Today I was fortunate enough to take a trip to La Grange, Texas which is about 70 miles from where I live in Austin.  I say forunate because the weather is phenomenal, and I rode most of the way with my windows down and because I had some time to do some thinking which is always nice.  Along the way I realized how many For Lease signs I saw. 

To be fair, today isn't the first day that I saw a lot of For Lease signs, but it really began to hit home for me.  There is a LOT of supply of commercial real estate in the Austin market.  A TON!  More than I've seen, though I have only been around this market for 3 years.  What is even more amazing to me is that people are still BUILDING! 

Drive along MoPac, I-35, 183, or any other major throughfare and count the For Lease signs, it truly is amazing.  Now what doesnt' jive, is that market rates haven't come down all that much, at least not on the surface.  In reality, deals are being done at way below asking rates, but of course nobody aggregates this data, so it is difficult to get a bead on where the market truly is, especially if you don't happen to be a commercial real estate agent actively working in the Austin market.  I can tell you for a FACT that rates are way below anything you read in a research report, or see offered by a landlord.  If you want proof, call me on my cell at 832.659.5076 and I will prove it to you. 

Bottom line - Supply is up, rates are down (remember that microeconmics class you took many years ago that taught you about supply and demand?), supply is only going to grow, and rates are only going to continue to go down (at least in the short-term).