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FeaturesHeartland Feature Archive

Meaningful Modularity: Reconfigurability Is the Future of Flexible Construction

by Kristin Harlow

By Dan Sullivan, Modwall Today’s need for agility in both work environments and commercial spaces stems from several factors, from evolving understandings of workplace strategy, to shifting tenant needs, and even the demand for the adaptive reuse of aging building stock. Driven in part by these developments, the concept of “modularity” has surged in popularity.  But with all of the buzz, the true meaning of the term has become conflated with the concepts of demountability and reconfigurability. In common parlance, many prefabricated solutions are being marketed as modular, and thus assumed to be demountable or reconfigurable. And while they may, in fact, be manufactured off site, they are merely “prefabricated” and lack the flexibility to adapt to evolving space needs. Truly reconfigurable design and construction is something else entirely. It’s not just about building faster, but smarter. A system that’s truly reconfigurable isn’t just modular or prefabricated — it’s reconfigurable by design; primed for disassembly and reconfiguration, and simple enough to break down traditional labor barriers. These systems work to extend the life cycle of commercial interiors, reduce waste and ultimately yield spaces that evolve in real time alongside those that use them.  Disassembly as the baseline With fluctuating occupancy …

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FeaturesHeartland Feature ArchiveMultifamily

The Art of Alignment: How to Balance Stakeholder Interests in Multifamily Property Management

by Kristin Harlow

By Diane Batayeh, Village Green To be successful at multifamily property management involves equal parts of communication, alignment and trust. There are several stakeholder groups to consider when making decisions about how best to operate and set up an apartment community for long-term success. Between residents, employees and owners, there are differing and sometimes conflicting objectives and perspectives to consider. In today’s quickly evolving multifamily landscape, satisfying everyone can be challenging and it requires a delicate balance to maintain all stakeholders’ satisfaction while also achieving their respective goals.  With the right approach, however, multifamily executives can successfully navigate the wants and needs of all parties and effectively sustain their trust and satisfaction while positioning the property to achieve economic success. Fostering connections  In multifamily property management, everything matters — from the property’s aesthetic appearance to the friendliness of onsite staff to the property’s digital identity and website navigation experience. These touchpoints are often referenced by both prospects and residents when evaluating their living experience, making it imperative to maintain and uphold a positive impression. To protect a property’s reputation and best serve residents, it’s critical to remain aware of their impressions through regular resident surveys that measure preferences and satisfaction …

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multifamily housing
AcquisitionsContent PartnerDevelopmentFeaturesIndustrialLeasing ActivityLee & AssociatesLoansMidwestMultifamilyNortheastOfficeRetailSoutheastTexasWestern

Lee & Associates’ Report: Q2 Net Absorption Declines Across All Property Sectors Except Multifamily

by Sarah Daniels

Lee & Associates’ 2025 Q2 North America Market Report looks back at shrinking (or negative) net absorption for industrial, office and retail sectors in the last quarter. Meanwhile, multifamily tenant demand beat previous expectations in the same three months, as a feared recession failed to materialize. The mix of factors for absorption varied by property type: industrial and office markets saw increases in vacancy, while competition for retail space remained high, even in the face of high-profile closures. Lee & Associates’ full market report is available to read here (plus detailed vacancy rates, cap rates by city, market rents, square footage information, information on Canadian markets and more). The recaps for industrial, office, retail and multifamily sectors below detail trends and outlooks for each property sector in the remainder of 2025. Industrial Overview: Vacancies Rise, Rent Growth Slows Concern over the impact of tariffs has added to slowing tenant growth in logistics and manufacturing across North America. But the continued easing demand has resulted in more choices and benefits for users that have been subjected to a prolonged stretch of steep rent growth. Vacancies in the United States have risen to 7.4 percent, a decade-long high, while deliveries continued to outpace tenant expansion. Net absorption fell …

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Dori Nolan multifamily institutional investors quote
Content PartnerDevelopmentFeaturesLeasing ActivityLoansMidwestMultifamilyNortheastSoutheastTexasWestern

