Features

Charles Turner: Labor is Largest Crisis Facing Seniors Housing

by Jeff Shaw March 5, 2020

LOS ANGELES — There is a deficit in seniors housing and it has nothing to do with occupancy rates, investment dollars or development opportunities. It’s the labor shortage, according to Charles Turner, a longtime industry veteran and current CEO of Kare, an application that pairs understaffed seniors housing communities with temporary workers. Turner made the comments as keynote speaker at France Media’s InterFace Seniors Housing West conference, held Feb. 20 at the Omni Los Angeles. “We all know what’s coming in the next decade — an onslaught of baby boomers aging into seniors housing — but what many don’t realize is that the number of caregivers is actually declining,” he said to the audience of about 250 attendees. “I wish I could say I have all the solutions to the labor problems. I don’t.” Citing a study by New York-based senior care researcher PHI, Turner mentioned there will be a national shortage of around 150,000 paid caregivers by 2030, which may compound as older caregivers also age out of the workforce and transition from worker to would-be resident. Though these forward-looking numbers are scary, Turner believes the problems plaguing today’s seniors housing caregivers were scarier. “Caregiving today has high employee turnover,” he …

March 5, 2020

Washington and North Virginia Rent Occupancy Graph

Content Partner District of Columbia Features Lument Market Reports Multifamily RED Capital Group Southeast Southeast Market Reports Virginia

Washington’s Tech Boom Changes the Multifamily Investment Calculus

by Sarah Daniels March 3, 2020

Washington and Northern Virginia are among the nation’s most expensive places to rent an apartment, which in part explains the billions of dollars being spent on apartment construction there. But Capital Area asset returns in the post-recession era haven’t clearly supported these decisions. From 2013 to 2018, rents in Washington and NoVA increased at respective compound annual rates of 3.2 percent and 2.6 percent, tabulating Reis data, materially slower than the 4.7 percent average growth recorded by the 50 largest U.S. apartment markets. Likewise, occupancy trends were no better than average, muted by heavy supply, suggesting that Washington NOI growth in most cases was measurably slower than in alternative markets. But everything changed last year. Although Washington has been a technology player for decades, the region’s strengths fell primarily in telecom and defense, markets in which proximity to government was a competitive advantage. But the region’s growing prowess in private applications of digital technology reached critical mass in 2019 with Amazon’s decision to site its East Coast headquarters in Northern Virginia, specifically with a view toward tapping its deep reservoir of high-tech talent. The impact on economic growth in the capital is only beginning and seems likely to fundamentally alter …

March 3, 2020

Conference Coverage Features

EEE Keynote: Successful Retail Centers Set the Stage for a Great Visitor Experience

by Katie Sloan February 28, 2020

LOS ANGELES — The retail industry is evolving, and the tried and true formulas for development are no longer enough to attract shoppers. The convenience of e-commerce is cutting into purchases once almost exclusively entrusted to local strip centers, and consumer tastes are evolving to demand better experiences from the centers they choose to shop at with their discretionary dollars. Joseph Pine, author of “The Experience Economy,” shared these thoughts during a keynote address on the importance of staging retail centers. The speech was delivered at France Media’s sixth annual Entertainment Experience Evolution conference at the JW Marriott L.A. Live in Los Angeles earlier this month. “What people want today are experiences — they are their own distinct economic offering,” said Pine. “When you use goods as props, and services as the stage to engage each individual in an inherently purposeful way, you’re able to create a memory, which is the hallmark of experience.” In today’s economy, retailers and shopping centers are competing for a visitor’s time, attention and money. When assessing one’s property and its success level within the market, Pine noted it’s important to answer three key questions. “You need to consider whether or not your customers are …

