The looming repercussions of the lockdowns forced the hands of lawmakers to subsidize its’ citizens to stay home and lower interest rates to stimulate the economy. This was an unprecedented global phenomenon. The after-effects of this would create massive inflation, and increased demand for goods, especially automobiles and luxury items as well as construction. This unparalleled demand created an enormous strain on the supply chain both on the production/manufacturing end as well as the warehouse logistics end.

logistics
Industrial real estate, and more importantly, logistics real estate, serves as the conduit everyday consumers have become accustomed to receiving goods and services. Warehouses provide for product storage, truck terminals and distribution centers bring the product one step closer to the consumer while storage yards for trucks, trailers, and containers allow for the aggregation of equipment necessary to match the product to the consumer. The consumer, however, is the catalyst that dictates how each of these components thrives or declines, and ultimately interacts.
Despite the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, the logistics industry has performed remarkably well and facilitated the economy to stay afloat. As online sales continue to rise, it will also continue to drive the New Jersey metropolitan industrial market, it’s rental rates, footprint, etc. This will continue through 2021 and beyond.
In 2019, logistics spending accelerated with an 11.4% increase parallel to the e-commerce growth within the United States. In the past decade we have seen industrial rents hit an all-time high, but the demand for more space is growing. The hiccups this nation has faced in its international supply chain logistics validate the necessity for expansion in our nation’s infrastructure.
We have all recently heard in the media about the looming Tariff war between the US and China, and how it will cause a massive recession and ultimately lead to the downfall of America. To say that the assessment made by the media outlets is an exaggeration, would be the understatement of the century.
With property values at all-time highs, unemployment at all-time lows and the stock market still holding strong, the question on everyone’s mind is where we go from here. Everyone has their own mindset of the current commercial real estate (CRE) market and where it is headed but nobody knows or can predict what’s next. The reason is that the world is extremely different today than it has ever been.
Industrial rental rates have skyrocketed in urban areas due to the boom of e-commerce. The demand for third-party logistics, also known as 3PLs have increased substantially. This has driven up rental rates in the industrial market. The industrial market in New Jersey alone has increased 11% year over year. The question of sustainability of rental increases emerges.