Sunday, February 23, 2025
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Conference CoverageFeaturesNortheastNortheast Feature ArchivePennsylvaniaSeniors Housing

Stars Are Aligned for Healthy Seniors Housing Investment Climate in 2025, Says InterFace Panel

by John Nelson

The investment market for seniors housing is in a favorable position heading into the new year thanks to a confluence of factors, says Scott Corbin, director at Boston-based AEW Capital Management. The firm has roughly $3 billion in assets under management within this niche property type. “We’ve seen a full rebound in recovery. We’re not necessarily back to pre-pandemic [profit] margins, but we are getting close. We are seeing outsized NOI growth and outsized rent growth when you compare it to other asset classes. We have the demographic tailwinds. In addition, you have muted supply [growth],” explained Corbin, a panelist at the InterFace Seniors Housing Northeast conference, which took place Dec. 4-5 in Philadelphia. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. Joining Corbin on stage at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia were moderator Kory Buzin, director, Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors; and panelists Curtis King, executive vice president, HJ Sims; Dennis Murphy, chief investment officer, Priority Life Care; Rick Swartz, senior managing director, JLL; and Shani Walter, managing director, Omega Healthcare Investors.  The daylong conference, …

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Conference CoverageFeaturesGeorgiaMultifamilyMultifamily & Affordable Housing Feature ArchiveSoutheastSoutheast Feature Archive

InterFace: Multifamily Investors Are Bullish on 2025 Sales Market, Though Many Hurdles Will Carry Over into New Year

by John Nelson

Speakers on the investment sales panel at the annual InterFace Multifamily Southeast conference were overall bullish on the sector’s investment prospects in the new year. The event, now in its 15th year, was held on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. To kick off the panel, moderator Paul Berry, president and COO of Mesa Capital Partners, discussed what a recovery could look like in terms of investment sales volume. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. Berry said that in the six years leading up to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, annual U.S. multifamily investment sales volume hovered between $155 billion to $195 billion per year. He noted that due to robust inventory growth during that time, a “normal” yearly sales total would average out to $180 billion to $190 billion. “2021 saw ‘double normal’ — it was $350.7 billion,” said Berry. “The first three quarters of 2022 were at that same level before it slowed down by the end of the year, but it still eclipsed $300 billion.” He …

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DiRienz Opportunities for borrowers Talonvest pull quote
AcquisitionsContent PartnerDevelopmentFeaturesLoansMidwestNortheastSoutheastTexasWestern

Part 2: Elective Refinances, New Business Plans: What’s Driving Activity Today?

by Sarah Daniels

By David DiRienzo, director — business development, at Talonvest Capital, Inc. This is part two of a two-part series discussing the key drivers behind transaction volume and the steps owners can take to ensure they are well positioned going forward. As highlighted in part one, despite substantial changes in the market over the past few years, the capital markets continue to offer quality financing solutions for real estate owners. Part two of this article series delves into two key drivers of current financing activity: elective refinancing to optimize the capital stack and the initiation of new business plans. Given the plethora of value-add projects in the pipeline and the interest in undertaking new business plans as equity capital returns to the market, these financing strategies are taking on greater importance than in past years. Interestingly, elective refinancing and starting a new business plan are two scenarios where the borrower’s actions are optional because an impending maturity is not a consideration. For this reason, it is important that borrowers understand the nuances behind these strategies as well as the approach that a capital expert might take. Elective Refinancing to Maximize Investment Performance While loan maturities trigger many refinancings, owners run into a …

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Bohler General Contractor Approach Streamline Daniel Hines
BohlerContent PartnerDevelopmentFeaturesIndustrialMidwestNortheastSoutheastTexasWestern

