OCCUPANCY COSTS INCREASE 3.6% WORLDWIDE FROM YEAR AGO

Los Angeles — July 16, 2012 — Asia-Pacific holds increasing sway in the global commercial real estate market, as Hong Kong-CBD was the world’s most expensive office market and the region accounted for six of the top 10 most expensive markets worldwide, according to CBRE Global Research and Consulting’s semi-annual Prime Office Occupancy Costs survey. Asia-Pacific also accounted for the market with the strongest growth in occupancy costs, as Beijing’s Jianguomen-CBD saw costs rise 49.4% over the past year, CBRE found.

Hong Kong’s CBD led the “most expensive” list with overall occupancy costs of US$248.83 per sq. ft. This topped London’s West End, which, despite a 4.7% year-over-year increase, had total occupancy costs of US$220.15. Tokyo’s was the third most expensive market for office space, followed by Beijing’s Jianguomen (CBD) and Moscow. Other Asia-Pacific markets in the top ten include Beijing-Finance Street (6th), Hong Kong-West Kowloon and New Delhi-Connaught Place, CBD (9th).
CBRE tracks occupancy costs for prime office space in 133 markets around the globe. Of the top 50 ‘most expensive’ markets 19 are in Asia-Pacific, 19 are in EMEA and 12 in the Americas.

“The most expensive office locales are increasingly located in dynamic markets across the emerging economies as office occupiers diversify their global footprints in these markets to take advantage of rising incomes and the availability of labor,” said Dr. Raymond Torto, CBRE’s Global Chief Economist. ”The most expensive office occupier markets also have a diversified economic base; limited, available institutional quality space; strong currencies and are increasingly located in urban centers.”

Occupancy costs increased by an average 3.6% worldwide led by Asia-Pacific at 7.8%, Americas at 5.0%, and EMEA at 0.4%. Occupancy costs increased in 80 markets, decreased in 24, with no change in 29. Among the markets exhibiting the most significant gains were the aforementioned Beijing Jianguomen (CBD) along with Beijing’s Finance Street and Guangzhou, China. Beijing’s rise was driven by strong demand, particularly from domestic financial institutions, combined with lack of available space in Finance Street. Rounding out the top five largest annual increases were San Francisco (Downtown) and San Francisco’s Peninsula market.

While comparisons in dollars are affected by currency exchange rates, annual percent change calculations are based upon occupancy costs in local currency and measurement and not influenced by currency changes. Due to methodology changes in this report, comparisons with figures in previously released reports are not valid.

Asia Pacific
Asia Pacific had 19 markets ranked in the top 50 most expensive, with three of the top five—Hong Kong-CBD, Tokyo and Beijing’s Jianguomen (CBD)—most expensive markets. According to a CBRE survey of Global Office Occupier Footprints, Hong Kong is the number one location for global office occupiers and this, coupled with scarce land for development, has led to high office rents. The most expensive market in the global ranking from the Pacific Region was Sydney (US$117.88 per sq. ft.), which came in at 15th, on the strength of an 18.9% increase in local currency.

Despite its most-expensive ranking, Hong Kong experienced the largest annual decrease of all 133 markets tracked (-17.2%) as margin pressures on global financial services firms have impacted its Central submarket in the last year given its high exposure to such firms. Some of these firms have consolidated space requirements leading to increased availability in the core CBD. ..
Source: CBRE Global

The survey polled more than 1,200 of the Journal’s U.S. subscribers on their views of brands from across the commercial real estate industry. Results scored CBRE the highest on brand reputation, with 82.1% responding that the firm had an “excellent” or “very good” brand reputation.

“This survey of Journal subscribers provides further evidence that CBRE’s reputation for client service is second to none in the industry,” said Brett White, CBRE’s chief executive officer.  “This is a testament to the scope of our global platform, the quality of our people, and our unrelenting focus on service excellence. We take great pride in this honor.”

The survey also found that CBRE was tied for first as the industry’s most widely known brand, with 64.5% of subscribers responding they are “very” or “somewhat familiar with” the firm.

About CBRE
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm (in terms of 2010 revenue).  The Company has approximately 31,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. Please visit our Web site at www.cbre.com.

Source: CBRE Group

Los Angeles, December 1, 2011 – Global industrial rents have continued to grow, according to new research from CBRE, as a lack of significant new development has fueled global growth in prime industrial rents in 2011 and will underpin continued rent increases over the next two years.

Despite a weak economic outlook and a decline in industrial production, CBRE’s latest Global Industrial MarketViewshows that demand from large scale industrial occupiers—particularly third party logistics (3PL) and retail distributors—has weathered the storm.

“Global industrial rents now reflect 2006 levels,” said Raymond Torto, CBRE’s Global Chief Economist. “This has been driven by rental movements in Asia Pacific where regional rents have now surpassed pre-global crisis levels, while prime rents in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and the U.S. have still some way to grow before recovering from the downward cycle initiated in 2008.”