Institutional Investors Resume Activity Amid Stabilizing Conditions

by Sarah Daniels

Since the Federal Reserve began raising rates in March 2022 to combat inflation, the real estate market has faced challenges such as rising interest rates, capital market volatility and economic uncertainty. These factors caused many institutional investors to pause their real estate investment activities compared to historical levels. Despite ongoing volatility, investors are gradually re-entering the market, driven by several factors. Key reasons for the pause included a challenging fundraising and capital markets environment, the unpredictable cost of capital, a scarcity of transactions leading to a lack of pricing discovery and widening bid/ask spreads. Some institutional investors were impacted by the “denominator effect,” resulting in an overweighting to real estate and the need for portfolio rebalancing. Additionally, to create bolster funds for other portfolio issues, some institutional investors entered redemption queues seeking liquidity. Broader capital market constraints reduced the availability of equity, while simultaneously driving a growing preference for structuring investments as debt rather than equity among those who remained active. During this period of muted transaction activity, private investors capitalized on the market’s dislocation. These investors increasingly prioritized their acquisition efforts toward newer vintage core and core-plus assets over value-add or development opportunities, reflecting a shift toward higher quality …

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Brandon Rowe Bohler quote smaller sites
BohlerContent PartnerDevelopmentFeaturesMidwestMultifamilyNortheastSeniors HousingSoutheastTexasWestern

Innovative Design Can Promote Positive Outcomes for Continuum of Care Residents

by Sarah Daniels

As the demand for senior living communities continues to rise, so does the complexity of designing environments that meet the evolving needs of residents across the entire continuum of care. Facilities that seek to cater to independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation needs must strike a balance: fulfilling stringent functional and regulatory requirements while remaining inviting, promoting connection to nature and others and offering comfort for people of all ages and abilities. The biggest challenge, according to designers and seniors housing experts alike, is “seamlessly weaving protective elements, like perimeter security or grade changes, into a design that feels warm and inclusive, not institutional,” explains Adam Alexander, director of planning, landscape architecture and design at Bohler, a land development design and consulting firm. “Features like fences or bollards don’t need to be emphasized as one-note safety features. They should be invisible contributors to a resident’s experience of comfort and care.” An overall trend toward smaller sites for seniors housing means that continuum of care communities are innovators in inclusive and multi-purpose space use. They may also serve to address increasing calls for solutions to the loneliness epidemic ongoing in the lives of many adults. While less square …

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FeaturesMultifamily

How To Ensure That Expensive Multifamily Renovations Pay Off

by Taylor Williams

By Nellie Day Today’s multifamily investment market can feel like a three-ring circus thanks to leveled-off rents, increased costs and more competition in many regions. Performers in this circus are often walking on a tightrope. On one side, there are repairs to be made and renovations that can lead to justified rent increases. On the other side, costs and reality must reign supreme. “Pre- and post-COVID markets have forced an evolution when it comes to investing in an asset,” says Sarah Connolly, vice president of operations at Capital Square Living in Glen Allen, Virginia. “Owners now have to ask themselves, ‘What is actually going to bring a return, and what should be incorporated into programming due to muted rent growth?’” It’s a challenging landscape, to be sure. National rent growth has slowed down significantly, with year-over-year increases hovering around 1 percent as of late 2024, according to the fourth-quarter multifamily report from Apartments.com. This is a stark contrast to the double-digit surges posted in 2021 and 2022. At the same time, construction costs have escalated, with Crescent Insurance Advisers noting that the average cost of building a multifamily property is about $398 per square foot. For context, the national average …

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FeaturesGeorgiaLoansSoutheastSoutheast Feature Archive

Borrowers Win When Their Banks Partner With C-PACE Lenders

by John Nelson

Interview by John Nelson Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing is a lending option that is gaining traction in the commercial real estate lending world. This type of financing is beneficial for owners who are looking to finance their new construction or redevelopments with long-term debt. Rafi Golberstein, founder and CEO of PACE Loan Group (PLG), a C-PACE lender with offices in New York City, San Diego, Chicago and Minneapolis, says that what many borrowers are now finding out is how adaptable this loan structure is, especially when paired with traditional bank financing. “C-PACE as a product type is not just living and breathing — it’s expanding,” says Golberstein. Originated in Berkeley, Calif., in 2008, C-PACE financing is now available in 40 states and Washington, D.C. It serves as an alternative funding source for commercial projects that qualify on the basis that they will result in reduced energy and water usage and greater building efficiency. C-PACE is not a federal program as it is overseen at the state or local level, with some states allowing local governments to administer the program. “States are making their legislation more broad, which allows us to get more projects done and larger checks …

