Australian office vacancy rates reach 1990s levels amid remote work impact

New research has revealed that office vacancy rates in Australia increased during the first half of the year to levels not seen since the 1990s. The rise in vacancies, particularly in downtown Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, where major companies have their headquarters, ranged from 0.2% to 0.9%. The Melbourne central business district (CBD) experienced the most significant increase in vacancies.

The national CBD vacancy rate reached 12.8%, slightly higher than the previous rate of 12.6%, indicating the challenges faced by landlords trying to fill buildings emptied during the COVID pandemic amid a slowing economy. However, the pace of increase slowed compared to the second half of 2022.

Office landlords are confronting the challenge of tenants seeking to reduce their space due to the surplus created by remote work, coinciding with the impact of higher interest rates on property values and increased costs for servicing debts. This situation poses a potential existential crisis for the sector.

The CBD vacancy rate in Australia refers to the percentage of unoccupied office space in the central business districts of major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. It is an important metric used to assess the health of the commercial real estate market and the challenges faced by landlords in filling empty office spaces.

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Australian office vacancy rates reach 1990s levels amid remote work impact

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