Research

GDP GROWTH The U.S. economy expanded at a solid annual rate of 2.9% in the fourth quarter of 2022, down from 3.2% at the end of Q3, according to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. Fourth-quarter growth was more than expected and capped a year of economic slowing that reflects a return to a more normal pace of growth. Nevertheless, concern continues that growth may turn negative in 2023. The increase in real GDP…

INDUSTRIAL OVERVIEW RECORD RENT GROWTH, LOW SUPPLY Relentless demand continued for warehouse-and-distribution space across North America in 2022. The year ended with a surge in fourth-quarter absorption along with more double-digit annual rent growth. While growth has slowed from the fever pitch of 2021, there have been no signs of significant deterioration in the fundamentals driving demand for industrial space. Inflation-adjusted retail goods sales and truck tonnage are at high levels, and containerized imports at…

GDP GROWTH The nation’s gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 2.6% in the third quarter, a reversal from six previous months of decline. Although the Commerce Department data was better than forecast there are expectations the economy will weaken under the strain of high inflation and rising interest rates. There were third-quarter gains in exports, consumer spending, nonresidential fixed investment and local, state and federal government spending. These increases were partly offset…

GDP GROWTH The U.S. economy contracted for the second straight quarter as a tightened monetary policy and high inflation took more steam out of consumer spending and businesses trimmed inventories. The Commerce Department said the nation’s gross domestic product – the value of all goods and services sold – fell by an 0.9% annualized rate in the second quarter. The new reading coupled with the 1.6% first-quarter decrease means the economy has met the common…

In the words of Ben Franklin, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” While neither can be avoided, both can be delayed and, with regard to taxes, can be minimized. In preparation for the next tax season, this report will explain how property owners, whether commercial or residential, can mitigate and reduce their tax liability by using a little-known IRS-approved accounting technique called cost segregation. It’s widely known…

GDP GROWTH The U.S. gross domestic product contracted at a 1.4% annual rate in the first quarter. It was the weakest quarterly showing in the nation’s economy since 2020 and was blamed chiefly on supply disruptions, reduced exports and fading fiscal stimulus. But solid consumer spending and business investment suggest that growth will resume. Nevertheless, the decline was unexpected and in stark contrast to the strong 6.9% GDP reading in the fourth quarter of 2021….

Life science real estate, along with data centers and industrial real estate, has thrived enormously over the past two years of the pandemic. As the world economies transition to a new phase, where COVID-19 is understood to be in an endemic state, there are no signs that demand for this fast-growing niche in commercial real estate is diminishing. In fact, the demand for lab space is only intensifying. This report will identify and explain the…

There is a widespread myth that needs to be questioned and confronted, and it goes something like this: First came Amazon, and then came COVID-19, and both killed retail. However widespread, this view of the retail market is inaccurate and incomplete. To be sure, parts of the retail sector are experiencing challenging disruptions, but other aspects of the industry are expanding and thriving. The state of the retail market is a mixed picture of disruption,…

GDP GROWTH The nation’s gross domestic product grew by 5.7% in 2021, the fastest rate since 1984. The Commerce Department also reported in its advance estimate released in late January that growth accelerated in the fourth quarter at an annualized rate of 6.9%, following a 2.3% reading for the third quarter. The increase reflected gains in private inventory investment, exports, personal consumption expenditures, and nonresidential fixed investment that were partly offset by declines in federal,…

INDUSTRIAL OVERVIEW DEMAND FOR LOGISTICS SPACE SOARS Fueled by an unprecedented boom in household spending during the pandemic, demand for warehouse-and-distribution space soared 147% in 2021, driving down the vacancy rate to a record 4.3%. Net absorption totaled 503.4 million SF in 2021 compared to 203.7 million SF for 2020. Fourth-quarter 2021 demand totaled 136.9 million SF, down from 157.9 million SF in Q3 but up 38% from the 99.2 million SF of net absorption…