ATLANTA — Multifamily investors are anticipating another solid year for U.S. apartment sales. Annual transaction volume is robust, price per unit is increasing and fundamentals like rent growth and occupancy are strong, leaving buyers confident that apartment properties remain a safe investment. “Investors are so sophisticated now, and they have the option of going into whatever sector, whatever geography, with whatever strategy they want, and they are scanning it all,” said Malcolm McComb, vice chairman of CBRE. “But what’s coming out again and again for many years in a row now is multifamily and industrial are stealing the show.” McComb’s comments were made during the opening presentation at the Atlanta Apartment Association’s (AAA) “2018 Apartment Market Outlook: Disruption in the Apartment Industry.” The conference was held on Friday, Aug. 10, at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. Back on the Upswing After a slight decrease in total transaction volume in 2017 — the first time since 2009 that U.S. multifamily annual sales volume didn’t surpass the preceding year — 2018 transaction volume is on track to match or slightly surpass last year’s output. Through the first half of 2018, apartment investment sales totaled $69.9 billion, a 7.9 percent increase compared to …
