Hanoi office occupancy rate reaches 87% in Q4/2022

The occupancy rate of Hanoi's office space was 87% in the fourth quarter of 2022, up 2.1 percentage points year-on-year.

Only one Grade B project with 22,350 square meters, Epic Tower, entered the capital city's office space market last year. The 30-storey office building is located at 19 Duy Tan street, Nam Tu Liem district in the west of Hanoi.

The absorption rate of the city's office market in 2022 was quite stable compared to 2021. The first half of 2022 witnessed good office demand, with recorded absorption exceeding 2021’s performance. However, in the latter half, tenants, especially SMEs, tended to withhold their expansion plans or scale down due to gloomy economic prospects into 2023.

Overall monthly rent remained at $24.75 per square meter in Q4, stable quarter-on-quarter but recording a 5.5% year-on-year increase due to the ongoing renovation trend at some older buildings to keep up with the competition, along with the entrance of new good-quality supply.

Overall occupancy recorded at 87% in the period, up 2.1 percentage points year-on-year, but slightly decreased by 0.7 percentage points quarter-on-quarter in part due to lower tenants’ sentiment in the last six months.

Compared to the previous year, both Grade A and Grade B office space increased in gross rent in 2022 (4.5% and 6.5% year-on-year respectively). This is in part thanks to the entrance of new Grade B supply with above-average rent, along with renovation and rent adjustment at multiple projects across the city.

While Grade A office space maintained rent growth in Q4 (up 0.62% quarter-on-quarter), a slight decrease of 0.35% quarter-on-quarter was recorded in Grade B rent.

Occupancy of Grade A and Grade B both increased year-on-year by 2.7 percentage points and 1.7 percentage points, respectively, but grade B’s occupancy slightly decreased by less than 1 percentage point compared to the previous quarter’s performance. Toward the end of the year, tenants were more cautious and hesitant to carry out their expansion plans due to the gloomy economic outlook.

Except for a few large international companies who can afford to relocate and/or expand to new, high-quality office spaces, most tenants are likely to remain at their current location or even downgrade to save costs.

In 2023, multiple projects are expected to enter operation, including those that have been completed at the end of 2022: Techcombank Tower (grade A, 8,104 sqm available for lease, CBD), Lancaster Luminaire (grade A, 21,400 sqm, secondary), BRG Diamond Park plaza (grade B, 31,205 sqm, secondary); Lotte Mall Hanoi (grade A, 20,500 sqm, secondary); Vinacomin Tower (grade B, 72,000 sqm); and Intracom Riverside (grade B, 24,000 sqm).

Into 2024, most supplies are of a smaller scale, ranging from 13,000-22,500 sqm, except for Shilla Hotel (grade A) with more than 47,000 sqm of expectant office space.

Currently, only three projects are expected to be completed in 2025: Landmark 55, Grandeur Palace, and Sunshine Empire contributing a total of 144,000 sqm of expectant office space. All of these projects are in the city's western part.

In the short term, demand for new office space may slow down as long as caution and hesitation remain the watchwords. High-quality supply will still be desirable among tenants who can afford expansion and upgrade.

Although tenants are willing to move out of the central business district (CBD) area to look for larger office spaces, strategic locations continue to play a significant role in office selection criteria. Good-quality buildings in too-distant locations are maintaining slow absorption.

Currently, Techcombank Tower is the only new supply expected to come online within the upcoming three years due to the limited land bank in the area. Meanwhile, new urban areas in surrounding regions (for instance, Starlake Tay Ho Tay NUA) are forming and expected to eventually emerge as new major business hubs in the future, partly alleviating the pressure on the CBD.

Due to limited space in the CBD, the West and secondary area are leading in terms of future supply, with multiple new projects expected in the upcoming three years.

Trends accelerating Hanoi's office market

Renovations and upgrades: Older buildings in prime locations have now begun the process of renovation/refurbishment to improve building quality and retain tenants.

Flexible workplace demand: Uncertain economic outlook has slowed down office expansion toward the end of the year. Interest in work-from-home, virtual office, and coworking space is likely to increase as companies consider options to save costs.

Sustainability: As wellness and sustainability become corporate priorities, more developers and tenants are considering green buildings and ESG performance. Greening and sustainability are also incorporated into office design.