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 Industrial Markets to Watch. Not the largest or the most actively contested markets, the 2016 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: Memphis, TN
The Memphis economy has been slowly growing and recovering since the recession and stands today with 5.6% unemployment as of January ‘16, with modest annualized job gains of 1.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Its strongest industrial segment and in fact strongest employment segment overall is Trade, Transport, and Utilities, which is expanding at an annualized rate of 4.2%. Manufacturing is also adding jobs at 0.7%. Given that Memphis is located in the approximate population weighted center of the country, it is an ideal location to serve for e-commerce and other direct to consumer distribution businesses. Thus, the Memphis industrial market may be one of the largest benefactors of the rise of online shopping and will likely continue to expand in 2016 and beyond.
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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 industrial markets, download the full version of the 2016 Industrial Market Outlook report here.
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The Knoxville economy is extremely steady given its diverse economic base and thus experienced relatively low effects of the recession. The city now has a 4.5% unemployment rate as of January ‘16, with overall employment growing at an annualized rate of 2.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The industrial sectors of Knoxville are all showing marked strength, including Manufacturing and Trade, Transport, and Utilities growing at annualized rates of 4.5% and 4.1%, respectively. Additionally, the Mining, Logging, and Construction sector is growing at a rapid 10.2% annualized rate, further fueling the market. The mix of defense, research, and industrial manufacturers gives Knoxville strong power to grow its industrial real estate in 2016 and beyond.
Nashville’s economy continues to boom, as employment sets new record highs with continued 4.0% annualized growth that has brought the unemployment rate to a low of 3.7% as of January ‘16, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This corresponds with a 6.7% increase in population from 2010 to 2014, according to the Census Bureau. This growth is putting pressure on retail real estate as fundamentals improve in face of steady growth; a trend expected to persist in 2016 and beyond. The fastest growing employment sector is Mining, Logging, and Construction followed by Professional and Business Services, then Financial Activities and Information, with annualized growth rates of 9.4%, 8.7%, 4.5%, and 4.4%, respectively. This type of broad-based job growth is sure to boost all real estate sectors including retail.
