FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | WEST PALM BEACH, FL — October 16, 2026
Rents rose 10.9% in the third quarter, but transactions and operating costs reveal a more complicated investment market.
Palm Beach County retail vacancy held at 4.0% in the third quarter of 2026 while average asking rents rose 10.9% from a year earlier to $31.78 per square foot on a triple-net basis, Colliers reported. Yet the same research points to a more selective investment market: buyers are concentrating capital in larger, higher-quality properties rather than broadly increasing deal counts.
Among transactions highlighted by Colliers were the $66.9 million acquisition of Publix-anchored Promenade Shopping Plaza and Redfearn Capital’s $38.2 million auction purchase of 105 and 111 East Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Those transactions illustrate investor interest in differentiated retail assets, but neither establishes a valuation for other centers.
Net absorption totaled 45,746 square feet in the quarter, while space under construction fell to approximately 190,000 square feet. A limited development pipeline can benefit existing properties, but tenant demand, trade area and competition still determine whether a particular rent is sustainable.
For prospective buyers, advertised triple-net rent is only one input. Underwriting must account for lease rollover, the actual recoverability of taxes and insurance, maintenance obligations, tenant credit and capital improvements. For tenants, base rent is not the full occupancy cost.
For owners contemplating a sale, a reliable rent roll, collections history, lease abstracts, recoverable-expense schedule and documented capital needs can do more to support price than optimistic projections about overall county rent growth.
Blaise Punturo Real Estate encourages investors to distinguish strong market-level indicators from individual-property cash flow, with attention to underwriting and realistic exit assumptions.
“After more than 30 years in real estate and finance, I believe the strongest commercial investments are made by understanding cash flow, financing costs, and long-term property value—not simply following market trends.”
— Blaise Punturo, Founder and Principal
About Blaise Punturo Real Estate LLC
Blaise Punturo, Founder and Principal, brings over 30 years of experience in real estate and finance, including property acquisitions, investment analysis, capital raising, and international transactions. The firm serves residential and commercial clients in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Palm Beach County, Florida.
Media contact: Blaise Punturo, Founder and Principal | 917-797-1913 | blaise@blaisepunturorealestate.com
351 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830
515 North Flagler Drive, Suite 350, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Market data source: Colliers, Palm Beach County Retail Market Report, Q3 2026.