Collaborative Construction: How Contractors, Engineering Teams Together Drive Project Success

by Sarah Daniels

Some commercial real estate developers work primarily with architects and engineers to establish a project’s scope and expected cost, leaving the selection of a general contractor or project manager until they are nearly ready to break ground. And by following this traditional approach, they may be leaving money on the table. A better practice is to engage contractors during project planning, industry experts advise. That’s because experienced contractors can provide practical insight into pricing and availability of materials and labor, informing critical planning decisions. Those same builders can be a sounding board for site civil engineers mapping out site preparation, utility installation, access and sequencing for the various tradespeople working on a project. “Involving a general contractor early is particularly beneficial for large-scale or phased construction projects,” says Daniel Hines, a principal in Bohler’s Charlotte office. “It enables us to approach the design more strategically, reduce costs and deliver more accurate timelines.” “The overall goal of getting a general contractor and an engineer working together is to maintain your schedule and your budget,” agrees Jeff Mitchell, director in the Charlotte, North Carolina office of Duffey Southeast Construction Inc. “Engineers are the experts at designing projects, but ultimately it is the …

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FeaturesLeasing ActivityOffice

Savills: US Office Market Sees Post-Pandemic Record Levels of Leasing Activity

by John Nelson

LONDON — The U.S. office market is in need of time and sustained levels of leasing activity to overcome the robust amount of space given back since the COVID-19 pandemic, concludes Savills’ third-quarter “State of the U.S. Office Market” report. If the third quarter is any indication, the U.S. office market is beginning its long road to recovery. According to Savills, the market recorded 57.7 million square feet of leasing activity this past quarter, which is a nearly 19 percent increase from 48.6 million square feet in second-quarter 2024 and a 25.4 percent increase from 46 million square feet in third-quarter 2023. The third-quarter 2024 total represents the largest quarterly leasing volume since the pandemic, according to Savills. The firm also projects that this year is on track to have the most office leasing activity since 2019, surpassing the previous post-pandemic high of 205.8 million square feet recorded in 2022. Additionally, the amount of available sublease space is on the decline. Sublease space on the market totaled 164.7 million square feet at the end of the third quarter, a 6.6 percent decrease from 176.4 million square feet in third-quarter 2023. Savills reports that sublease availability has declined for four consecutive quarters. …

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Affordable HousingFeaturesMultifamilyMultifamily & Affordable Housing Feature Archive

Which Amenities Pay Off in Today’s Multifamily Market?

by John Nelson

Amenities are the personality of a multifamily property. They proclaim a community’s individuality and lure tenants with promises of a fun, relaxing or convenient lifestyle. What counts as a multifamily amenity today? If most renters and homeowners are accustomed to robust Wi-Fi or controlling their heating and air conditioning through their phones, is a smart thermostat or bulk internet something to advertise as an “extra,” or are these features a given nowadays, like a fridge or a microwave? “Want versus need is a spectrum when it comes to multifamily amenities,” says Meg Spriggs, managing director of development, Americas, with New York City-based Lendlease. “The amenities renters need do not necessarily have the same wow factor as those they may want. In fact, you can’t even see some of them, such as fast and reliable internet service. Fitness centers, package systems, dog runs and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are other check-the-box items that, in some cases, are non-negotiables,” says Spriggs. Wi-Fi and EV outlets may be essentials, but they’re not always clinchers for prospective renters on the fence about where to live. This is when the wow factor takes over. Recording studios, on-site beekeeping, private speakeasies, meditation pods, maker spaces, …

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FeaturesRestaurantRetail

Security, Success, Stability: Crafting, Executing Restaurant Leases That Work

by Taylor Williams

By Brian G. Cafferty, partner at GoldMark Partners LLP A popular restaurant can be a significant draw to a shopping center. However, according to a study published by Ohio State University, approximately 60 percent of restaurants fail in their first year, and 80 percent fail before the end of their fifth year. These statistics underscore the importance of landlords being protected in the likely event of a restaurant tenant’s failure. A well-crafted restaurant lease should address the following key items to minimize a landlord’s liability: Secure More Than Just Rent To protect the landlord’s investment and minimize potential losses, the landlord should secure a security deposit of at least two months rent. Additionally, the tenant should grant the landlord a security interest in all of the tenant’s accounts receivables, equipment (including machinery, furniture and trade fixtures) and inventory under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).  Keeping the Kitchen (and Lease) Running Clean   The lease should require the tenant to contract with a third party for essential maintenance tasks, including grease removal, pest control and regular vent and hood cleaning. The frequency of the hood cleaning will depend on the type of restaurant, but quarterly cleaning is a good rule of …

