The Industrial and Office Real Estate Brokers Association of New Jersey, or IOREBA, held its annual Developer’s Night event at the Marriott at Glenpointe Hotel in Teaneck, last month bringing together a panel of veteran real estate experts who offered their views on the state of New Jersey’s office, industrial, retail and multifamily housing marketplaces.
The panel educated the audience on growing trends and predications for the coming year and offered cautious optimism tempered by concerns over capital costs, interest rate volatility and maturing debt.
Over 250 guests from the commercial real estate industry were on hand for the event, which included panelists Michael Klein, senior managing director, JLL Capital Markets; Frank DiTommaso, executive director, Cushman & Wakefield; C.J. Csontos, senior loan officer, TD Bank; Jeff Milanaik, partner, Northeast region, Bridge Industrial LLC; and Kevin Dudley, vice chairman, CBRE. Geoffrey Schubert of Lee & Associates served as moderator.
“We were fortunate to have this panel whose expertise and experience spans many decades in the industry,” IOREBA President Ryan Tiger said.
The panel expressed concerns about the uncertainly caused by economic headwinds. It was discussed that, while overall investment conditions may remain uneven, certain specialty asset categories present attractive opportunities. Data centers, film production studios and life sciences were highlighted as sectors with available debt and equity.
High interest rates and economic headwinds are expected to pose challenges, particularly for industrial property development due to the associated high costs. It was echoed by all speakers that there still remains growth in all areas with industrial and multifamily products still showing dominance however contrary to earlier predictions, retail is experiencing a revival and that potential is being recognized.
The office sector is becoming increasingly divided, presenting challenges but also pockets of resilience. The hybrid work trend continues to contribute to the distress but a flight to quality is evident. A market split is evident with higher-end amenities office buildings thriving while older corporate campuses facing struggles. Medical office space leasing continues to show strength.
For more information on becoming an IOREBA member or to attend an upcoming event, please visit ioreba.com.
