Nations Current February 2015 | Page 11

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Industrial Markets

Industrial vacancy rates are expected to fall from 8.7 percent in the first quarter to 8.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

The areas with the lowest industrial vacancy rates currently are Orange County, Calif., with a vacancy rate of 3.4 percent; Los Angeles, 3.7 percent; Miami and Palm Beach, Fla., both at 5.4 percent; and Seattle, at 5.6 percent.

Annual industrial rents should rise 3.0 percent this year and 3.1 percent in 2016. Net absorption of industrial space nationally is expected to total 102.2 million square feet in 2015 and 104.8 million square feet next year.

Retail Markets

Vacancy rates in the retail market are expected to decline from 9.7 percent currently to 9.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

Currently, the markets with the lowest retail vacancy rates include San Francisco, at 3.0 percent; Fairfield County, Conn., and San Jose, Calif., at 4.5 percent; Long Island, N.Y., 4.9 percent; and Orange County, Calif., at 5.0 percent.

Average retail rents are forecast to rise 2.5 percent in 2015 and 3.1 percent next year. Net absorption of retail space is likely to total 15.7 million square feet this year and jump to 20.6 million in 2016.

Multifamily Markets

The apartment rental market should see vacancy rates slightly increase from 4.1 percent currently to 4.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Vacancy rates below 5 percent are generally considered a landlord’s market, with demand justifying higher rent.

Areas with the lowest multifamily vacancy rates currently are Sacramento, Calif., 2.5 percent; Orange County, Calif., 2.6 percent; Hartford, Conn., and Oakland-East Bay at 2.7 percent; and Rochester, N.Y., at 2.8 percent.

Average apartment rents are projected to rise 3.7 percent this year and 3.6 percent in 2016. Multifamily net absorption is expected to total 171,978 units in 2015 and 157,168 next year.

The NAR commercial community includes commercial members; commercial real estate boards;

commercial committees, subcommittees and forums; and the NAR commercial affiliate organizations – CCIM Institute, Institute of Real Estate Management, Realtors® Land Institute, Society of Industrial and Office Realtors®, and Counselors of Real Estate.

Approximately 70,000 NAR and institute affiliate members specialize in commercial brokerage and related services, and an additional 283,000 members offer commercial real estate services as a secondary business.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Posted on relator.org

on February 19, 2015