New data from the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry shows occupancy rates continued to gain traction during the first quarter of 2011.
Occupancy during 1Q11 reached its highest level in two years, coming in at 87.9% and marking the fourth consecutive quarter of increases according to NIC. The recovery is beginning to reach more metropolitan markets as well, with 20 of the top 31 markets showing occupancy increases. Eight metropolitan markets decreased, with the remaining balance unchanged.
“The markets experiencing occupancy recoveries are generally those markets that had experienced larger occupancy declines and therefore are lower occupied than markets that proved more resistant to such significant declines,” said NIC in a statement.
As of 1Q11, the average occupancy rate for the metropolitan markets in which occupancies increased from the prior quarter was 87.4%, which compares to 88.9% for the metropolitan markets in which occupancies declined this quarter.