The Q2 2025 Industrial Market Report is out from the Los Angeles - Long Beach Lee & Associates Office.
South Bay Submarket Q2 2025 Overview Summary
- Vacancy/Availability: Total vacancy hit 6.4%, the highest since early 2023, with a 70-basis-point quarterly rise; available space reached 19.4 million square feet, up 2.5 million SF since Q4 2024, driven by returning leased properties and slow lease-ups; sublet vacancy rose to 1.0%, hinting at tenant downsizing; absorbing 4.8 million SF is needed to reach a 4% vacancy rate, excluding new deliveries.
- Rental Rates: Asking rents softened to $1.54 NNN per square foot from $1.61 in Q1 and a $1.69 peak in Q2 2024, marking two consecutive quarterly declines since the pandemic recovery; direct rents dropped more than sublet rents, reflecting landlord pressure from rising vacancies and slow leasing; despite high historical levels, tenants are gaining negotiation leverage.
- Construction: Only one building (504,000 SF) was delivered, with the pipeline shrinking to 742,000 SF, down 60% from 1.9 million SF a year ago, due to caution over vacancies, slow leasing, and softening rents; graded sites are on standby awaiting tenants or better conditions; no preleased projects suggest rising vacancy risks if leasing doesn’t improve.
- Leasing Activity/Absorption: Negative net absorption of -1.15 million SF marked a downturn from 544,000 SF last quarter, the third negative quarter in four, indicating tenant contraction; leasing activity fell to 1.12 million SF leased and 84 deals, below the 105-deal historical average, reflecting occupier caution, especially for larger spaces.
- Sales Activity/Investment Trends: Sales totaled 19 transactions at $93.5 million, up from 16 in Q1 but far below $375 million in Q4 2024; the average price per square foot dropped to $211.83, the lowest in over a year, as buyers adjust to vacancies and rents; cautious investor sentiment persists due to delayed Fed rate cuts and tariff uncertainty, though strong fundamentals attract future capital.
The South Bay industrial market faces challenges with rising vacancies, softening rents, and reduced activity, tempered by potential for recovery as market conditions stabilize.
Midcounties, Central, Inland Empire Submarkets also included in report