Sporadic White-Collar Hiring Dampens Office Fundamentals, but Existing Tenant Base Steadying, Giving Back Less Space

Phoenix, AZ – November 16, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Although Phoenix office market fundamentals remain soft, improvements in other industries and property types will continue to seep into white-collar sectors and stimulate leasing. So far this year, metrowide employment levels have risen by 26,700 jobs through the end of the third quarter. Hiring within the blue-collar and education and health services sectors accounted for 14,700 positions. Layoffs in the professional and business services industries, however, drove overall office-using losses of 4,300 positions during that stretch. Despite the net loss of jobs, white-collar employers added workers during the second quarter and Phoenix’s business-friendly climate will further encourage relocations similar to Wal-Mart’s regional consolidation and AT Security Service’s complete move from California.