3 Reasons To Keep An Eye On Atlanta Development In 2018, By Alec Berkman, Bisnow
“Atlanta made waves in January when it was chosen as one of 20 finalists for Amazon’s $5B HQ2 and the e-commerce giant’s interest in Atlanta comes as development dollars pour into its highly active data and office markets. Big-name companies are flocking to the city, drawn to its large-scale, business-friendly projects. From office buildings to industrial projects, there’s no end in sight for the momentum being built in Atlanta. The buzz around making the shortlist for Amazon HQ2 will only amplify that.”
How the Amenities Multifamily Properties Offer are Evolving with Technology, By Bendix Anderson, National Real Estate Investor
“Technology that make new connections to equipment that residents already use may be among the next offerings multifamily residents expect. Technology companies are rolling out new products that carry a promise of making a real difference for multifamily residents. ‘We are probably on the cusp,’ says Rick Haughey, vice president for industry and technology initiatives for the National Multifamily Housing Council.”
Retail sales expected to climb as much as 4.4 percent in 2018, By Lauren Thomas, CNBC
“U.S. retail sales in 2018 could climb slightly higher than last year’s 3.9 percent gain, as lower unemployment and growing wages drive consumer confidence higher. The National Retail Federation on Thursday projected industry sales will grow between 3.8 and 4.4 percent this year, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants. That compares with NRF’s forecast last year of growth between 3.2 and 3.8 percent. A jump of 4.4 percent would be the biggest increase since 2011, when retail sales climbed 5 percent.”
Cautious Development, Strong Absorption Leads to Lowest U.S. Office Vacancies in a Decade, By Michael Gerrity, World Property Journal
“According to Transwestern’s newly released 2017 year-end report on the national office market, the U.S. office market’s nationwide December 2017 vacancy rate of 11.5 percent was the lowest reported in 10 years.”
Economy Watch: Healthy Retail Sales Growth Ahead in 2018, NRF Predicts, By D.C. Stribling, Commercial Property Executive
“The retail sector should see a boost in sales growth this year, topping 2017’s 3.9 percent growth, according to the firm’s latest economic forecast.”
Atlanta Data Center Activity Poised For Takeoff In 2018, By Jarred Schenke, Bisnow
“Atlanta first came on DataBank’s radar in 2016. While the market was one of the largest data center clusters in the U.S., activity was relatively subdued. But Dallas-based DataBank’s CEO, Raul Martynek, saw that dynamic poised to change.”