Bay Area Multifamily Markets May Have Peaked. Time To Sell, Ten-X Says

San Francisco painted ladies skylinecredit: Samuel Wantman

San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose are ideal markets to sell multifamily assets, according to the latest findings from Ten-X. These major Bay Area markets have received additional supply, which has pushed up vacancies. Rents also may have peaked, leaving multifamily assets vulnerable for diminished returns. Sacramento, on the other hand, is an ideal market to buy assets.

In San Francisco, multifamily completions have outpaced absorption since 2014. Vacancies have risen and rent growth started to weaken last year. Employment growth has slowed from upper 4% in early 2016 to about 2% in 2017 related to a slowdown in the city’s critical information sector. Ten-X expects the region will face net operating income declines of about 4.7% through 2020.

San Jose can expect similar prospects. New supply hitting the city is pushing vacancies up to the 4% range. Overall job growth has cooled slightly despite a robust information sector, and slow population growth is limiting potential expansion. Rents are expected to contract in 2018 and vacancies are expected to climb above 7%. Ten-X expects annual net operating income to decline 3% from 2017 to 2020.

While it may be a good time to buy office assets and employment growth has been strong in Oakland, the East Bay city is subject to negative spillover from declines in San Francisco’s information sector. Vacancies are at about 3.4%, a 40 basis point increase from 2016. Ten-X’s downturn scenario projects completions will outweigh demand and result in rental contractions. Modest net operating income gains are expected in 2016 with declines of 4.4% expected in 2019 and 2020.

Sacramento’s multifamily market is growing rapidly as Bay Area residents flee high-priced rents. With only a modest supply pipeline, vacancies are at near-record lows. Employment is rising, driven by the government sector and posted growth over 1% year-over-year. The city’s population also grew 1.3% in 2016, which outpaced the national average. The city’s overall market strength will help it get through Ten-X’s recession downturn scenario of 2019-2020. Solid gains in net operating income are expected as well.

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's San Francisco Newsletters
Related Stories

Orchard Partners Selects JLL To Market 892K SF Manufacturing Campus In Brisbane: The San Francisco Deal Sheet

Housing Completions Close To 40,000 As LDA Adds Major Site And CEO Departs

Voorhees Greenlights 178-Unit Office-To-Resi Conversion Amid Multifamily Boom

Battered Mortgage REIT Suspends Dividend To Preserve Cash

Tyko Capital Sets New Record For Florida's Largest Construction Loan

Hof Wonen Acquires 251 Social Rental Houses In New Mixed-Use Project In The Hague

Foundry Robotics Leaves San Francisco For New East Bay HQ

Capital Flooded Into Bay Area Apartments. Then Treasury Yields Spiked

The New Challenge For Apartment Managers: Proving Listing Photos Are Real

Data Centers Lose The Top Spot, San Francisco Jumps 40 Places: 9 Takeaways From ULI's 2027 Outlook

As The Future Of The Office Continues To Evolve, WeWork Is Bringing Clients A Tailored Workplace Solution

How Pacific Northwest Multifamily Owners Are Using Sustainability To Strengthen Asset Performance