London CRE Market Gridlocked As Office Building Values Plummet

Large office buildings in the City of London have become a hard sell as remote and hybrid work models continue to diminish demand for traditional office spaces this year. 

CoStar recently reported figures showing there have been no London-based deals above £100mn in the first half of 2024. It’s the first time this has occurred since 1999.  

The Financial Times reports a decline in commercial sales of this size reflects a broader shift in post-pandemic work patterns that have fundamentally changed how London-based businesses utilize office spaces.  

Flexible work environments, plus rising interest rates, have led to a depreciation of property values for these large office buildings. The problem is compounded by an oversupply of office spaces meeting the already decreased demand, making it seemingly impossible to offload these large properties in Q1 and Q2.  

The situation is illustrative of a broader global economic challenge where commercial property investors and developers face hundreds of billions of dollars in losses — prompting them to rethink their investments and consider office to residential conversions.  

Experts believe an uncertain economic climate marked by inflation and geopolitical tensions are causing investors to be wary. These elements add layers of complexity and volatility not just in London, but in other large office markets within the U.S., making the recovery and future stabilization of office values unpredictable.