The country’s healthcare-focused REITs have always been, and are likely to continue to be, an important investor group in the medical office building (MOB) acquisitions sector.

While MOB transaction activity might have cooled somewhat and MOB construction remains steady, deliveries of hospital projects have been on a spike. Based on projects that have either opened or are scheduled to open by the end of the year, we will be adding roughly 35 million square feet to inventory in 2019.

Medical Office (MOB) transaction volume has slowed during the past year. Within the top 50 metros Revista recorded $7.14B worth of MOB trades from 3Q18 to 2Q19

In recent weeks we've seen significant volatility in the stock market along with increasing fears of a recession. After all, this is now the longest market expansion in history. It can't continue forever, right? MOBs have long been considered somewhat insulated from market shifts - but what does the data say?

2019 MOB deal volume continues the cooling trend after coming off historical highs in 2017. While total volume may be down, a theme continues - private investors represent the greatest percentage of acquisitions.

In the past twelve months, over 21 million square feet of medical office space have been delivered across the country. More than 35% of that has been condensed in 10 markets.

Medical Office Building (MOB) capitalization rates are trending up from their lows set in late 2017 and early 2018. The average cap rate for MOBs was 6.7% in the 1st quarter of 2019..

Although 22nd in rank for population, Charlotte is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. Over the past 10 years the population has grown almost 60%! In 2010 the population rank was only 33… Affordable housing and lower cost of living paired with rapid economic growth and a hot job market has generated a population magnet.

Hospital construction across the US is in the midst of a delivery spike as many projects, both new hospitals and additions, open this year. As of the end of 2018 Philadelphia had the largest under construction hospital pipeline of any metro with 4.4 Million square feet and 14 projects under construction, almost double the square footage of the runner up, Washington DC.

Overall transaction volumes for Medical Office Buildings (MOB) were down in 2018 versus 2017. According to Revista’s Year End 2018 Medical Real Estate Transactions report