By Anca Gagiuc | Multi-Housing News
Phoenix’s proximity to denser, more expensive cities had been fueling migration of both residents and businesses during the second part of the last cycle and the pandemic has exacerbated that trend. This has benefited the metro’s multifamily market, boosting demand for multifamily units, which pushed the average rent up 0.8 percent on a trailing three-month basis through November, to $1,259. Even so, the figure trailed the $1,465 U.S. average, which was flat for the fourth consecutive month.
Employment growth in the 12 months ending in September marked a 4.2 percent decline, well above the -9.3 percent national level. The unemployment rate slid to 6.2 percent in September, following a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in midsummer. October preliminary data pointed to an increase to 7.5 percent. Two sectors added jobs in the year ending in September, including the metro’s largest—trade, transportation and utilities—which expanded 2.6 percent. The sector benefited from its ability to adapt to the current situation and from Amazon’s planned expansion, which was projected to bring 3,000 new jobs ahead of the holiday season.
