— By Shane Shafer of Northmarq — The Orange County apartment market is one of the most dynamic and sought-after real estate sectors in Southern California. Known for its beautiful beaches, high quality of life, and proximity to major job centers like Los Angeles and San Diego, Orange County has become a prime location for renters. As of 2025, the apartment market in the area is marked by a blend of high demand, rising rents, and an evolving landscape shaped by both economic and demographic trends. The demand for apartments in Orange County has been consistently strong in recent years. This is driven by both local and regional factors. The county’s thriving economy — bolstered by sectors like technology, healthcare, tourism and finance — provides ample job opportunities, making it an attractive place for workers from across the state and beyond. This influx of talent, combined with a relatively low housing supply, has kept rental demand high, particularly in areas near major employment hubs, such as Irvine, Costa Mesa and Anaheim. The region’s high desirability keeps apartment vacancies generally low, with occupancy rates often nearing or surpassing 95 percent. New construction, while robust, has not fully kept pace with the …
— By John Read of CBRE Retail Investment Properties-West — The expression “in the black” signifies financial health, a positive outlook, investment opportunities and growth. It’s a phrase that’s resonating strongly with investors, as Orange County’s thriving retail fundamentals spur robust demand for investment properties. Despite ongoing capital market volatility and fluctuating interest rates, Orange County remains a prime target for retail property investors. The county’s strong retail property fundamentals is driven by its diverse, affluent and highly educated population. The average household income in Orange County exceeds $157,000, with more than 46 percent of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. It also boasts a low unemployment rate of 3.8 percent. Retail property fundamentals concluded the fourth quarter of 2024 with a county-wide availability rate of 3.8 percent, down from the previous quarter. This reduction was fueled by sustained demand, limited inventory, minimal future supply, 547,000 square feet of positive net absorption and an average asking rent of $2.57 per square foot, a $0.13 increase from the prior year. These positive trends, combined with limited new retail property construction (only 190,000 square feet of supply, representing 0.1 percent of existing inventory and the lowest share among the nation’s 40 …
By David Leopold, SVP, Head of Affordable Housing, Berkadia In today’s shifting real estate landscape, investors increasingly prioritize stability and long-term value. One sector that has consistently demonstrated stability is affordable housing — particularly Section 8 properties backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With guaranteed rental income and high demand, Section 8 housing has become an attractive investment vehicle for those looking to diversify their portfolios while contributing to the critical need for affordable housing. As part of this trend, in 2024 Berkadia financed $837 million and sold more than $172 million in Section 8 properties, including the sale and financing of Lauderhill Point, a Section 8 affordable housing community in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This arrangement underpins the firm’s affordable housing expertise, employing production leaders with an average of 25 years in the sector. For investors exploring opportunities in affordable housing, success depends on understanding the unique benefits and requirements of Section 8 properties. Section 8 Housing as a Safe Haven The largest federal subsidized housing program in the United States, project-based Section 8 provides financial assistance to millions of households across the country, making it a steady source of demand that can give …
CARLSBAD, CALIF. — Roseville, Calif.-based USA Properties Fund and Los Angeles-based The Pinyon Group have opened Vintage at Marja Acres, an affordable age-restricted community in Carlsbad. Located at 4660 Garden Hill Loop, Vintage at Marja Acres offers 47 apartments, a community room, wellness/health center and onsite laundry. The one-bedroom apartments feature energy-efficient appliances and light fixtures, and low-flow faucets, showers and toilets. The units are designated for residents at least 55 years old who earn 30 percent to 60 percent of the area median income for San Diego County, Calif. Vintage at Marja Acres is a public-private partnership that includes the City of Carlsbad, Riverside Charitable Corp. and WNC Inc. JPMorgan Chase is the construction and permanent lender for the $21 million project. IHP Capital Partners and KB Homes are also partners on the project, which is in infill community that is named after a former longtime nursery on the property.
TUCSON, ARIZ. — Winterhaven Investors LLC has acquired Winterhaven Square, a retail center in Tucson, from Glover Associates LP for $5.3 million. Located at 3102-3160 E. Fort Lowell Road, Winterhaven Square offers 35,300 square feet of retail space. Greg Furrier, Rob Tomlinson and Natalie Furrier of Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR handled the transaction.
OLYMPIA, WASH. — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has arranged the sale of Parkview, a multifamily property within the 137-acre Briggs Village master-planned community in Olympia. Amoroso Cos. sold the asset to Nearon Enterprises for an undisclosed price. Completed in 2012, Parkview offers 72 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with nine-foot ceilings, electric fireplaces and private decks or patios. Community amenities include onsite parking, bike storage, a fenced dog run and package lockers. Ryan Harmon, Philip Assouad, Giovanni Napoli, Nick Ruggiero and Anthony Palladino of IPA represented the seller and procured the buyer in the deal.
NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. — CBRE has facilitated the sale of 1419 Superior Avenue, a medical office building in Newport Beach, to a local owner-user. Equity Enterprises Ltd. sold the property for $5 million. Anthony DeLorenzo, Sammy Cemo, Bryan Johnson and Harry Su of CBRE represented the seller in the deal. Situated across from the 498-bed acute care hospital Hoag Newport Beach, the 8,935-square-foot building was 62 percent leased at the time of sale to four tenants.
OCEANSIDE, CALIF. — Premier Property Management LLC has sold 634 Crouch Street, an industrial property in Oceanside, to Legacy West Partners LLC for $1.5 million. Ben Tashakorian and Brad Peters of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller and procured the buyer in the transaction. The property offers 5,800 square feet of industrial space spread across six buildings. The asset includes 0.4 acres of land on two parcels, with two entrances and a separate bay for multi-tenant use. Additionally, one unit has a residential unit attached. At the time of sale, the property was fully leased.
LAS VEGAS — SB Real Estate Partners has acquired a multifamily property located at 7531 Tule Springs Road in Las Vegas for $42 million. Formerly known as Brownstone Apartments, Portola Centennial Hills offers 143 one-, two- and three-bedroom units spread across nine low-rise residential buildings, which are adjacent to Pop Squires, a 2-acre public park. Amenities include a clubhouse, resort-style pool, barbecue areas, a 24-hour fitness center and tuck-under garages. The buyer has a limited capital improvements program planned for the property. Upgrades include smart-home tech packages and minor common area upgrades. John Cunningham, Charles Steele and Jared Glover of Berkadia Las Vegas represented the buyer and undisclosed seller in the off-market transaction.
HESPERIA, CALIF. — Newcastle Partners has received $27.5 million in construction financing for Mesa Linda Logistics Center, a Class A industrial warehouse and distribution facility currently under construction in Hesperia. Scheduled for delivery in first-quarter 2026, the 408,997-square-foot property will offer a clear height of 36 feet, 54 dock-high doors, 57 trailer parking stalls, 215 auto parking spaces, an ESFR sprinkler system and a combined 12,000 square feet of office and mezzanine space. The project is situated on 17.5 acres and will offer access to freeways, including interstates 5 and 40, US-395, CA-18 and CA-189. Greg Brown, Samuel Godfrey and Allie Black of JLL Capital Markets secured the floating-rate, nonrecourse construction loan through a bank for the borrower.