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NIC MAP® Market Signals


4Q10 Market Signal: Among Property Types: Divergent Trends Evident at Metro Levels

Across the aggregate of MAP 31, occupancy rates for majority independent living (IL) properties and majority assisted living (AL) properties have generally trended in a similar fashion over the past few years. Both property types established their respective cyclical occupancy peak in late 2006 or early 2007 (AL at 90.7% in 3Q06 and IL at 92.7% in 1Q07) and both property types reached cyclical bottoms in 2010 (AL at 87.4% in 1Q10 and IL at 87.0% in 3Q10). Similar trends are one of the reasons why NIC MAP reports many metrics out on seniors housing which incorporates both IL and AL properties.

Given that IL and AL have trended in a similar fashion at the aggregate MAP 31 level, one would expect this to hold at the metropolitan market level. While this is generally true across markets, there are a number of very notable exceptions. Two such markets are highlighted below.



Phoenix, AZ


Phoenix's IL occupancy declined 780 bps from 91.5% in 3Q07 to 84.3% in 3Q10. Even though it rose by 30 bps in 4Q10, the IL occupancy rate is still near bottom in Phoenix. Part of the challenge for IL in Phoenix is that over 1,600 units have been added to inventory since 1Q08. 27.6% (16 of 58) of the stabilized properties in Phoenix reported occupancy at or below 80% in 4Q10.

AL occupancy in Phoenix is up 400 bps since reaching a cyclical low of 85.4% in 2Q09. At 89.4% in 4Q10, AL occupancy is also at its highest level since 2Q07 when it was 89.6%. Phoenix's AL inventory has grown by 186 units since 1Q08 and there are a reported 110 units under construction in two majority AL properties as of 4Q10.



Riverside, CA


In Riverside, IL occupancy rate has declined over 1,000 bps since early 2007. At 82.6% in 4Q10, the IL occupancy rate is down 160 bps from last quarter and 60 bps YOY. 8 out of 26 IL properties in Riverside are now reporting IL occupancy at or below 80%. YOY rent growth is now 0.3%, which has slowed from a year ago when it was 2.1%.

AL occupancy in Riverside has risen nearly 800 bps since 1Q08. At 90.0%, AL occupancy is up 190 bps YOY and at its highest level since MAP began reporting data (4Q05). Interestingly, YOY rent growth for AL is now -2.6% and has been negative for three consecutive quarters. There is a possibility that the negative rent growth could be helping occupancy.