Fayetteville's Military-Anchored Commercial Market
Fayetteville is the sixth-largest city in North Carolina and the commercial hub of Cumberland County's 530,000-person metro. Fort Liberty — the Army's largest installation by population — is the anchor, but the commercial real estate market here extends well beyond the military economy. Fayetteville has a diversified base of healthcare systems, regional retailers, logistics operators, and defense contractors that drives sustained demand for commercial buildings across most asset classes.
For sellers, the metro's size means a deeper buyer pool than you will find in most Eastern NC markets. For buyers, it means more inventory to choose from — but also more competition for well-located properties along the primary corridors. Either way, understanding what drives pricing in each submarket is the difference between a deal that works and one that does not.
Property Types and Key Corridors
Skibo Road retail. The Skibo Road corridor from the Cross Creek Mall area west toward Fort Liberty is the highest-traffic retail strip in Cumberland County. National brands, franchise operators, restaurants, and service businesses compete for visibility along this stretch. Retail buildings and pad sites here attract owner-occupants and franchisees who need the traffic counts and co-tenancy that this corridor delivers. Well-priced retail properties on Skibo Road move quickly — serious buyers are watching this corridor constantly.
Industrial and logistics near I-95. Fayetteville sits at the intersection of I-95 and US-401, making it a natural distribution hub for companies serving the eastern seaboard. Warehouse, distribution, and flex industrial buildings along the I-95 corridor and in the Cliffdale Road industrial area attract regional and national logistics operators. The demand for industrial space here is structural — driven by supply chain patterns, not just local economic cycles. I have had industrial listings go under contract in two weeks when the property was priced correctly and positioned for the right buyer pool.
Defense contractor facilities. Fort Liberty generates demand for specialized office and flex space from defense contractors, government services firms, and military technology companies. These buyers look for buildings near the base with adequate security infrastructure, SCIF-capable construction, and room for both office and operational functions. Sales of defense-oriented properties involve a narrower buyer pool but typically close at strong pricing when the building meets the specific requirements contractors need.
Owner-occupied office and medical. The Raeford Road corridor and the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center area support steady demand for professional office and medical buildings. Business owners purchasing their own office space, physician practices acquiring clinical buildings, and professional service firms consolidating locations make up a consistent buyer pool. In a market where lease rates have been climbing, more Fayetteville businesses are evaluating ownership as a long-term cost strategy.
What Sebastian Does for Buyers and Sellers
For sellers, I start with a pricing analysis built on comparable sales, replacement cost, and income-approach data specific to Cumberland County. Fayetteville has enough transaction volume to support real comps in most property types — which means pricing can be precise, not speculative. I position your property for the buyer pool most likely to pay full price, market through commercial platforms and direct outreach, and manage the process from listing through closing.
For buyers, I source properties that match your operational and financial requirements. In a metro this size, the best opportunities are not always the ones sitting on the public listing platforms. I maintain active relationships with property owners, developers, and brokers across Cumberland County, and I can surface off-market opportunities that fit what you are looking for before they hit the broader market.
Whether you are selling an industrial building near I-95, buying a retail location on Skibo Road, or evaluating whether purchasing an office building makes more financial sense than continuing to lease, the process starts with a conversation about your specific situation and goals.
Get Started
If you are buying or selling commercial property in Fayetteville or anywhere in Cumberland County, call me at (919) 797-5900, email sebastian@mullarkeycre.com, or book a call. No cost, no obligation — just a straight conversation about your property and the market.
