From a small northwestern observatory…

PriceWaterhouse Coopers does a great job with they’re quarterly survey of commercial real estate investors.  Previously known as the Korpacz Survey, after it’s founder, Peter Korpacz, the lengthy but highly readable review gives investors, brokers, appraisers, and others a snapshot of anticipated market performance both by property type (retail, office, etc.) and market (regional, and in some cases by metro area).  The most recent issue just hit my desk, and as usual it’s terrifically informative.

The headline this quarter is, “Investors Scrutinize Cash Flow Assumptions”.  As it turns out, the assumptions and resultant aggressiveness (or lack thereof) varies significantly by property type and geographic market.  For example, strip shopping centers (nationally), apartments (also nationally), and regional warehouses in the pacific and east-north-central regions are enjoying increased optimism, measured by very significant declines in overall capitalization rates.  On the other hand, 20% of investors surveyed expect regional mall cap rates to increase over the next six months, and 40% of investors felt the same about the overall Denver market.

Intriguingly, cap rates in CBDs trend lower than in the suburbs of those same cities, driven mainly by higher barriers to entry and a lack of available land downtown.  Additionally, most downtown cores in major markets provide the sort of 24/7 lifestyle and transportation alternatives that appeal to younger workers, and hence the firms that employ them.  As such, the downtown locations are viewed as less risky, overall.

Overall, vacancy rate assumptions have remained steady over the past year.  Coupled with that, tenant retention rates have also remained steady across markets.

In general, office markets remain fundamentally strong, and PWC survey respondents project falling vacancy and rising rental rates over the next few years.  Retail market conditions are improving, with no major markets currently in recession and an increasing number in expansion.  In the industrial sector, the expansion of the past few years is likely to abate, according to the survey, and a few metros may find themselves in the overbuilt state (Austin, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Portland, and DC).  Apartments will continue in expansion in many markets, but the peak may be near, and an increasing number of markets are reported to be in contraction as 2015 turns into 2016.

As noted, the report is detailed, and this issue also features their less frequent surveys of medical office markets, development land, and student housing.  For your own copy (they come at a subscription cost, by the way) visit www.pwc.com/realestatesurvey.