How Critical Is Foreign Investment to Commercial Real Estate in D.C.?

Rich Sarkis is CEO of Reonomy

Washington, D.C.’s commercial real estate markets suffered a significant slowdown when foreign investment dried up in 2016, but they bounced back almost as soon as the foreign money returned.

In February 2017, Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser ceremonially broke ground on The Highline at Union Market, a 12-story mixed-use complex in the city’s NoMa neighborhood that will feature 318 luxury apartments and nearly 10,000 square feet of retail space once complete. Made possible by a $27 million Chinese investment, The Highline underscores the pivotal role that foreign money plays in Washington’s commercial real estate (CRE) markets.