While area commercial brokers leased more units during the second quarter of 2013, the overall amount of square footage leased is down, according to a recent report.

The report from Realtors Commercial Alliance of Southeastern North Carolina showed 24 retail transactions during the second quarter of 2013 in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties – up from 15 unit transactions leased during the second quarter of 2012, according to the group’s commercial MLS data.

But the amount of space leased to retailers and businesses throughout the region is down from 78,000 square feet to 47,000 square feet in the second quarter, according to the report. The average rate is also slightly down from $13.90 per square foot to $13.77 per square foot.   

Year-to-date, area brokers have leased more than 106,000 square feet of commercial space across greater Wilmington.   

Since brokers are not required to record all of their transactions quarterly, the regional commercial MLS data does not reflect all of the area’s transactions. It does, however, pinpoint parts of the region that are seeing heavy retail leasing activity, along with what properties have been leased.

A number of transactions recorded occurred in the Murrayville, Ogden and Porters Neck area in northern New Hanover County – an area experiencing a wave of new housing and apartment unit starts and increased commercial interest. Carolina Beach, midtown and the University of North Carolina Wilmington areas also posted retail lease gains.  

Two shopping centers in the northern New Hanover County submarkets experienced a number of new lease transactions, according to the report.

Bayshore Crossing, 7718 Market St., secured two leases last quarter by Wilmington-based Team Silivanch of Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners. Murrayville Station, a mixed-use commercial development at 2307 N. College Road, also saw two lease transactions completed by Jim Conlon, a broker with Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners. 

The largest transaction reflected in the report was by Will Leonard, vice president and broker with Wilmington-based Cape Fear Commercial. Leonard leased 6,000 square feet of retail space in the Pine Valley Shopping Center, 3534 S. College Road.

Overall, Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners secured 55 percent of completed lease transactions reflected in the commercial MLS report. Wilmington-based Maus, Warwick, Matthews & Company followed with 21 percent of total closings.