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Features

North American Film,TV Production Facilities: Real Estate Investment Boom or Bust?

by Taylor Williams

By Glenn Brill, Daniel Keller and Niculae Draghici of FTI Consulting Inc. Once viewed as a relatively stable niche for real estate investors, the film and TV production facilities (“studio”) market is entering a precarious future. According to a recent study by Ampere Analysis, global film and TV production spending is expected to grow just 0.4 percent in 2025 after the end of a pandemic-era spending surge, while the development of new, purpose-built studios has soared. Markets such as New York, Georgia and Toronto have more than doubled their stage capacity in the past five years, according to data from Film LA, reshaping the industry and its implications for investors in an uncertain market environment. Producers are following generous refundable tax credit programs and favorable foreign exchange rates around the world, prompting competition among regional production centers to offer more compelling incentives to lower the cost of production. New Supply, Tax Credits Lead The Way Los Angeles (LA) remains the home of legacy studios and the highest concentration of production facilities. Yet as Film LA notes, that market is struggling to lease space as major producers prioritize dedicated facilities for their own use in regions with attractive tax incentives and …

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Affordable HousingDistrict of ColumbiaFeaturesHeartland Feature ArchiveMultifamilyMultifamily & Affordable Housing Feature ArchiveNortheast Feature ArchiveSoutheastSoutheast Feature ArchiveTexas & Oklahoma Feature ArchiveWestern Feature Archive

Why Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Believe the Wind Is at Their Back

by John Nelson

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are adopting a more pro-business approach when it comes to closing multifamily loans in 2025 than in recent years, when sources say they were more selective. The two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) combined to produce 33 percent more multifamily loans in first-quarter 2025 compared with first-quarter 2024. “There is definitely a ‘volume on’ mindset at both shops,” says Landon Litty, director of agency sales at BWE. “This is a real positive for borrowers.” For Fannie Mae, the volume of multifamily loans totaled $11.8 billion in the first quarter of 2025, compared with $10.1 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, Freddie Mac produced approximately $15 billion in multifamily loans in the first quarter, financing around 144,000 rental units, well above the approximately $10 billion produced in first-quarter 2024.  “The first quarter of 2025 has been dynamic, with real-time adjustments to meet market needs while maintaining a focus on soundness,” says a spokesperson at Freddie Mac Multifamily.  Other sources attest that the GSEs are focusing on their sponsors more so than in previous years. T.J. Edwards, chief production officer for the multifamily finance division at Walker & Dunlop, says the agencies are proactively vetting first-time borrowers …

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Troy Marek Regions Real Estate Capital Markets quote from article
Content PartnerFeaturesLeasing ActivityLoansMidwestMultifamilyNortheastRegions Real Estate Capital MarketsSeniors HousingSoutheastTexasWestern

Multifamily, Seniors Housing Sectors Remain Positive Real Estate Performers

by Sarah Daniels

By Troy Marek, Regions Real Estate Capital Markets As we embark on the second half of 2025 amid some economic uncertainty, there are two bright spots within real estate. Both the multifamily and the seniors housing/healthcare sectors boast strong fundamentals and occupancies. RealPage data indicates 138,302 apartment units were absorbed in the first quarter, and NIC MAP data shows a seniors housing occupancy increase to 87.4 percent, or 621,000 occupied units over the same period. This suggests strong demand in both critical housing sectors, at the same time new supply is slowing.  Interest Rates Drive Lending Activity Agencies Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and HUD remain the primary loan providers supporting these two asset classes today. Unsurprisingly, interest rates heavily impact lending activity. Since the Federal Reserve decided to hold rates steady in May, sector experts have been closely watching employment and inflation data, as well as tariff impacts, as all three have the power to influence the Fed to lower rates later this year. With the Federal Reserve deciding to hold rates as-is in June, industry players will continue to keep an eye on the data. Once rates are brought down some, perhaps later this year, multifamily and seniors housing/healthcare …

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