Year over year improvement in office market metrics continues, with a second consecutive quarter of overall market vacancy hovering at a seven-year low. Positive absorption of 31,000 square feet (SF) contributed to a 10.6% vacancy. Increased hiring by employers in engineering and financial services is expected to bring meaningful positive momentum for professional office absorption and eventual upward pressure on lease rates.
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Topics: Economy, Commercial real estate, Investment property, Market trends, Office, Medical office
As predicted, Tucson’s retail market saw a significant increase of 235,808 square feet (SF) positive net absorption. This improvement is almost six times more than the 40,993 SF absorbed in Q4 2016 and accompanied delivery of nine new buildings totaling 235,958 SF. In the past four quarters, a total of 621,286 SF of new retail space has been delivered, consistent with the observed increase in retail space demand and activity predicted in our most recent quarterly report.
Read MoreTopics: Economy, Commercial real estate, Investment property, Market trends, Retail
In Tucson's apartment market, the vacancy rate for conventionally-operated, stabilized units decreased by 0.35% from the previous quarter, while improving 0.28% from one year ago to 6.52%. Eight of Tucson’s 15 submarkets experienced occupancy gains, with the greatest improvements occurring in Tucson Mountain Foothills (-2.12%) and South Tucson/Airport (-2.09%).
Read MoreTopics: Economy, Commercial real estate, Investment property, Leasing, Apartments, Multifamily
Tucson’s industrial market continued forward progress in the first quarter of 2017. Net positive absorption of about 50,000 square feet (SF) improved the overall vacancy rate to 7.4%, Tucson’s lowest mark since Q3 2008. The submarket with both the lowest vacancy and the largest inventory at nearly 10 million SF, was Northwest Tucson, with a vacancy rate of 4.3%.
Read MoreTopics: Industrial, Commercial real estate, Investment property, Absorption, Market trends, Warehouse