Denver, CO | 2016 Top #CRE Markets to Watch: Office

Posted on August 30, 2016 by SVN

SVNIC’s 2016 Market Outlook Reports assess the current state of the national commercial real estate market, and identify micro-trends within specific geographic regions and industries for 2016. Today we are delving into the 2016 Top Office Markets to Watch. Not the largest or the most actively contested markets, the 2016 Office Markets to Watch are each at an important juncture that presents unique opportunities for investment. Together, they reflect the diversity of trends that is driving the economy and commercial real estate performance in markets across the country.

Top Office Market to Watch: Denver, CO

Denver remains one of the most rock-solid metropolitan economies in the nation with 3.0% unemployment in January ‘16, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while maintaining steady, slow growth that has total employment at record highs. The office market is equally steady with a relatively low level of vacancy and fair asking rents. This stability and growth should persist in 2016 for the office sector as key employment groups – Financial Activities, Professional and Business Services, and Information – are all showing strong-to-decent annualized growth of 3.9%, 3.2%, and 1.8%, respectively. Denver maintains a diversified set of economic base activities including aerospace, bioscience, and energy, just to name a few. As such, the office market is likely to withstand any negative impacts of global uncertainty and oil price declines for the foreseeable future.

Advisor Insights: SVN | Denver Commercial

SVN Advisors at SVN | Denver Commercial have some office market highlights to share:

Over 2 million square feet of newly delivered space is coming on the market, temporarily inflating vacancy rates.
Energy industry impact on office vacancy is significant as energy prices stay at their low prices. Sublet opportunities are up, and many energy company offices have closed completely. Vacancy rates have risen to mid-to-high teens.
Mixed use, co-work spaces continue to flourish, especially in the burgeoning CBD area. Conversion and re-purposing of old warehouses and factories is prevalent in the market.
Denver is creating jobs, with over 45,000 new positions in the last twelve months. Demand for office should rise concurrently with the job creation trend. Denver has become a desirable 18 hour city that attracts top talent in many industries.

Stay Updated…

Over the next few weeks, the SVN Blog will be featuring posts that will focus on each of the top markets to watch for industrial, multifamily, office, and retail properties. SVN Advisors from selected top markets have provided their industry expertise regarding what to look out for in their specific market in the coming months. Don’t miss out on these important insights – subscribe to the SVN Blog on the right side of the blog homepage.

To read more on other top office markets, download the full version of the 2016 Office Market Outlook report here.

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Denver, CO | 2015 Top #CRE Markets to Watch: Industrial

Posted on June 24, 2015 by SVN

Sperry Van Ness International Corporation’s (SVNIC) 2015 Market Update Reports assess the current state of the national commercial real estate market, and identify micro-trends within specific geographic regions and industries for 2015. Today we are delving into the 2015 Top Industrial Markets to Watch. Not the largest or the most actively contested markets, the 2015 Industrial Markets to Watch are each at an important juncture that presents unique opportunities for investment. Together, they reflect the diversity of trends that is driving the economy and commercial real estate performance in markets across the country.

Top Industrial Market to Watch: Denver, CO

The Denver industrial market is reaping the dividends of the state’s move to legalize marijuana production. Demand for space in Denver itself, where production is permitted, pushed the vacancy rate below 3% in late 2014, the lowest level on record. The surge in demand amounts to a positive shock of between 3.5 and 5 million square feet, according to different sources. Developers are responding slowly, with roughly 1 million square feet of space currently under development. That imbalance augurs continued strength in rent gains; the sector’s greater liquidity, borne out by higher transaction volumes, suggests resilience in asset values once interest rates begin their upward hike.

In spite of its visibility, marijuana production represents a tiny fraction of industrial space leases in the Denver area. The strength of the local economy — the unemployment rate is below 4% as of early 2015 — is supporting demand across light manufacturing, distribution and logistics, and warehousing. Investors will find the market’s rosy outlook commands a high price. Cap rates in Denver declined to an average of 5.7% in 2014 across property sales and refinancing activity, lower than some coastal gateways including Washington, DC and Boston.

To read more on Denver and other top industrial markets, download the full version of the 2015 Industrial Market Update report here.

