Wondering how Austin’s economic and CRE fundamentals are performing?

Recent micro and macroeconomic trends have left many of us wondering what the present and future hold for Austin. We have compiled – and will continue to update –  this dashboard to help navigate our city’s office market.

Specifically, you will find a collection of relevant data points that should help paint a picture of how Austin’s economy, the U.S. economy and Austin’s CRE market are performing.

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Kirk Silas | AQUILA Commercial About the Author

Kirk Silas

Kirk is the mastermind behind AQUILA's wealth of market intel. He continuously delves into data and crunches the numbers to provide our team and our clients with the latest market insights and most in-depth analysis.
Chapter 1

Austin’s Economy

Unemployment Rate

Though unemployment in the Austin area peaked at over 12% in early 2020, it has now decreased to pre-pandemic levels.


 

Housing Market Stats

Austin’s housing market is booming, with homes selling for thousands over asking price and inventory at an all-time low. The numbers below represent the most recent monthly stats on the residential market’s performance.

$550,000

Median Price

3,633

Closed Sales

5,231

New Listings

3,643

Pending Sales

1.2

Months of Inventory

Source: Austin Board of Realtors – May 2022 Central Texas Housing Market Report

 

Housing Permits

Another important statistic to review in conjunction with housing sales is housing construction. The below chart tracks the number of housing permits issued in the Austin MSA on a monthly basis.


 

Austin Business Cycle

The Austin Business-Cycle Index is put together by the Federal Bank of Dallas for the purpose of gauging the current state of the economy. The index takes into account unemployment, wages, employment and retail sales. 


Chapter 2

U.S. Economy

Inflation

We all know inflation has become a real concern in today’s economy, with businesses and individuals alike feeling its effects. The below data shows the YOY change in inflation according to the CPI.


 

Job Postings

Using job listings on Indeed, we have been tracking jobs available in Austin and comparable cities since the beginning of 2020. Most employers halted hiring at the onset of COVID-19, so this data can be used to gauge in which cities employers are starting to hire once again.


 

Effective Federal Funds Rate

With the Federal Reserve continuing to increase its target for the federal funds rate, this benchmark is becoming an increasingly important statistic to follow. Below you will find where the effective funds rate sits today and where it was previously.


 

Chapter 3

Austin's Commercial Real Estate Market

Quarterly Office Report Stats

Below you will our most recent quarterly office market stats, the same stats used in our most recent quarterly report. Use the filters at the top to view different submarkets.


 

Transaction Volume

Utilizing CoStar’s leasing data, we can see that office leasing volume has regained momentum post-pandemic. We hope to continue to see this volume trending upwards over time.


 

Deals in the Market

Using AQUILA’s proprietary data on tenants actively searching for space in the Austin market, we are tracking the square feet of requirements per month. These numbers include all tenant types looking for office space in Austin. The chart shows the percentage difference in requirements compared to the same month a year ago.


 

We are here for you and are ready to help.

At AQUILA, we have always strived to not just be your real estate service provider, but your trusted partner and advisor as well. It is in difficult times like this that we hope that we can truly show you the latter. Know that we are here as a resource for you and are ready to help however you may need. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your contact at AQUILA should you have any questions on any of the information provided.