Big city AI boom can't stop real estate slide, as office vacancies reach new record
(CNBC) -- Artificial intelligence has been a big boon for San Francisco real estate. But not enough of one to make up for the broader struggle across the market.
The vacancy rate for San Francisco office space reached a fresh record of 34.5% in the second quarter, according to a report Monday from commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. That’s up from 33.9% in the first quarter, 28.1% in the same period a year ago and 5% before the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the average asking rent dropped to $68.27 per square foot in the quarter, the lowest since late 2015, down from $72.90 a year earlier and a peak of $84.70 in 2020.