- The leasing market continues to slow, impacted by the sharp drop in turnkey transactions.
Immediate supply continues to rise while new supply remains contained.
- Rents remain under pressure.
More than €7.9 billion has been invested since the beginning of 2013, an increase of 8% in a year.
- Twenty transactions exceeding €100 million were recorded in the first nine months of the year.
- The key prime yield in the Central Business District is stable in a range between 4.50 and 5.00%.
1. The office market in the Greater Paris
Region – 3rd quarter 2013
Between light and shadow
The leasing market continues to slow, impacted by the sharp
drop in turnkey transactions.
Immediate supply continues to rise while new supply remains
contained.
Rents remain under pressure.
More than €7.9 billion has been invested since the beginning of
2013, an increase of 8% in a year.
Twenty transactions exceeding €100 million were recorded in the
first nine months of the year.
The key prime yield in the Central Business District is stable in a
range between 4.50 and 5.00%.
2. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 2
Downturn in the leasing
market
Ratio of turnkey transactions in the total take-up
(yoy change)
The large turnkey transactions have been absent this
year, with 440,000 sq m missing
At the end of Q3, the leasing market was down by 30% compared to
last year, with 1.3 million sq m of take-up in the Greater Paris
Region. This difference is no surprise since solely Q3 of 2012 was
exceptionally active, with the completion of transactions by the
In million sq m
2,0
1,8
1,6
1,4
1,2
1,0
0,8
0,6
0,4
0,2
0,0
Excl. turnkeys
1,302,000
32%
11%
Q3 2012
Ministry of Defence (135,000 sq m in the 15th district), France
Télécom (70,000 sq m in Châtillon), Sanofi (50,000 sq m in Gentilly)
Turnkeys
1,848,000
Q3 2013
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle
or Thalès (49,000 sq m in Vélizy).
As we already mentioned mid-year, large transactions are lacking
this year. The sharp drop in turnkey transactions, after two
Macro-economic data as at Q3 2013
(yoy change)
exceptional years, has greatly impacted the 2013 results. Indeed, it
is interesting to note that the share of these tailor-made transactions
2013
Yoy change
GDP (2nd quarter)
+0.5%
11% in 2013. In fact, although the drop in activity appears exposed
Salaried employment (1st quarter)
+3,594
at the moment, in 2011 and 2012 leasing activity was "boosted" by
Business climate (Sept.)
94
in take-up fell from 24% in 2012 (32% at end of September 2012) to
these specific major transactions.
Source: INSEE
There were no such transactions in 2013. But those, which have
long gestation times, are difficult to gauge in terms of a calendar
year. And then some companies, faced since mid-2012 with the
Greater Paris Region KMI’s Q3 2013
(yoy change)
downturn in indicators and economic outlook, as well as a sluggish
Q3 2013
national climate, have postponed their real estate projects, curbing
Yoy change
For two years the phenomenon of lease renegotiations has grown in
the Greater Paris Region. According to Jacques Bagge, Head of the
French leasing team at Jones Lang LaSalle, “One of the key drivers
of demand in the past two years, was looking for savings. This has
now halted, the companies whose sole motivation was to lower their
real estate costs being satisfied to renegotiate their leases with
landlords, careful to avoid the leasing vacancy in their assets.”
Total take-up
1,302,172 sq m
Immediate supply
their ambitions or renegotiating their lease.
3,758,000 sq m
7.2%
Prime rent
€705 /sq m/pa
Average 2nd hand rent
€312 /sq m/pa
Immediate vacancy rate
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat/ORIE
4. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 4
Take-up change as at Q3 2013
(split by sub-market)
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
5. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 5
The threshold of 3.7 million sq m available has been crossed
Grade A ratio in the immediate supply > 5,000 sq m
(split by market)
In one year, the stock of available office space will have increased
by 6%. Therefore, supply continues to rise and reached a new
Immediate supply > 5,000 sq m
Grade A ratio
milestone with more than 3.7 million sq m available, which
Outer Suburbs
438,000 sq m
19%
represents 7.2% of the Paris tertiary stock. However, the share of
Inner Suburbs
277,000 sq m
30%
new supply in immediate supply, although up this quarter, remains
Paris
115,000 sq m
13%
contained at a much lower level than in 2009 (~30%) and
Western Crescent
621,000 sq m
44%
represented 22% of immediate supply at the end of Q3.
La Défense
306,000 sq m
66%
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
Most of the increases were concentrated in the west of Paris, a
market where new deliveries this quarter were particularly high: not
less than 140,000 sq m of projects delivered, including 80,000 sq m
in La Défense with the “Eqho” tower. Not surprisingly, vacancy rates
are trending upwards: 10% in La Défense and 13.6% for the
Western Crescent.
Immediate supply and vacancy rate change
(by building quality)
Second hand supply
New/Refurbished supply
Vacancy rate
In million sq m
4,5
4,0
Supply also remains high in the Inner Southern and Inner Northern
Suburbs with vacancy rates around 10%. However, the Paris market
3,5
5%
2,5
4%
2,0
4.9% for the Central Business District.
