Broward industrial market gets stronger, Miami-Dade stabilizes: Q2 report

Vacancy rates in Broward fell year-over-year, while Miami-Dade’s remained basically flat

An industrial property (Credit: Public Domain Pictures)
An industrial property (Credit: Public Domain Pictures)

The industrial market is still hot across Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Competition for industrial space is fierce in Miami-Dade and it’s driving demand from buyers and tenants who are eyeing smaller warehouse properties. That, in turn, is leading to higher lease rates, according to a recently released report by CBRE.

And in Broward County, a dip in vacancy rates is helping lure more outside investors and tenants amid a sizable amount of new industrial deliveries.

Miami-Dade

Vacancy rates in Miami-Dade held steady at 3.6 percent in the second quarter, up slightly from 3.5 percent the same period of the previous year.

Most of the leasing activity occurred in Airport/Doral (557,124 square feet), followed by Central Dade (218,984 square feet), and Miami Lakes (94,900 square feet), according to the report.

Rents are also rising. Miami-Dade’s industrial market had an average asking rate of $9.23 per square foot in the second quarter, up 3.9 percent compared to the same period of 2017, according to CBRE. More than 90 leases were signed totaling 1.9 million square feet, with an average lease size of 20,000 square feet, the report shows.

Overall sales for Miami-Dade’s industrial market during the second quarter amounted to $362 million with 34 transactions for a total of 2.5 million square feet, up from $78 million for 15 sales totaling 553,000 square feet in the first quarter. The average sale price per square foot in the second quarter was $145, and the average deal size was 73,500 square feet.

Hialeah continues to be a top industrial submarket in Miami-Dade. The North Hialeah submarket accounted to 50 percent of the industrial transactions in the second quarter of 2018. Among recent deals was Duke Realty’s $180 million purchase of Flagler Global Logistics’ 8 million-square-foot industrial park.

Nine buildings were delivered in the second quarter, totaling 1.1 million square feet of new industrial space. Foundry Commercial’s Carrie Meek International Business Park is among one of the largest industrial projects under construction in the region, totaling 855,000 square feet and set to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2018.

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Despite numerous larger transactions, spaces in the 10,000-square-foot to 25,000-square-foot range are the most desired, and is expected to push rental rates for those buildings up near those sought for newer construction, according to the report.

Broward

Broward’s industrial market is showing no signs of slowing down.

Vacancy rates dipped in the second quarter to 3.9 percent from 5.3 percent, on a year-over-year basis, the report shows.

Leasing activity was mixed within the region. Northeast Broward had the highest level of net absorption during the second quarter, at 168,672 square feet, but southeast Broward saw a negative absorption rate of 334,533 square feet. The report said the level of negative net absorption is due to the addition of at least three new buildings in the Pompano Center of Commerce as well as the 131,000-square-foot East Davie Commerce Center.

Broward’s industrial market had an average asking rate of $8.29 per square foot in the second quarter, up 3 percent compared to the same period of 2017, according to CBRE.

Overall sales for Broward’s industrial market reached nearly $200 million in the second quarter. Notable sales include Fortress Investment Group’s $66.4 million acquisition of a SuperValu distribution center in Pompano Beach, as part of a larger $483 million national portfolio deal. Another is Exeter Property Group’s portfolio sale of nine warehouses amounting to about $43 million.

Supply is also increasing in the county. One of the first buildings of the South Florida Distribution Center in Pembroke Pines is on the verge of being completed, offering 225,000 square feet, according to the report. Seneca Commerce Center I, spanning 222,000 square feet at Pembroke Park, and Coral Springs Commerce Center III, with 215,500 square feet, are on pace to be completed by the third quarter of 2018 and the beginning of next year, respectively.

Low vacancy rates and rising rents are expected to keep driving demand in Broward, the report says.