After years as the runt of the commercial real estate litter, retail properties, especially in Sun Belt markets like Atlanta, have drawn an outsize share of investor interest in recent months.

While the flow of shopping center sales has slowed, interest rate hikes and rising costs of debt haven’t deterred investors from buying retail in Metro Atlanta, especially centers with high-profile retailers with good credit.

“There’s a lot more demand for the shopping centers with credit national tenants,” Bull Realty President Will Young said. “That’s where I’ve been surprised. People are willing to pay more for the tenants.”