1,5
Leasing values are under pressure
3%
2%
1,0
0,5
28%
24%
0,0
2008
Key prime rents in the Greater Paris region are trending downwards
26%
24%
20%
22%
2009
2010
2011
2012
Q3 2013
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat/ORIE
to €705/sq m in the Central Business District and to €510/sq m in La
Défense, given the scarcity of transactions at exceptional rent
levels. Moreover, it is interesting to note that in the Central Business
District there have only been a handful of transactions signed
Immediate supply as at Q3 2013
(split by market)
exceeding €700 since the start of the year, a number four times
8%
lower than last year during the same period.
10%
30%
Generally, rents are still under pressure, with a few exceptions. The
overall market remains well supplied. “Actual rents, which have
fallen sharply, should remain at low levels in the coming months,
with negotiating conditions still very advantageous for companies,”
7%
6%
3,0
is still under supplied with a very low vacancy rate (less than 5%):
8%
28%
14%
10%
commented Jacques Bagge.
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
Paris CBD
Paris (excl. CBD)
Western Crescent
La Défense
Inner Suburbs
Outer Suburbs
1%
0%
6. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 6
Vacancy rate as at Q3 2013
(split by sub-market)
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat/ORIE
Prime rent as at Q3 2013
(split by sub-market)
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat/ORIE
7. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 7
Outlook
Given the drop in activity observed at the end of Q3, take-up in the
Greater Paris region for 2013 is expected to be around
1.8 million sq m. The outlook for 2014 is more favourable given the
first signs of improvement in the global and national economy since
the summer. Thus, leasing activity should gradually recover from
Projects under construction and available up to 2015
(spli by market)
In sq m
300,000
250,000
TOTAL
Inner Suburbs
Western Crescent
Paris (excl. CBD)
Outer Suburbs
La Défense
Paris CBD
mid-2014.
200,000
The available supply remains significant, especially in the suburbs,
even if certain new buildings, some of which have been vacant for
several years, have gradually found tenants following adjustments in
their leasing values. The arrival on the market of new projects, in La
150,000
100,000
50,000
Défense and in the Southern Bend in particular, should reinforce or
even increase market disparities. Therefore, some vacancy rates
2013
58,000 sq m
may rise again in the coming months.
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle
Indeed, although today speculative launches of real estate
transactions remain limited, most of these developments, currently
under construction and available for letting (~760,000 sq m in total),
are concentrated in western Paris (45%).
In this context, still favourable to tenants, landlords remain attentive
to the operational and financial constraints of companies, and will
not fail to take this into account in their proposals, in order to avoid
the leasing vacancy in their assets. Renegotiations should therefore
remain numerous. Companies, whose sole motivation is to lower
their real estate costs, often will prefer to stay put in their current
premises, thus limiting the risk to the workforce and cost of moving.
2014
376,000 sq m
2015
324,000 sq m
2013 - 2015
758,000 sq m
8. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 8
Rise in the investment
market compared to last year
The business district of La Défense gets its head
above water with more than €750 million of
investment since the start of the year.
With €3.6 billion invested in commercial real estate in the Greater
Paris region in Q3, the investment market found its second wind
during the summer. In total, over €7.9 billion have been invested
since the start of the year, an increase of 8% in a year.
Sharp growth in activity in the segment of intermediate size
transactions
After a slight drop at the end of June, large transactions that were in
progress during the spring were completed on schedule during the
summer: they are the only three transactions worth more than €300
million signed since the start of the year. These are the sale to
PRIMONIAL of the “Adria” tower for €450 million in La Défense, that
of PREDICA of “Eco Campus” for €380 million in Châtillon, and the
Tour « Sequana » - Issy-les-Moulineaux
Macro-economic data as at Q3 2013
(yoy change)
sale of the “Sequana” tower to HINES (on behalf of a third party) in
Q3 2013
Issy-les-Moulineaux.
Yoy change
In the end, 20 deals exceeding €100 million were signed at the end
GDP
+0.5%
of September, two more than last year.
ECB headline rate
0.50%
10-year-bond
2.342%
3-months-Euribor-rate
0.225%
5-year-SWAP-rate
1.26%
We note again the very balanced nature of the Greater Paris Region
market this year with regard to the unit volume of transactions. 50%
of the amounts invested were on transactions of less than €100
million, with a particularly strong growth in activity in the
Source: INSEE / Agence France Trésor / euribor-rates.eu / Jones Lang LaSalle-Thomson Reuters
intermediate segment transactions (between €50 and €100 million).
Greater Paris Region KMI’s as at Q3 2013
(yoy change)
There were 30 transactions recorded for over €2 billion, compared
to only 19 for close to €1.2 billion in the same period last year, i.e.
Q1-Q3 2013
an increase of 67% in volume.
Investment volumes
Yoy trend
€7,919 M
As for very large transactions, in excess of €500 million, they have
Average investment deal
€51 M
been down up until now. This trend may change in the coming
Number of transactions
of which over €100m
155
20
4.50 – 5.00
months because large portfolios are currently being negotiated.
Prime office yield
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
9. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 9
Quarterly investment
(in volume)
The Paris Inner Ring captured almost half of the capital
The three largest transactions recorded since the start of the year
having been completed in the Paris Inner Ring, Inner Paris did not
drain, as it usually does, the majority of capital.
