You Can Choose Your Office, But Not Your Business Neighbors… Or Can You?

The quality of office spaces influences who occupy each building, but it doesn’t fully determine tenant dynamics. Do you know how likely you are to share a building with a government official, a lawyer, or a banker? SiiLA analyzed corporate tenant patterns in Mexico and calculated their occupancy probabilities based on the office building’s class (A+, A, or B).

Felipe García Ascencio is the CEO of Santander México, one of the banks with the most prominent office presence in Mexico. Photo: SiiLA.

By: SiiLA News

12/02/2024

In Mexico's office market, the largest occupants are not always the most common neighbors. For instance, although the Government sector (or subindustry) leads in gross leasable area, its offices tend to concentrate on entire buildings or large, strategically located spaces. This significantly reduces their chances of sharing a property with other tenants, as their operations are often highly centralized.

Data from SiiLA Market Analytics reveals that the probability of having a government institution as a neighbor in a Class B building is about one in 60. In Class A or A+ buildings, this likelihood drops to one in 200 and 500, respectively.

These probabilities were calculated by estimating the relative presence of different office tenants in Mexico's key markets, considering factors like occupied area, business density by sector, and the average size of spaces used. However, local circumstances can vary significantly. Elements such as timing, expansion capacity, the dynamism of subindustries, and individual economic outlooks influence these trends, making them a snapshot of the present rather than a forecast. Thus, they should serve as a guide for identifying prevailing patterns, not as a definitive representation of what might be found in any given building.

The following image illustrates the sectors that prefer each office class (A+, A, or B). Number one represents the sector most likely to choose that class, while higher numbers correspond to less common sectors within that class, though they still prefer it over others.

Chart based on SiiLA Market Analytics data.

Similarly, this image showcases the subindustries most likely found in each office class. They are ranked by relative probability, with number one indicating the most common subindustry and higher numbers representing less frequent ones within that class.

Chart based on SiiLA Market Analytics data.

SiiLA's findings are revealing. They show that the most common sector is Business Services, present in nearly one out of three offices regardless of class. Real Estate and Finance follow, with probabilities of one in four or five, and one in five or six, respectively—decreasing as property class improves.

Beyond these three categories, probabilities for other sectors drop significantly. For instance, the likelihood of finding a Technology company in your building ranges from one in 15 to 23, depending on the class. Meanwhile, the probability of having a Legal sector neighbor is one in 14 to 16.

This trend extends to less represented sectors, each with unique dynamics tied to their relationship with the building class. For example, in linear cases like Electronics, the occupancy probability rises considerably with higher-quality buildings. In contrast, linear cases like the Government see a concentration in Class B offices, with presence decreasing as building quality improves. Non-linear sectors, such as Transportation and Logistics, Legal, and Construction, display more varied patterns that do not follow a consistent increase or decrease.

These behavioral differences indicate that the impact of office quality varies based on the priorities and strategies of each sector. While building quality is a relevant factor, occupancy dynamics are not uniformly defined. Even though subindustries with higher probabilities show more consistent behavior across office classes than those with lower probabilities, the latter respond to more specific dynamics, resulting in varied patterns that don't always follow proportional increases or decreases.

Consequently, the market reflects decisions driven by both the building's characteristics and the tenants' operational needs.

SiiLA's findings reveal the complexities of Mexico's office market and its ability to mirror its sectors' economic and operational transformations. The observed dynamics invite us to consider the strategic role offices play as extensions of business priorities—a balance of functionality, image, and efficiency. This equilibrium is not static; it evolves with corporate needs, positioning the office market as a key indicator of structural changes in the economy.

Want to learn more about trends in Mexico's office market? Visit SiiLA REsource or contact us at contacto@siila.com.mx.

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Founded in 2015, SiiLA is the industry leading REsource for comprehensive commercial real estate market insights, news and events across Latin America. The SiiLA suite of innovative products drive greater accuracy, efficiency, and strategic advantages for top players in the commercial real estate industry.