February 28, 2020

Philadelphia Rent & Occupancy Graph 2020

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Philadelphia’s New Brand Identity in Commercial Real Estate

by Sarah Daniels February 26, 2020

Interest in Philadelphia among commercial real estate investors has been on the rise for years. But the Eastern Pennsylvania market managed to maintain a relatively low profile in the public consciousness, overshadowed by its larger East Coast primary market rivals, each with its own clear brand identity. But this is largely a thing of the past. Philadelphia has emerged lately as a leader in cutting-edge biotech and life science innovation. The city is a magnet for gene and cell-level therapy entrepreneurs, a status that is rapidly evolving into a distinct brand. Billions in venture capital and real estate investment have followed, elevating the Athens of America to the top rank of U.S. competitors for global investment cash. The multifamily sector is a chief beneficiary of the trend. Fueled by strong demand for luxury space, builders ratcheted apartment development higher over the past 10 years, raising construction starts from about 4,000 units per year at mid-decade to 6,000 annually since 2017. Currently, there are about 8,000 multifamily units under construction, and the pace isn’t likely to slow much this year. The magnitude of the supply surge is anticipated with a degree of trepidation in some quarters. Philadelphia renters have never absorbed …

February 26, 2020

Features Western Western Feature Archive

Industry Survey Participants Expect Rush of Transaction Activity Ahead of Presidential Election

by John Nelson February 24, 2020

CARLSBAD, CALIF. — Commercial real estate investors, brokers and lenders are expecting a surge of activity in the first half of 2020, according to the 2020 RCM LightBox Investor Sentiment Report. Participants of the survey noted the intersection of strong market fundamentals, ample investor capital and the potential for increasing headwinds generated by a slowing economy, the impending presidential election and other factors. The report is sponsored by RCM Lightbox, a commercial real estate online marketplace and database facilitating commercial real estate transactions. Incorporating views from more than 275 investors, brokers, lenders and economists, the report found that nearly 70 percent of participants believe 2020 investment activity will be the same or higher than in 2019. Almost 80 percent believe 2020 sale prices also will be the same or higher as well. “In the first half of the year, capital will rush to put money to work ahead of the election and before the Fed changes its mind on interest rates,” says K.C. Conway, chief economist of the CCIM Institute and director of research and corporate engagement at the Alabama Center of Real Estate (ACRE). “The wind is at your back for the first six months.” Presidential election will create …

February 24, 2020

New York Multifamily Rent and Occupancy Forecast 2020

Content Partner Features Lument Market Reports Multifamily New York Northeast Northeast Market Reports RED Capital Group

Expanded Rent Stabilization Law Freezes NYC Stabilized Multifamily Property Market, Generates Buying Opportunities for Intrepid Investors

by Sarah Daniels February 21, 2020

New York state authorities last year passed legislation designed to maintain rental affordability and housing stability in the Empire State. Mandated changes for units not currently subject to stabilization were mostly technical in nature — relating to rent increase notification periods, evictions and security deposits — but the impact on the New York City’s nearly 1 million regulated units was significant. Previously, an owner’s ability to raise stabilized unit rents was limited by a city board, except upon vacancy or after major property or unit improvements were made. These exceptions were curtailed by the legislation, largely negating the appeal of buying, renovating and repositioning older properties. The regulations sent a chill through the recently hot New York City multifamily property market. Sales volume dropped by half last year to about $3.3 billion, with the largest declines coming after the law took effect at mid-year. Indeed, volume in the typically busy fourth quarter plunged to less than $200 million, the lowest single-quarter sales total since recessionary 2010. Although obscured by thin volume, cap rates appeared to rise. After hovering near 4 percent throughout 2018, institutional B/B+ quality asset purchase yields gapped higher, drifting up to about 4.25 percent at mid-year and …

February 21, 2020

Conference Coverage Features Retail Western Feature Archive

Entertainment-Based Retail Requires Patience, Creativity, Say EEE Panelists

by Katie Sloan February 20, 2020

LOS ANGELES — In today’s retail environment, adding local food and beverage concepts, entertainment venues and landscaped parks seems like a surefire way to revitalize a dated shopping center. A trickier task is determining how exactly these nontraditional concepts boost the bottom line. A panel of retail owners and service providers weighed in on this topic at France Media’s sixth annual Entertainment Experience Evolution conference at the JW Marriott L.A. Live in Los Angeles last week. “This panel started because I’m a bit of a skeptic as it relates to entertainment concepts,” says moderator Joyce Storm, president of Storm Advisors. “Investors don’t like when you discuss entertainment experiences; developers and owners have trouble making sense of where they should put their dollars and cents, time, energy and resources. It’s important to understand what to expect in terms of results from entertainment concepts and placemaking in order to determine the money that should be funneled into them.” For Steven Levin, founder and CEO of Centennial Real Estate, the challenge and opportunity in reimagining dated, traditional malls to fit the needs of today’s shopper is in the underwriting. “Transforming a traditional mall into a mixed-use destination provides an opportunity and a challenge …

