While the end of the office sector’s turbulent times remains out of sight, it has become clear that the divide between Prime, A and B-grade office values will continue to widen. 

This office ‘trifurcation’—the split of A-grade into the higher and lower ends, followed by B-grade—offers a diverse picture in which prime or premium grade offices are being partially protected from headwinds that have plagued lesser values.

“The flight to quality happens at every cycle—they perform the best because they are either the most resilient or come out with the most positive returns,” MSCI head of real estate research, Pacific, Benjamin Martin-Henry says.