In the second half of 2024, U.S. industrial net absorption totaled 96.9 million square feet, bringing the annual total to just 170.8 million square feet. This is the lowest annual rate since 2011, as long-term interest rates remained elevated despite the Federal Reserve’s initial cuts to the federal funds rate.

The office market performed worse in the first quarter of 2024 than previously forecast, with national office net absorption totaling a negative 13.4 million square feet. Office utilization has remained relatively flat since the beginning of the year as evidenced by building-access records. A reversal in optimism about the economy in late 2023 may have led firms to pause or scale back expansion plans. Elevated interest rates are constraining corporate earnings and firms’ ability to expand their operations, which appears likely to continue, at least in the near term. Given these trends and the possibility of a recession in 2024, net office space absorption over the last three quarters of 2024 is expected to be negative 11.8 million square feet. Moving forward, the forecast projects that net absorption will increase slightly in 2025 and will total approximately negative 4.5 million square feet.

With the U.S. economy expected to continue to grow slowly, the authors estimate that quarterly net absorption of industrial space will average 14.0 million square feet per quarter over the next two years, or 62.8 and 49.1 million square feet in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

This research brief, authored by Avison Young, reviews historical trends in port activity, local logistics employment, and vacancies, rents and absorption rates in adjacent industrial markets. Building on observations from the historical data, a regression analysis of the relationship between changes in port activity, truck traffic and industrial space absorption demonstrates that changes in import volume have a substantial effect on occupancy in port markets.

Dividing and grouping the major metropolitan regions of the United States into ranked groups or “tiers” is a frequently used method to evaluate, prioritize and rank markets for investment. This project provides an understanding of the origins, methodologies and uses of market tier models.

Where do today’s office tenants want to be located? This comprehensive study, which combines expert opinion and accurate property-level data, provides reliable information about emerging location preferences across major U.S. office markets and the comparative performance of office space in CBDs, suburban vibrant centers — defined as amenity-rich, mixed-use, “live, work, play” locations — and typical single-use suburban areas.

Rising fuel costs have caused freight transportation to become the largest, most volatile cost component of companies' supply chain/logistics operation, accounting for about 63 percent of total U.S. logistics costs and 6 percent of GDP. With companies under mounting pressure to contain or offset the increases in freight transportation costs, supply chain executives have been tasked with figuring out how to squeeze more capacity and efficiency out of the existing systems.

This white paper looked at significant logistics drivers which may impact industrial space over the next 10 years, including an analysis of which ports will benefit by the expansion of the Panama Canal and how this will affect local, regional and inland industrial space in the distribution sector.

This research project identified the logistics trends and specific industries that will drive warehouse and distribution growth and demand for space over the next decade (2008-2018). Research is based on employee ratios, employment reports, and logistics building inventory.

This research identified the economic indicators that drive new development of commercial real estate for each property type at the national and MSA level. These indicators will help with forecasting: future demand for space and leasing; competition in specific markets and across property types; and more accurate feasibility studies for future projects.

This report explains the relationship between key employment trends and the demand for office and industrial space. Drawing on Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2000-2009, the research indicated: central-city counties vs. metropolitan fringe counties, the effect of the recession beginning in 2007 and factors influencing change in growth patterns.

The expected growth of the Hispanic population will impact the location and demand for commercial real estate in the United States. The report contains economic impact data for 50 states and major metropolitan areas.

This research examined how infomating, outsourcing, home-basing, off-shoring/in-shoring, e-learning and e-tailing - can be expected to impact the staffing and facilities (and ultimately, the demand for space) of five major classes of enterprise in the five sustainable markets: retail trade; professional, scientific and technical services; employment services; finance, insurance and banking; and transportation and warehousing.