Buy commercial.

As Southern California home prices falter, the region's commercial real estate market is expected to remain on a growth course into next year, according to the latest Casden Real Estate Economics Forecast compiled by the USC's Lusk Center for Real Estate. Investors are turning to opportunities in office and industrial properties in search of stable returns, according to the report, noting that the average office vacancy rate in the county dropped below 10 percent for the first time in over 15 years, with average asking rents rising 11 percent. West Los Angeles rents soared 15.4 percent, with tenants opting for longer leases to protect against future spikes. The North Los Angeles and Mid-Wilshire markets had the tightest vacancy rates at 6 percent. At 1.6 percent, the county's industrial market--the largest of its kind in the U.S.--had the nation's lowest vacancy rate.