What is gross absorption in commercial property?

Gross absorption in commercial real estate measures the total amount of space that was leased, occupied, or contracted during a specific period without netting out space that was vacated or returned to the market. It is a measure of total leasing activity and transaction velocity rather than true demand growth.

Gross vs. Net Absorption

  • Gross absorption: Total space transacted includes expansions, renewals, relocations, new occupiers.
  • Net absorption: Gross absorption minus space vacated true net demand change.

Why Gross Absorption Is Used

Gross absorption measures market activity and transaction volume useful for tracking broker commissions earned, market depth, and total space cycling through the market. A high gross absorption with low net absorption indicates active churn but no net demand growth.

Gross absorption is a useful transaction volume indicator but should always be read alongside net absorption to understand true demand dynamics. The ratio of net-to-gross absorption is a revealing market health metric higher ratios indicate expanding markets; lower ratios suggest high churn without genuine growth.

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