Just the facts, M'am

Alright, already! I know that by and large my blog posts have been more opinion than fact. So you want some facts, Sgt. Friday?*

No need the bring out the rubber hose! The commercial real estate industry is abundant with research publications including quarterly Reis reports from which the following facts regarding the San Francisco commercial retail market (at the end of Q2 09) are excerpted:

"Neighborhood and community center rents were flat in the second quarter after alternating small gains and losses over the prior four quarters"

"Vacancy rates were at sub-3.0% in most retail neighborhood corridors, but major commercial areas are flooded with available space as many national chains have gone dark.... a 16.5% percent availability rate in pricey Union Square"

"...rents continue to increase in Union Square despite rising availability... average asking rents increased 9% from year end 2008 (to $166 sf from $152 sf)"

"San Francisco retail space investment sales were limited in the second quarter of 2009 with just three properties changing hands for $9.4 million.... (as compared to a quarterly average of $155 million from the start of 2005 to the third quarter 2007"

Them's the facts, Sgt. Friday, I swear!

* for those of you who never knew or just can't recall, Sgt. Joe Friday (played by Jack Webb) was the hard-boiled Los Angeles detective in the classic TV series Dragnet and is credited with the phrase "Just the facts, M'am". They had a cool theme song and intro too which you can see here