People are going back to work -- but they're still not filling up offices. It could have a deeper impact on the economy.
The extra space has some business wondering why they're spending all that money on rent:
"They've said, 'well, do we really need all the people that we have in the office, and could we shed some of this office space and surrender it back to our landlord and let them deal with it?'" said Mark Rosa, professor at UNO.
According to the real estate information group CoStar, between vacancies and current tenants notifying landlords they won't be renewing their leases, this is the highest amount of office space availability they have ever seen.
Rosa said it is putting a lot of office space on the market, and knocking down rates.
"The owners of the property are certainly being negotiable with respect to rent," he said. "And I think some people are going to take it on the chin, there."
And the banks that lent the money to the owners of these massive buildings are watching nervously, as all that space going unused could become a problem.
"It can't sit idle for too long and not start affecting the landlord or the property owner," said Rosa. "That's dead money."
Rosa says it has not happened in large numbers yet, but analysts are watching for loan defaults.
"And if there are enough, they're could be a bank default," he said.
