This article will help anyone looking for information pertaining to a commercial real estate and commercial lending in the State of
Oklahoma.
Oklahoma has a lot of land and basically two cities: Oklahoma
City and Tulsa. Though the state's population is growing very slowly, Oklahoma
City, itself, is growing quite rapidly. Oklahoma City has grown 13% in the last
seven years. Tulsa is actually losing population, but the statistic is somewhat
misleading as most Tulsa residents are just leaving the city proper for its
surrounding suburbs.
Oklahoma City has the unique distinction of being the largest city in country,
based purely on square footage of land. Unlike most sprawling western cities,
Oklahoma City's boundaries have been set far in advance of growth, not
lagging behind it. This means that there is a large supply of cheap, vacant
land within the city limits. Even so, Oklahoma City leaders are focusing more
on infill than on filling out the city to its boundaries.
Over the past decade or so, city leaders have invested over $800 million into
a foundation with goal of moving Oklahoma City up to a first-tier city. Oklahoma
City's revitalization is starting with a massive investment
in retail property. The city is seeking retail development to complement its
showpiece developments: a man-made canal, a ballpark, a convention center and
a museum-performance arts complex. As well, the city is actively seeking out
residential and mixed use developers. A recent survey by the city shows that
it could absorb about 7,500 housing units over the next decade, which puts its
housing market on par with cities like Dallas and Philadelphia.
Oklahoma City is home to national or regional headquarters for several Fortune
500 companies, most of them industrial. Accordingly, the industrial market,
both manufacturing and warehousing, is strong. Following the industrial sector,
the office market remains strong, if slightly down. With the continued growth
of the biotech research sector, flex use space should h
The bulk of commercial real estate in Oklahoma outside the
major cities is used for agricultural purposes and energy production production
- mostly oil and natural gas. Over 70% of the land is used to grow crops and
graze cattle, and, surprisingly, the amount of land dedicated to agriculture
in Oklahoma has increased.
Around the capital city of Oklahoma City, thriving industries include financial,
retail, entertainment and tourism. There are over 1,000,000 people in the Oklahoma
City metropolitan area that provide a labor force and consumers for commercial
endeavors in and around the city. One of the fastest growing sectors in Oklahoma
City is the biotech research and health fields.