Crews says Dallas is a safe haven market due to fewer developments and consistent absorption.
DALLAS—Diverse may be the most accurate way to describe the Dallas economy and that diversity extends within the tech industry. According to JLL's US Technology Outlook, Dallas is among the country's top 10 markets for technology patent generation in the areas of IT, telecom and biotech, with established companies such as AT&T and Texas Instruments providing stability, GlobeSt.com learns in this exclusive.
“Dallas is one of the most dynamic job markets in the country, with no single industry dominating the landscape,” Jack Crews, managing director with JLL's capital markets, tells GlobeSt.com. “This also applies to the tech sector where innovation and growth come from brand new startups as well as long-standing firms.”
The combination of tech stability and growth, paired with a comparatively low barrier to entry and low cost of real estate is appealing to a wide array of investors looking to secure a yield premium. For example, basis points yield requirements are 50 to 100 points lower compared to higher cost markets. Furthermore, net leased square footage runs about $30 per square foot while traditional tech hubs may have pricing reach up to $60 per square foot.
“In addition to the opportunity to secure higher yields, Dallas is a safe haven market due to fewer developments and consistent absorption,” Crews continues.
Tech companies' entrance or expansion in the market is driving much of its safe haven status. According to JLL, more than 1 million square feet was leased by tech companies between the third quarter 2015 to second quarter 2016.
With nearly a third (32.4%) of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher, the talent pool supports this growth. It's not only about the cost of real estate: the building's infrastructure quality is increasingly important and serves as a recruitment factor. In Dallas' newer tech submarkets of Lower Uptown and West End, Crews notes that deals are trading, and buildings are being repositioned and renovated due to the burgeoning tech atmosphere.
For example, Quadrant Investment Properties recently purchased The Centrum and plans to renovate the building to include more common, collaborative space. And, Spear Street Capital recently acquired and redeveloped Landmark Center in Westend.
“If it's a repositioning play, the planned upgrades are slanting towards tech,” says Crews. “Investors are taking a more targeted approach on where they place capital and a building's infrastructure is an increasingly significant factor. When they see a property they want, they'll compete for it.”
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Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown is an editor for the south and west regions of GlobeSt.com. She has 25-plus years of real estate experience, with a regional PR role at Grubb & Ellis and a national communications position at MMI. Brown also spent 10 years as executive director at NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area chapter, where she led the organization to achieving its first national award honors and recognition on Capitol Hill. She has written extensively on commercial real estate topics and edited numerous pieces on the subject.