February 20, 2020

Boston Multifamily Rent and Occupancy Forecast 2020

Content Partner Features Loans Lument Massachusetts Northeast RED Capital Group

RED Mortgage Capital: Strong Economy Boosts Boston Multifamily Performance, but Looming Supply Likely to Hinder Returns

by Jaime Lackey February 19, 2020

The country’s largest commercial real estate services firm recently selected Boston as its choice for strongest U.S. gateway multifamily market performer for 2020, and with good reason. The Eastern Massachusetts economy gained momentum in 2019, propelled by its world class “Eds and Meds” cluster and resurgent high tech, R&D and financial management communities. Income growth and job creation ran ahead of national averages and apartment markets remained tight and rent growth robust regardless of elevated supply. Investor demand for metro apartment properties surged, especially after mid-year, while cap rates remained accessible by primary market standards, especially in the suburban Class B segment. Metro job creation trends fell into a bit of a funk in the fall and winter of 2018-2019 but rebounded vigorously in the second half. Payrolls increased at a brisk 31,200-job, 1.7 percent year-on-year pace after mid-year, representing the fastest growth recorded in three years. Sector leadership was provided by Boston’s top knowledge industry sectors, headed by higher education (8.5 percent), research and development (9.8 percent), software and computer network design (4.9 percent) and financial management (2.6 percent). Only softness in the consumer-driven side of the labor market – construction, retail trade, personal services and government – held …

February 19, 2020

Alabama Features Southeast Southeast Feature Archive

Property Tax Planning Delivers Major Savings

by John Nelson February 17, 2020

When it comes to property taxes, what you don’t know can hurt you. Whether it is failing to meet a valuation protest deadline, ignorance of available exemptions or perhaps missing an error in the assessment records, an oversight can cost a taxpayer dearly. Understanding common mistakes — and consulting with local property tax professionals — can help owners avoid the pain of unnecessarily high property tax bills. Think ahead on property taxes Many owners ignore property taxes until a valuation notice or tax bill arrives, but paying attention to tax considerations at other times can greatly benefit a taxpayer. For example, it’s good practice to ask the following questions before purchasing real estate, starting a project or receiving a tax bill. Does the property qualify for exemptions or incentives? Every state offers some form of property tax exemptions to specific taxpayers and property types. Examples include those for residential homesteads, charitable activities by some nonprofits and exemptions for pollution control equipment. Similarly, governments use partial or full property tax abatements in their incentive programs for enticing businesses to expand or relocate to their communities. While many of these programs are industry-specific, it is important to consider all of the taxpayer’s …

February 17, 2020

Features Multifamily Seniors Housing

CBRE: Rising Labor, Land Costs Hit Seniors Housing, But Returns Also Rise

by Alex Tostado February 13, 2020

LOS ANGELES — Seniors housing development costs are expected to rise modestly in 2020, with labor and land the primary drivers of higher expenditure, according to research from Los Angeles-based CBRE. Total cost for a seniors housing development rose by 6.4 percent in 2019 to an average of $317 per square foot. Average returns (stabilized net operating income as a percentage of overall development costs) rose to 9.5 percent, up approximately 60 basis points in 2019. This is attributable to an uptick in perceived risk due to lower occupancy rates on a national basis. “While seniors housing development activity is expected to remain strong in 2020, returns on cost expectations have increased, which is evidence of elevated perceived risk,” says James Graber, managing director of valuation and advisory services for CBRE. “Developers are applying a more rigorous project selection process to position each planned community for success; this disciplined approach has resulted in a tempered number of construction starts projected for this year. “Overall, the ‘flight to quality’ is a primary driver in the seniors housing development process, incorporating a well-organized collaboration between developer, operator and capital markets,” concludes Graber. Hard costs (e.g. labor, site work, foundation, building shell construction, …

February 13, 2020

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