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FeaturesHeartland Feature ArchiveMultifamily & Affordable Housing Feature ArchiveNortheast Feature ArchiveSoutheast Feature ArchiveTexas & Oklahoma Feature ArchiveWestern Feature Archive

Forecast Survey: What’s Your Take on Commercial Real Estate in 2025?

by John Nelson

The editors of REBusinessOnline.com are conducting a brief online survey to gauge market conditions in 2025, and we welcome your participation. The survey should only take a few minutes to complete. Questions range from property sectors that you are most bullish on heading into 2025 to trends in deal volume to your outlook for interest rates. The results of our 14th annual survey will be compiled and published in the January issues of our regional magazines. Conducting these surveys is part of our mission at France Media to provide readers with indispensable information, and we couldn’t do it without your help. To participate in our broker/agent survey, click here. To participate in our developer/owner/manager survey, click here. To participate in our lender/financial intermediary survey, click here. (Note: Please remember to click on “done” to properly submit the survey.)

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District of ColumbiaFeaturesOfficeSoutheastSoutheast Feature Archive

DC in Denial on Post-COVID Office Property Valuations

by John Nelson

Commercial property owners in the District of Columbia are crawling out of a post-pandemic fog and into a new, harsh reality where office building values have plummeted, but property tax assessments remain perplexingly high.  Realization comes slowly Immediately following the pandemic, many office property owners adopted a wait-and-see attitude toward the volatility permeating the sector, clinging to hopes that the rising popularity of remote work and similar office worker practices would prove temporary. Once the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates to combat generational inflation in 2022, however, hopes for a “return to normal” vanished and a grim reality set in.  Recent transactions involving office properties in the District clearly indicate that investors recognize the negative impact these market forces have exerted on office building valuations and are now pricing those changes into the amounts they are willing to bid for acquisitions. These recent sales show office building values have declined by more than 50 percent from pre-pandemic levels.  The other shoe began to drop on office market pricing in early 2023 with a rise in distress transactions, in which the office owner sells or forfeits the property to resolve some form of trouble, typically financial. These turnovers in ownership …

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DiRienzo Business Plan Talonvest pull quote
Content PartnerFeaturesIndustrialLoansMidwestMultifamilyNortheastSelf-StorageSoutheastTexasWestern

Part 1: Navigating the Financing Landscape: What’s Driving Activity Today?

by Sarah Daniels

By David DiRienzo, director — business development, at Talonvest Capital, Inc. This is part one of a two-part series discussing the key drivers behind transaction volume and the steps owners can take to ensure they are well-positioned going forward. Much has been written about the decline in transaction volumes over the last 24 months. There is no question that properties are changing hands at a slower pace compared to the activity seen during the low interest rate environment that prevailed during the pandemic. Even so, many investors continue to seek out financing to address a variety of circumstances. In today’s market, beyond simply refinancing due to an upcoming loan maturity, three scenarios have been driving financing activity among owners of self-storage, multifamily and industrial assets: restructuring debt as a project evolves, elective refinancing to improve performance and capitalizing on a new business plan. We will cover the first theme below in part one of this two-part series. Business Plan Progression Offers Opportunities for Owners to Unlock Value As a business plan evolves and the asset matures, it’s beneficial for owners to reassess their capital stack to optimize investment performance and maximize their goals. Completing a refinance at a natural project inflection …

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