CRE Price Growth “Has Room To Run”, FirstAm Predicts

Commercial real estate (CRE) price growth may keep outpacing CRE income growth, suggesting property values may not have reached their cyclical peak, according to First American’s Potential Capitalization Rate (CPR) Model for Q4 2021. First American’s PCR estimates capitalization rates using historical data for interest rates, rental income, occupancy rates, debt, and recent property price trends. In Q4 2021, the actual cap rate hit a record low of 5.2% while the potential cap rate sank to 4.4%. When the actual cap rate is significantly above the potential cap rate, as was the case in the fourth quarter of 2021, the model suggests that the CRE market can support a lower cap rate. The National potential cap rate was 4.4%, down…