retail Archives - Page 2 of 10 - Viewpoints - Coldwell Banker Commercial

Sep 26, 2023

Retail Shops Shine as a Prominent Player in Commercial Real Estate

Retailers in the United States are defying historic lows in retail space availability by planning to launch 1,000 new stores this year, underscoring the sector's resilience amid commercial real estate challenges. Despite factors like inflation, elevated interest rates, and the closure of businesses such as Bed Bath & Beyond and Christmas Tree Shops, landlords are reporting unwavering demand for retail spaces, highlighted by The Wall Street Journal. This resilience can be attributed to the reduced retail construction since the 2008-09 financial crisis, allowing the oversaturated sector to absorb its existing real estate. Moreover, retailers are using online sales data and analytics to pinpoint ideal locations for successful stores. Contrary to predictions of online retail dominance, digital-native companies are now establishing physical storefronts after reaching their online customer acquisition limits. Shoppers are returning to stores and restaurants as pandemic restrictions ease, alleviating earlier concerns. Additionally, Commerce Department data from earlier this summer reveals that retail sales increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in July compared to the prior month. American spending has risen for four consecutive months and seems to be outpacing inflation.This retail revival stands in stark contrast to the office market, which is grappling with a 30-year high in office vacancy rates of 18.2%, primarily due to the rise of hybrid work schedules. A whitepaper by Placer.ai highlights the success of Walmart, Target, and Costco amid economic challenges such as inflation and high gas prices. Despite the evolving retail landscape, these retailers serve as prime examples of how challenges can transform into opportunities. Placer.ai's Q2 2023 data suggests that shifting consumer trends are favoring superstores.In fact, both Costco and Target outperformed the broader retail sector in year-over-year (YoY) performance, with visit growth rates of 1.2% and 3.1% in the first half of 2023, compared to the overall retail sector's 0.3% decline. Conversely, Walmart seemed to be more affected by inflation, possibly due to its visitors having a lower median household income compared to Costco and Target shoppers, experiencing a 0.9% decrease in foot traffic compared to H1 2022. However, recent weekly visit data indicates a potential Walmart rebound. Between June 19th and July 24th, the chain recorded year-over-year weekly visit growth, suggesting a positive trajectory and hinting at year-over-year growth in the second half of the year.For commercial real estate investors, staying attuned to retail trends is of paramount importance. The ability to anticipate and respond to these trends can make the difference between a successful investment and a poor decision. Understanding which retailers are thriving and why, as well as grasping the nuances of changing consumer behavior, can inform strategic decisions regarding property acquisitions, leases, and developments. Incorporating these insights into investment strategies can help commercial real estate investors identify prime locations, optimize property portfolios, and ultimately maximize returns on their investments.

Apr 11, 2023

Q1 2023 Sentiment Report: The State of CRE & What’s to Come

The Real Estate Round Table recently released its 2023 Q1 Sentiment Survey, a comprehensive measure of industry experts’ confidence and expectations regarding the commercial real estate environment. As we’ve observed throughout the first quarter of 2023, the real estate market has been uncertain and incredibly volatile due to the historic increases in short-term interest rates and soaring inflation.

Dec 13, 2022

Smaller Footprints Can Lead to Big Gains for Retailers

While the past few years have seen brick-and-mortar retailers embrace big-box stores with large footprints, a recent study from placer.ai found that smaller stores come with their own set of benefits. A growing number of tenants are experimenting with reduced footprints in a variety of ways.

Nov 29, 2022

Reversal of Sentiment for Investors as 2022 Concludes

In a reversal from sentiment at the beginning of this year, investors are becoming increasingly bearish about the commercial real estate market. Faced with an economic slowdown, inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain issues, labor shortages and the threat of a recession, investors and capital providers to take a step back and reassess their strategies as this year concludes and the next begins.

Oct 25, 2022

CBC Reports Appetite Still Strong for CRE Mid-Year 2022

Commercial real estate activity remains elevated in 2022, which is a promising sign considering record-highs were reached last year. Market activity is being paced by three property types, multifamily, industrial, as well as a strong rebound in retail. A new Mid-Year Report from Coldwell Banker Commercial shows investors were eager to unlock cash flow and pushed cap rates to record-lows in 4Q21 and 1Q22 across most sectors. It is anticipated that demand for real estate will continue to be strong for high-growth markets. These positive signs comes despite widespread supply chain disruptions, inflation and political uncertainty around the war in Ukraine.

Oct 18, 2022

In a Troubling Time, Silver Lining Emerges for CRE Pricing

Despite uncertainty and volatility that cloud the economy, there’s reason to be a bit upbeat these days. A recent commercial property price report from researchers at MSCI’s RCA division shows the RCA CPPI National All-Property Index climbed 18.5% in June 2022 from a year prior. That’s close to the pricing growth rates of recent months and not far from the 19.5% record pace seen at the start of 2022. The index rose 1.3% from May.

Oct 4, 2022

Marijuana’s Impact on Real Estate

A majority of adults in the United States currently have access to cannabis, whether medically or recreationally. As of this year, 19 states have legalized recreational cannabis use, while 39 states have legalized medical marijuana use. Over the years, the general perception of cannabis has evolved. Once seen as a danger to communities and to younger children, cannabis is now more readily available and marijuana sales produce taxable income for local economies.

Sep 20, 2022

How Hybrid Healthcare Models are Fueling Medical CRE Growth

The healthcare industry quickly adapted to virtual care delivery during the pandemic. For both caregivers and patients, the rapid transition from in-office to on-screen visits left much to be desired.

Jul 12, 2022

Dark Stores Help Light the Way for Retailers Adapting to Post-Pandemic Shopping Behaviors

Throughout the pandemic, retailers have had to overcome continuous hurdles: expanding digital capabilities, maintaining a workforce, battling inflation’s rising prices, keeping products stocked during supply chain disruptions and more.

Jul 5, 2022

Consumer Behavior Shifts & How it Impacts Real Estate Part 2

In part 1 of CBC’s Consumer Behavior Shifts & How it Impacts Real Estate blog series, we discussed the ways in which consumer behavior has changed over the past two years and how those changes impact every facet of retail strategy. In part two, we will dive into the long-term impact of COVID on consumer behaviors and patterns, how these patterns are impacting both the restaurant and retail industry, and the effects of online shopping.