Investors see commercial real estate as a good bet
Despite the economy, investors are bullish on the prospects for office buildings, the largest commercial real estate sector, a survey finds. Apartments are viewed as the most favored category.
As 2011 came to a close, some commercial real estate experts found promising signs in often troubled markets.
The office market is gaining interest from investors amid a mixed bag of property-related economic fundamentals such as improvement in employment and business expansions, a recent survey showed.
Commercial real estate continues to offer attractive yields compared with alternative investment vehicles, said respondents to a quarterly poll by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“Despite a sluggish U.S. economic outlook, the majority of surveyed investors view commercial real estate as favorably priced and a good play,” said Mitch Roschelle, the U.S. real estate advisory practice leader at PwC, as the firm brands itself.
Investors are bullish on the general prospects for office buildings, the largest commercial real estate sector. They expect to see occupancy stabilizing and rents rising in many markets this year. Most attractive are office districts that have abundant tenants in technology or energy businesses.
Rent growth is expected to be highest in San Francisco, New York and the Pacific Northwest. Los Angeles ranked ninth among 51 markets as a desirable place to invest.
Newer, well-located industrial and retail properties are sought out by investors, but apartments took the crown as the most favored real estate category.
“Investors continue to view the apartment sector as an attractive play in delivering steady cash flows driven by solid rental demand and rising rents,” said Susan Smith, editor in chief of PwC’s survey. “As a result, investors view this sector as a hotbed for further investment activity.”
Commercial Properties