The London commercial property market started the year with moderate rental growth levels and a slight decrease in investment levels. As expected, the second quarter of the year has been marked by the results of the EU referendum vote, which has had a direct effect over the property market creating a rather volatile situation in most property sub-markets, but especially in those with high levels of foreign activity, such as London.
Although there seems to be no agreement on the long-term effect of the uncertainty caused by the referendum results, most analysts agree that a weaker pound may attract foreign investors who want to add to their portfolio by acquiring commercial properties in London while the exchange rates are favourable. See below for a detailed report on the latest trends affecting the London commercial property market during the past 3 months.
Office Market
During the second quarter of 2016, monthly office take up rates were just under 1 million square feet, below the past decade’s historical average (1.1 million). May was the best month for the office market, with over 900,000 square feet of office space taken up. There were virtually no changes in availability rates, and according to researchers at CBRE, 12.9 million square feet are currently available in the British capital.
Post-EU referendum uncertainty has affected the office market, as a number of prospective investors have put enquiries on hold, while others who already own office properties in London are debating whether they will move their operations elsewhere. Rental value growth has been directly affected by these events, as growth rates have dropped to their lowest index of the past 3 years in areas like Midtown and the West End. Continue reading “Overview of the London Commercial Property Market – 2nd Quarter 2016”