Demand, coupled with the limited availability of large, prime industrial facilities, has helped drive continued rental growth. CBRE’s Global Industrial Rent Index rose by 0.5% quarter-over-quarter in Q3, and by 1.7% year-over-year, driven primarily by strong occupier activity in Asia Pacific and the stabilization of rents in EMEA and the U.S.

“The U.S. was home to many of the largest industrial deals completed during the third quarter, as occupiers took advantage of leasing class A space in an opportune stage in the rental cycle,” said Ed Schreyer, CBRE Executive Managing Director, Industrial Services, The Americas. “Export demand also played a key role in the expansion of retailers and distributors in the U.S. during Q3, as the demand for retail goods led by the low value of the dollar continued over the period.” 

The CBRE report monitors 55 prime industrial and logistics locations around the world. According to the report, significant rental growth (5% or higher) occurred in a number of markets in the third quarter, with the highest growth—7.5%—recorded in the Vancouver, Canada metro area. Vancouver primarily benefited from currency movements, while similar increases in a number of Greater China cities were driven by competition for logistics space ahead of the holiday season.

At US$21.84/sq. ft., prime industrial rents in Tokyo remain at high levels on a global basis, with relocation and expansionary requirements of online retailers and 3PL operators helping to maintain prime industrial rents in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. London has the second highest rents at US$19/sq. ft. followed by Singapore at US$14.73, São Paulo/Campina in Brazil at US$13.98/sq. ft. and Sydney at US$11.36/sq. ft.

About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm (in terms of 2010 revenue).  The Company has approximately 31,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. Please visit our Web site at www.cbre.com.

Source: CBRE Group

CBRE Senior Director, Institutional Investment Properties, Mark Coster took out the prestigious Commercial Salesperson of the Year award while CBRE Senior Manager Max Cookes was awarded the Achievement (Rookie Award.

This is the third year running that a CBRE professional has secured the Commercial Salesperson of the Year title.

CBRE was also a finalist for Commercial Agency of the Year, Commercial Property Manager of the Year (Chris Hardisty) and for the C&I Gold Award for Overall Excellence for the 269 Swanston Street, Melbourne marketing campaign (CBRE City Sales team). The REIV awards recognise outstanding achievements and innovation in all fields of real estate practice.

CBRE’s Senior Managing Director, Victoria, Matt Haddon attributed the company’s ongoing success at the REIV awards to the outstanding efforts of all staff across the Victorian business.

About CBRE
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm (in terms of 2010 revenue). The Company has approximately 31,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. Please visit our Web site at www.cbre.com.au

Source: CBRE Group

The company said it has given CBRE management a six month period to formulate a buy-out plan for the firm.

“Pursuant to this strategy, on June 6, 2011 the board approved the disposal of CB Richard Ellis and management has given exclusivity for six months to come up with a viable proposal to acquire the business,” group chairman Tendai Chimuriwo said in the company’s financial results for the year ended March 2011.

CBRE was acquired in 2006 as part of moves to boost the variable rate loan stock (VRLS)’s earnings and cash generation capacity.

He said the property group was also disposing of its interest in non-core assets, including its horticultural business, as the group escalates its restructuring exercise and focus on core business.

“This is a unique business that requires specialist skills and an intense oversight.

It is considered that the energies of the board and those of senior management should be concentrated on our core business,” Chimuriwo, who is also chairman of construction group Costain, said.

He said the Dawn would also move away from its exclusive lease agreement with African Sun Hotels  for its properties, whiles some might be sold off to fund its refurbishment.

“Some hotels may be offered to other operators on a lease basis while some may be sold to raise funding for the diversification and refurbishment drive of the remaining hotels,” Chimuriwo said.

He hinted that the property firm was also considering a merger as part of its growth strategy.

“Potential merger partnerships are being considered to accelerate the diversification of the business,” Chimuriwo said.

He said Dawn had pinned its growth prospects on the huge residential housing demand, with the country having more than a million potential home seekers.

“In response to this need Dawn has completed plans to execute the Baines Avenue flat project and is currently working on funding options.”

Chimuriwo said the company had engaged town planners to start initial work on its Marlborough housing development which expected to build 2 000 houses in the next two years.

“The retail development will be on about 17 hectares of land along Harare Drive.

The execution of the projects is likely to commence within the next two years,” he said.

Chimuriwo said the company had successfully managed to have a bond placed on its Crown Plaza property cancelled.

“The bond cancellation process took longer than had initially been advised but nonetheless the bond was duly cancelled,” he said.

During the period under review, Dawn’s revenues increased by 48 percent to $5,7 million.

Source: Daily News Zimbabwe