Recession Weighs on Washington, DC Retail Investment Activity

WASHINGTON, DC— Despite the Washington, D.C., metro’s high concentration of jobs and affluent households, the recession continues to weigh on the local retail market, according to a second-quarter Retail Research Report by Marcus & Millichap, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm.

Fortunately for local property owners, President Obama’s inauguration provided a temporary reprieve from economic headwinds.

“The recession has hampered retail investment activity in the metro, though demand for single-tenant assets was resilient through the end of last year,” says Ramon Kochavi, (middle left photo) regional manager of the Washington, D.C. office of Marcus & Millichap.

“A shift in sales trends has occurred, however; in the first quarter, as fears of further reductions in consumer spending limited transactions to a small number of fast-food properties.”

Following are some of the most significant aspects of the Washington, D.C. Retail Research Report:

· Employment levels in the metro are expected to recede by 0.6 percent, or 18,400 jobs, in 2009. Last year, 12,100 workers were let go.

· Retail construction will slow to 4.1 million square feet this year, after builders completed 5.4 million square feet in 2008. Approximately 2.2 million square feet is expected to come online in suburban Maryland, and 1.9 million square feet is projected in northern Virginia.

· Easing retail demand and persistent inventory expansion will boost vacancy 200 basis points to 7.3 percent in 2009. Vacancy increased 170 basis point last year.

· This year, asking rents are projected to decline 3.3 percent to $26.65 per square foot, while effective rents will recede 4.1 percent to $23.94 per square foot. Asking rents rose 0.8 percent in 2008, and effective rents retreated 0.4 percent.

For a copy of the complete Washington, D.C. Retail Research Report, as well as reports on other markets nationwide, visit our website at http://www.marcusmillichap.com/.

Press Contact: Stacey CorsoCommunications Department(925) 953-1716