Government Services Keep Downtown Honolulu’s Office Market Humming

Honolulu’s office market has remained relatively unchanged for the past decade, but recent events have led to a dramatic shift in the direction of the Downtown submarket. Office vacancy rates in Downtown Honolulu have increased consistently in recent years, and steady leasing activity has led to declining vacancy. The Downtown office market is currently the tightest it has ever been. The vacancy rate in Downtown Honolulu decreased 70 basis points to 12.1 percent in the third quarter of 2019, …

December 28, 2019Hawaii, Market Reports, Office, Western, Western Market Reports

Expansion Continues in Hawaii’s Retail Market

Like so many markets nationally, the Hawaii retail real estate market was firmly in a state of flux in 2019. Despite more new vacancies than new openings — and limited new development — the Hawaii market held its own amidst challenging times. Investment sales demand and fundamentals remained strong, new and prominent retailers entered the market, and existing operators continued to expand and innovate. Last year brought both closings and openings to the Hawaii retail sector. Bucking …

December 27, 2019Hawaii, Market Reports, Retail, Western, Western Market Reports

Hawaii’s Rising Rents Continue to Support Multifamily Investment Interest

As one of the premier global tourist destinations in the world, the Hawaii market is dominated by condos and hotels. It is also home to mega investment deals. A review of Hawaii’s investment market over the past three years shows that the hotel industry has made up the following percentage of the top 10 deals for each year: • 91 percent in 2017 • 55 percent in 2018 • 23 percent in 2019 The total sales volume for these deals has also seen a decline from more than $1.5 billion in …

December 21, 2019Hawaii, Market Reports, Multifamily, Western, Western Market Reports

Low Vacancy, High Demand Define Hawaii’s Industrial Market

When we last reported on the health of Oahu’s industrial market in December 2017, we offered rationale for a then 1.88 percent industrial vacancy rate. This was fueled by demand from contractors building large residential condo developments, the construction of a nearly $10 billion light rail system (voter approved at less than $5 billion), booming tourism and military sectors and large public infrastructure improvements.[caption id="attachment_221523" align="alignright" width="100"] …

February 5, 2019Hawaii, Industrial, Market Reports, Western, Western Market Reports

As Usual, Demand Outpaces Supply in Hawaii’s Multifamily Market

Hawaii’s multifamily market continues to achieve record pricing driven by strong local investor demand and notable institutional investors of larger mega deals at $100 million or above. This market is defined by limited inventory and prohibitively expensive new construction that leaves Hawaii with stable annual vacancy rates of about 96 percent.[caption id="attachment_221519" align="alignright" width="100"] Mark Bratton, Bratton Realty Advisors[/caption] Hawaii has seen only modest …

January 29, 2019Hawaii, Market Reports, Multifamily, Western, Western Market Reports

Hawaii’s Fundamentals Continue to Attract Investment Sale Interest

The Hawaii investment sale market was active in 2018 with an abundance of capital seeking investment opportunities throughout the state and across all product types. Mortgage availability from local banks and non-local financiers remained strong, and there was a steady flow of new interest from debt and equity sources looking for first opportunities in Hawaii. Last year’s transaction volume (including entity level) was up 33 percent from 2017 to $5.5 billion. Institutional and cross-border …

January 25, 2019Hawaii, Hospitality, Market Reports, Office, Retail, Western, Western Market Reports

The Tide Turns in Hawaii’s Office Market

Honolulu’s office market has been stagnant for nearly 20 years with negative supply growth, limited demand, constant reductions in square feet per person and a very tight labor market. However, conversions from office to residential and/or hotel use and a major tenant move could change the market starting in 2019.[caption id="attachment_221516" align="alignright" width="100"] Jamie Brown, Hawaii Commercial Real Estate[/caption] Multi-tenant inventory has decreased by about 500,000 …

January 22, 2019Hawaii, Market Reports, Western, Western Market Reports

Hawaii Has Faced A Compressed Industrial Market, But Relief Is in Sight

When we last reported on the health of Hawaii’s industrial market in 2018, we offered rationale for a then 2.02 percent Oahu industrial vacancy rate. This rate was fueled by the completion of many large residential high rises in urban Honolulu, the ongoing construction of a $9.2 billion light rail system (voter approved at less than $5 billion), and booming tourism and military sectors, our two biggest economic drivers.[caption id="attachment_254364" align="alignright" width="100"] Bill …

January 3, 2019Hawaii, Industrial, Market Reports, Western, Western Market Reports

Competition Increases for Hawaii’s Office Space

Hawaii’s office market is dominated by Honolulu, which is home to 70 percent of the state’s population and commerce. More than 90 percent of the state’s 12 million square feet of multi-tenant Class A and B office space is located in Honolulu, with nearly 80 percent of Honolulu’s inventory situated in the four-mile stretch between the Central Business District and Waikiki.[caption id="attachment_181933" align="alignright" width="100"] Jamie Brown, Hawaii Commercial Real …

August 15, 2017Hawaii, Market Reports, Office, Western, Western Market Reports

Hawaii: Ground-Up Shopping Centers on Rise Despite High Construction Costs

Construction costs in Hawaii are beginning to plateau after seeing year-over-year increases for the past several years. The market has seen gray shell retail building costs of about $275 per square foot; and to vanilla shell, another $80 per square foot to $100. Restaurants range from $300 per square foot to $350 to take them from gray to finished shell without fixtures. Remarkably, even with escalating construction costs, retail leasing and development are both extremely active. This, combined …

August 1, 2017Hawaii, Market Reports, Retail, Western, Western Market Reports