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Denver, CO | 2015 Top #CRE Markets to Watch: Office

Posted on June 24, 2015 by SVN

Sperry Van Ness International Corporation’s (SVNIC) 2015 Market Update Reports assess the current state of the national commercial real estate market, and identify micro-trends within specific geographic regions and industries for 2015. Today we are delving into the 2015 Top Office Markets to Watch. Not the largest or the most actively contested markets, the 2015 Office Markets to Watch are each at an important juncture that presents unique opportunities for investment. Together, they reflect the diversity of trends that is driving the economy and commercial real estate performance in markets across the country.

Top Office Market to Watch: Denver, CO

For both employers and high-skilled workers, few markets exert the same pull as Denver. The convergence of low costs of living, appealing amenities, and a business-friendly environment has allowed Denver to expand over time beyond its historical base in the energy sector. While business migration to the urban core has dominated activity and pushed the submarket vacancy rate below 10%, not every firm is headed to the CBD. In particular, some technology companies are eschewing the central business district for more flexible, open floor-plan spaces in the Lower Downtown (LoDo) and South Denver neighborhoods. LoDo is home to a disproportionate share of current office construction, though new inventory has yet to weigh on rent trends. Across the metro area, development activity is roughly 2% of in-place inventory – limited, when compared to the surge in projects underway in markets like Houston and Dallas.

While better diversified than smaller energy markets, Denver is still exposed to the vagaries of oil industry booms and busts. With about 20% of Denver’s CBD occupied by oil and gas companies, there was some worry in early 2015 that slumping oil prices could lead to instability in the office market. Most market observers agree that this will only become a major issue for Denver’s long-term outlook if a prolonged period of depressed oil prices leads to significant restructuring in the industry.

To read more on Denver and other top office markets, download the full version of the 2015 Office Market Update report here.

It’s a different world out there.

Denver, CO | 2014 Top CRE Markets to Watch : Apartment

Posted on October 29, 2014 by SVN

Sperry Van Ness International Corporation’s (SVNIC) 2014 Top Markets to Watch Reports assess the current state of the national commercial real estate market, and identify micro-trends within specific geographic regions and industries for 2014. Today we are delving into the 2014 Top Apartment Markets to Watch. Not the largest, or the most actively contested markets, the 2014 Apartment Markets to Watch are each at an important juncture that presents unique opportunities for investment. Together, they reflect the diversity of trends that is driving the economy and commercial real estate performance in markets across the country.

TOP APARTMENT MARKET TO WATCH : Denver, Colorado

Denver will add nearly 50,000 jobs in 2014, with much of the growth occurring in high-paying energy, financial services, health care and bioscience industries. Employment growth of almost 4 percent in 2013 and a similar gain expected this year make Denver one of the nation’s fastest-growing job markets. Multifamily rent grew at a remarkable 6 percent in 2013. The addition of 10,000 new units this year will expand the apartment inventory by more than 3 percent, however, enough to slow annual rent growth to a more modest 4 percent. Nearly half of the apartments under construction are in the central business district, where the renovated Union Station is set to open later this year. Existing and planned light rail lines offer development opportunities, as well as value-add plays for investors able to upgrade and reposition existing, older properties in these growth corridors.

To read more on Denver, and other top multifamily markets, download the full version of the Top Apartment Markets to Watch report below.

It’s a different world out there.

Download the Top Trends and Markets to Watch Reports

Apartment Trends and Markets to Watch
Office Trends and Markets to Watch
Industrial Trends and Markets to Watch
Retail Trends and Markets to Watch
Commercial Real Estate Trends and Markets to Watch

How the Northern Colorado CRE Market is Doing–a Q2 Report

Posted on July 11, 2013 by SVN

Steve Kawulok, managing director, SVN The Group Commercial, Fort Collins, CO

Recession recovery is continuing at a higher pace in the Northern Colorado commercial real estate market, says Steve Kawulok, managing director of Sperry Van Ness The Group Commercial in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The Northern Colorado market, which encompasses the three counties of Boulder, Larimer and Weld, had an improving outlook for the second quarter of 2013. Among the signs of recovery and strength were:

Market sales of property went up ;
Retail properties did the best;
Office properties gained momentum with the vacancy rates going down and rental rates on the uptick;
Investors are still active in this market.

For a complete picture of the Q2 activity in Northern Colorado, including significant commercial real estate transactions, read Steve’s Q2 report here.

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