Urban Economics specialises in the provision of market and economic advice to the retail, residential, office space, industrial and tourism sectors. 

Retail Industry
The expertise of Urban Economics is perhaps most widely known within the retail industry.  Clients encompass retailers, developers, investors, financiers, local authorities and franchisors.  Urban Economics has developed an extensive database on shopping centre performance, shopper behaviour and household expenditure patterns.  The results of in-centre shopping surveys at more than 100 centres and household expenditure surveys covering more than 10,000 households form an integral part of this database.  Urban Economics provides the following types of studies:

• Market Opinion Studies
• Market Feasibility Studies for new centres and extensions to existing centres
• Market Performance Studies for existing centres
• Demographic Studies
• Consumer Market Surveys
• Economic Impact Assessments
• Commercial Centre Strategies for planning authorities
• Branch Location Strategies for retailers
• Evidence to the Planning & Environment Court
• Evidence to the Retail Shop Lease Tribunal
• Evidence in disputes between franchisors and franchisees
• Focus group research

Residential Market
Urban Economics has conducted numerous studies of the residential market in Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.  North and Central Queensland residential markets have also been examined.  These studies have analysed the supply, demand and take-up rates of different sectors of the residential market.  These studies have allowed Urban Economics to develop an extensive database on the Queensland residential market, including historical and current data on residential projects, sales, developers, investors and purchasers. 

Sectors of the residential market covered include standard residential estates, rural residential estates, townhouses, retirement villages and strata titled unit developments.

Principally through the qualitative research experience of Kerrianne Bonwick, Urban Economics is establishing an enviable niche market in applying insights in consumer behaviour, motivations and purchase decision processes to the residential property market for developers wishing to test unique or innovative products.  Tools applied include focus group research with prospective or recent purchasers of residential property to gather insights to purchase intentions.

Louisa Davies is responsible for maintaining Urban Economics' quantitative databases of resdient profiles, needs and expectations for key target markets such as rural residential estates, retirement villages and workers camps through residential opinion surveys.  

Urban Economics is able to provide objective and independent advice on most aspects of the residential property market, specialising in the following:

• Market Opinions
• Market Assessments
• Concept Development Studies
• Target Market Studies
• Market Strategies
• Consumer Market Surveys
• Need for Material Change of Use Studies

Office Space Sector
The office space market has historically correlated with movements in the economic cycle.  Urban Economics is therefore experienced in critiquing demand drivers such as employment growth, sectorial changes and technological improvements, influencing takeup rates and patterns within the commercial office markets.  Assessments of supply conditions such as vacancies, rental levels and stock additions also fundamental to the services offered by Urban Economics for this sector.

Analyses of demand and supply trends are augmented by quantitative and qualitative surveys with businesses and employees to identify building/space requirements, location attitudes, services/facilities required, parking and transport logistics etc.

CBD and Suburban office markets have been critiqued, and Urban Economics has also undertaken studies into the business park, campus development, technology park and mixed business and industry sectors.

This extensive database provides Urban Economics with quality base data from which to undertake the following types of studies:

• Market Overview of market dynamics for specific regions
• Market Demand Study for proposed office buildings
• Tenant Surveys
• Target Market Strategies, identifying market and leasing strategies for new office developments
• Office and Employment Demand Studies to enable planning authorities to accommodate future growth
• Need Assessments 

Industrial Sector
Urban Economics has collected an extensive number of industrial studies undertaken in Brisbane since 1968.  These studies cover the composition and evolution of industrial areas, the structure of firms in the various industry categories, the capacity of individual firms and classes of industry for relocation and decentralisation, and analyses of take-up rates and growth patterns in different regions of the SEQ industrial market.

Urban Economics has critiqued the capacity to accommodate industrial demand in regions throughout South East Queensland, examined employment and industry sector changes and evaluated changing tenant needs in adding value to assessments of demand and supply drivers in this sector.

Urban Economics has undertaken studies of business parks, mixed industry nodes and technology parks, as well as more traditional industrial estates.

Urban Economics is well positioned to apply experienced, independent advice to the resolution of industrial location problems, including:

• Market Opinion Studies
• Market Assessment Studies
• Site Location and Assessment
• Industrial Demand Projections
• Industrial Employment Projections
• Target Market Strategies
• Need for Material Change of Use Studies

Tourism Industry
Urban Economics, principally through the experience and qualifications of Jon, Anthony and Hannah, is well qualified to provide independent and objective advice to this key growth sector.  Projects covered by this experience include resorts, hotels, taverns, theme parks, tourist attractions, sports centres, cinemas, entertainment complexes, themed tourist retailing, environmental tourism developments, cable cars, golf course and tourist infrastructure.

Urban Economics is able to provide the following types of studies:

• Market Feasibility Studies
• Financial Feasibility Studies
• Site Selection and Assessment
• Regional Tourism Strategies
• Consumer Market Surveys
• Market Research and Strategy Formulation
• Tourism Forecasts
• Submissions to Government
• Economic Benefit/Impact Studies
• Evidence to the Planning & Environment Court
• Business Planning and Management
• Operational and Organisational Reviews
• Need Assessment for Liquor Licence Applications
• Social Impact Assessments for Gaming Machines