday, Dec. 4 at $5.15 per share, down from $6.98 a year ago, a nearly 26 percent decline. — Abby Cox

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CHAMBLEE, GA. — Atlas Real Estate Partners has opened The Hawkins, a 192-unit apartment community located at 3311 Hood Ave. in Chamblee, a northeast suburb of Atlanta. The property is situated adjacent to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and is currently 63 percent occupied. The project team included FIDES Development, New South Construction, Nelson Architects and Banko Design, and Greystar is providing property management services. The Hawkins offers a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom residences, with monthly rental rates ranging from $1,558 to $3,069, according to Apartments.com. Amenities include a sky lounge overlooking the airport, coworking spaces, an indoor/outdoor fitness center, resort-style swimming pool and dog spa facilities. The Hawkins will eventually feature ground-floor retail space and a grab-and-go market, according to Atlas.

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NEW YORK CITY — Global alternative investment firm Investcorp has completed the $400 million acquisition of an industrial portfolio located in markets across the Eastern and Western United States. The seller was not disclosed. Totaling 2.6 million square feet, the portfolio comprises 35 buildings across seven markets. Properties in the portfolio include a 76,000-square-foot, two-building portfolio in Philadelphia; a 44,000-square-foot building in New Jersey; 92,000 square feet across two buildings on Long Island; a 1.3 million-square-foot logistics portfolio in Sacramento, Calif.; 156,000 square feet across two buildings in Tampa, Fla.; a 115,000-square-foot, three-building portfolio in South Florida; and a 12-building, 814,000-square-foot portfolio on Atlanta’s north side.  Average occupancy across the portfolio was at 97 percent as of October.  According to Green Street Advisors, each of the seven markets associated with the portfolio saw strong demand growth in the industrial sector during the third quarter of 2025. The firm noted that new supply in these markets makes up less than 1.3 percent of current inventory. “Despite shifting trade dynamics and supply chain disruptions across the country, the U.S. industrial sector has retained its foundational strength,” says Herb Myers, global head of real assets at Investcorp. “This is particularly true for these and similar …

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RINCON, GA. — Transwestern Development Co., along with joint venture partner Transwestern Investment Group, has purchased a 30.7-acre site in Effingham County on behalf of a separately managed account. The ownership group plans to develop two Class A industrial buildings on the site, which is situated within North Gate Industrial Park. The project will include a 240,560-square-foot rear-load building and a 288,000-square-foot front-load building, each designed with 36-foot clear heights, ESFR systems, dock-high doors, multiple points of ingress and egress, 2,500 square foot office suites and ample car parking and onsite trailer storage. Situated near the intersection of Ga. Highway 21 and Old Augusta Road in Rincon, the development will provide direct access to interstates 95 and 16 and offer drayage routes from the Garden City Terminal at the Port of Savannah. The project team includes The Conlan Co., Randall-Paulson Architects and Kern & Co. JLL will provide leasing services. Transwestern plans to begin construction before the end of the year and complete the shell of the two buildings by year-end 2026.

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AUGUSTA, GA. — Dwight Mortgage Trust, an affiliate REIT of Dwight Capital, has provided a $41 million loan for the refinancing of Pointe Grand Reservation Way, a newly constructed, 264-unit apartment community located at 255 Reservation Way in Augusta. Josh Hoffman and Jonathan Pomper of Dwight Mortgage Trust originated the loan for the borrower, Winter Park, Fla.-based Hillpointe. The loan will refinance existing debt, fund an interest reserve, cover transaction costs and return built-up equity accumulated during construction. Pointe Grand Reservation Way features a clubhouse, resort-style pool, business center, fitness center, firepit, picnic area and electric vehicle charging stations.

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DOUGLASVILLE, GA. — Lee & Associates has negotiated the sale of a 335,613-square-foot industrial facility located at 7555 Wood Road in the Atlanta suburb of Douglasville. The property features modern construction elements, high clear heights, multiple dock positions and functional warehouse space that can accommodate a variety of industrial users. The asset’s location also provides direct access to I-20 and I-285, as well as various regional transportation networks. Approximately 27,917 square feet of the facility is now available for lease. Billy Snowden of Lee & Associates represented the buyer in the transaction. Both the buyer and seller requested anonymity.

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Atlanta’s multifamily market has been in a slump that would even make Braves fans wince. After peaking with record-breaking sales in 2021, volumes slid as borrowing costs climbed and supply piled up. But just like any good ballclub, the fundamentals matter, and the data suggests momentum is quietly building for a 2026 comeback season. Sales volume trends According to research from CoStar Group, institutional multifamily sales in Atlanta (transactions of $50 million or more) peaked in 2021 at $12.8 billion, driven by record pricing, historically low borrowing costs and robust rent growth. Since then, record supply, rising expenses and a sharp increase in borrowing costs have pushed sales volumes down by more than 70 percent, averaging just $3.5 billion annually over the past three years. While the broader U.S. economy has surged since 2022 — the S&P 500 has climbed 45 percent since fourth-quarter 2022 — commercial real estate has been searching for its bottom. Data now suggests that Atlanta has reached this inflection point, and history indicates increased activity and rising values in the years ahead. Parallels to the GFC Looking back at the global financial crisis (GFC) provides valuable context. The chart above (inflation-adjusted using Real Capital Analytics’ …

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