More than €1.5 billion was invested in the Paris Inner Ring (“Eco
Campus” in Châtillon) and in the Western Crescent (“Sequana” in
Issy-les-Moulineaux) respectively.
In €Bn
14
Q4
Q3
Q2
Q1
12,12
12
10
4,77
8
2,4
6
The business district of La Défense continued its strong momentum
4
begun in the last quarter, with €758 million invested since the start
2
of the year (4 transactions).
+8% 7,92
0
Two transactions exceeding €100 million were recorded in this
market, and after the sale by IVANHOE CAMBRIDGE of the
“Pacific”
tower
for
€228
million
to
TISHMAN
3,51
1,44
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
SPEYER
PROPERTIES in Q2, TESTA sold the “Adria” tower to PRIMONIAL
for €450 million in Q3. 2013 is likely to be one of the best years
recorded on the La Défense market since 2008.
Investment split by individual lot-size as at Q3 2013
(in number of deals)
< €50 M
The “Eco Campus” sale boosted the forward funding market in
Q3
From €100 to €300 M
11% 2%
From €50 to €100 M
After a slow start to the year, the forward funding market picked up
in Q3 with a large-scale forward funding sale completed during the
summer. Thus, PREDICA purchased “Eco Campus” from NEXITY
From €300 to €500 M
> €500 M
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
and INTERCONSTRUCTION for €380 million. This transaction of
70,000 sq m of office space developed on behalf of FRANCE
TELECOM in Châtillon should be delivered in 2015.
The other forward funding sale of the quarter was the sale by BNP
Investment volume as at Q3 2013
(by asset class)
PARIBAS REIM of the extension of “Moulins de Pantin” (13,000
sq m) to LA FRANCAISE for an amount exceeding €65 million. This
is half pre-let to BNP.
We note that a single unsecured transaction has been sold since the
start of the year, thus the share of unsecured forward funding sales
fell from 50% of transactions at the end of Q3 2012 to 17% at the
end of September 2013
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
19%
68%
2013
10. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 10
The market remains focused on the traditional players
French investors still largely continue to dominate the investment
market with 73% of amounts committed in the Greater Paris region.
Usually strongly present on volumes of less than €100 million, in Q3
Forward funding ratio in the total office investment Q3 2013
(in volume)
In €Bn
Offices's sales (excl. forward funding sales)
Offices' forward funding sales
14
they made up the majority of the largest transactions, as 2 of the 3
12
largest transactions in the quarter were acquired by the French
10
(“Eco Campus” and “Adria”).
8
6
However, we have seen the return of more opportunistic investors of
4
Anglo-Saxon origin such as HINES (“Perspectives Défense” and
2
“Sequana”) or BLACKSTONE (“Colisée III & IV” and a portfolio of
0
logistics warehouses) that have been positioned substantially in the
Paris market in recent months.
0,96
1,55
1,47
1,92
2,23
1,60
1,61
1,32
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle/ImmoStat
As for the Germans, they mostly bought retail assets or office
buildings in Inner Paris:
- DEKA purchased the commercial part of “T8” and “33 rue
Investment split by nationality as at Q3 2013
(en volume)
Lafayette”,
- UNION bought “Les 3 Moulins” shopping centre,
- and PRAMERICA bought “118 Avenue des Champs Elysées”.
Stability of yields in all sectors
Investor appetite for “Core+” and “Value Add” products is confirmed,
although the supply of products is not yet sufficient. We note that the
pricing differences between sellers and buyers tend to be reduced,
providing greater liquidity in this market segment. Investor appetite
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle
for the best products cannot be denied, with the prime yields
remaining unchanged despite rising rates of French treasury bonds
since the spring.
0,90
1,09
1,28
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013
Prime yields as at Q3 2013
(split by sub-sector)
Thus, the key prime yield in the Central Business District is stable in
a range between 4.50 and 5.00%.
Source: Jones Lang LaSalle
11. On Point • The office market in the Greater Paris Region – Q3 2013 Page 11
Outlook
According to Stephan von Barczy, Head of French Capital Markets
Group at Jones Lang LaSalle “Large transactions are currently
Consensus forecasts
(as up to 2014)
underway and acquisition teams are very busy. They must
September 2013
undertake more substantial educational work with their committees,
June 2014
slowing slightly the rate of completing transactions.”
GDP (year end)
As a result, we anticipate that the investment volume at the end of
10-year-bond
the year will be in the range of €10 to €12 billion.
3-months-Euribor-rate
Sovereign funds that strongly led the market last year have hardly
been present on the market since the start of the year. However,
they have not deserted the market since two transactions, for
around €1 to €2 billion, are currently under negotiation.
As for the forward funding market, it should not end the year on an
equal to last year's level (around €1 billion), especially as investors
for unsecured transactions are still rare.
In terms of funding, although banks continue to dominate the
market, debt funds have effectively deployed a good part of their
funds and new insurers have emerged. Competition on margins
partly offsets the increases in rates, but overall funding costs have
probably reached a low point.
Source: Consensus forecasts – June 2013