From The Archive: The Future of Commercial Real Estate: Office Market Distress, Suburban Migration, and Build-to-Rent Opportunities - E997 - TT
Jan 14, 2025
auto_awesome
Richard Barkham, Global Chief Economist at CBRE, shares insights on the evolving landscape of commercial real estate. He discusses the challenges faced by the office sector post-COVID and how companies are redefining spaces. Richard also highlights demographic shifts driving growth in the Sun Belt, boosting the multifamily market. Analyzing build-to-rent opportunities, he explains why this sector is poised for long-term success amid suburban migration trends. His expertise sheds light on the cautious optimism banks hold despite high vacancy rates.
Demographic shifts, particularly the migration to Sunbelt states and the aging population, are driving multifamily housing demand and opportunities.
The office sector is evolving post-COVID, influencing companies to adjust their footprints amid persistent high vacancy rates.
Deep dives
Current Economic Landscape and Soft Landing
The global economic landscape is outlined as experiencing a soft landing despite significant interest rate hikes aimed at combating inflation. The actions taken during the pandemic, combined with government spending, have helped mitigate potential recessions, resulting in continued consumer-led economic growth. This recovery is favorable for real estate, as stable job markets encourage demand in commercial real estate sectors. While challenges persist in places like China and the European car market, the overall outlook remains positive for sustained economic growth.
Interest Rate Trends and Predictions
Interest rates are expected to decline gradually, with projections suggesting a terminal rate of around 3.25% to 3.5% by the end of 2025. The key driver for these changes is the inflation rate, which is anticipated to decrease, enabling the Federal Reserve to prioritize maintaining economic growth over aggressive rate hikes. Although rates will decrease, they are unlikely to return to the very low levels observed during the past decade, indicating a shift to more stable but elevated borrowing costs for real estate investors. This scenario offers opportunities for real estate investment while reflecting a changing economic landscape.
Future of Capital Flows in Commercial Real Estate
The forecast for capital flows into commercial real estate suggests a revitalization, primarily directed towards sectors with strong fundamentals, such as industrial real estate and apartments. The retail sector is also emerging positively due to limited new supply and robust demand from retailers. Investors are expected to gravitate towards properties with solid performance metrics amidst recent signs of transactions gaining momentum. This shift indicates a responsive market adapting to stabilize after a prolonged period of constrained capital flows.
Changing Demographics and Housing Trends
Demographic shifts in the U.S. are creating substantial opportunities in real estate, particularly regarding the aging population and internal migration to Sunbelt states. The demand for multifamily housing, including assisted living, is set to rise as baby boomers age and seek suitable living arrangements. Additionally, urban areas are beginning to attract younger generations who prefer vibrant city life, despite ongoing remote work trends. This evolving landscape highlights the importance of housing supply diversification to meet varied consumer preferences and needs.
In this Topical Tuesday episode, I spoke with Richard Barkham who is the Global Chief Economist & Head of Americas Research at CBRE. Richard Barkham leads a global team of nearly 600 research experts who help CBRE’s clients understand the forces shaping the commercial real estate industry.
Be sure to tune in if you’re interested in learning about:
Insights on multifamily vs. office sector distress and why banks are cautiously optimistic despite high vacancies.
The impact of post-COVID work patterns on the office sector and how companies are adjusting their footprints.
Demographic shifts and migration trends fueling growth in the Sun Belt and its impact on multifamily and retail opportunities.
Analysis of the long-term viability of build-to-rent communities and why this asset class is here to stay.