FORT MYERS, Fla., Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mayhugh Commercial Advisors reports renewed optimism for the Southwest Florida office market following insights shared at the recent CCIM Outlook Conference, where leading commercial real estate professionals gathered to discuss trends shaping the year ahead.
During the conference, Chase Mayhugh highlighted strengthening fundamentals behind office and medical office space in Southwest Florida, a sector that has often been overlooked amid national narratives focused on remote work and declining office demand. While industrial, multifamily, and retail development has expanded rapidly across the region, particularly along the I-75 corridor, new office development has remained notably limited.
According to Mayhugh, this imbalance is not the result of weak local demand, but rather lingering perceptions formed during the post-COVID work-from-home experiment. “That experiment is coming to an end,” Mayhugh noted. “Companies are increasingly returning to the office and are seeking high-quality, well-located space that supports collaboration, culture, and productivity.“
Regional data supports this outlook. Office vacancy across Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties currently averages approximately 4.4%, significantly lower than the national average of roughly 18.5%. Office lease rates and values in Southwest Florida have also continued to rise over the past 24 months, even as growth in other asset classes has moderated.
Mayhugh noted that exceptionally low frictional vacancy, combined with sustained population and employment growth, may soon necessitate new office development. Over the past 16 years, only 11 multi-tenant office buildings larger than 50,000 square feet have been delivered in the region, compared to more than 250 new industrial buildings during the same period, highlighting a meaningful supply imbalance.
Additional panelists shared insights across other sectors. Discussions included oversupply challenges in certain industrial segments, mixed conditions in multifamily markets with elevated deliveries, continued strength in select retail corridors, and slowing island sales activity amid rising development hurdles.
The conference reinforced a key takeaway for Southwest Florida investors and owners: local market data and fundamentals are telling a far more optimistic story than national headlines, particularly for office real estate.
About Mayhugh Commercial Advisors
Mayhugh Commercial Advisors is a full-service commercial real estate firm in Fort Myers, Florida. Established in 1975, the company boasts extensive experience and expertise in serving clients throughout Southwest Florida. Mayhugh Commercial Advisors offers a comprehensive suite of services including sales, leasing, and property management. Known for its commitment to excellence and personalized client solutions, the firm is deeply ingrained in the local market dynamics. For more information about Mayhugh Commercial Advisors, please visit https://mayhughcommercial.com/.
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SOURCE Mayhugh Commercial Advisors
