Features

Forecast Survey: What’s Your Take on Real Estate in 2020?

by Kristin Harlow November 12, 2019

The editors of REBusinessOnline are conducting a brief online survey to gauge market conditions 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 2020 to trends in deal volume to your outlook for interest rates. The results will be collated 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. 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.)

November 12, 2019

Ten-X Commercial: E-Commerce, Store Closures and the Impact on the Retail Real Estate Sector

by John Nelson November 7, 2019

IRVINE, CALIF. — Ten-X Commercial, the online commercial real estate platform formerly known as Auction.com, reports that the U.S. retail market is “largely suffering” in the face of rising e-commerce and massive store closures. In its latest Retail Market Outlook report, Ten-X expects the retail sector to show little to no improvement in the immediate future. By fourth-quarter 2022, the Irvine-based company forecasts that the effective rental rate per square foot for the national retail sector to increase by only 1 percent and the vacancy rate to increase by 10 basis points. Due to store closures, Ten-X reports that retail space absorption has been poor and developers have scaled back construction of new retail spaces as a result. According to Coresight Research, more than 8,560 store closures have already been announced year-to-date in 2019, a steep increase from the 5,524 in 2018. These include by brands such as GNC, Walgreens, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kitchen Collection, Forever 21, Avenue, Dress Barn, Charming Charlie and LifeWay Christian Stores. In their announcements, most brands detail that their profits were sunk due to competition from e-commerce companies. Ten-X reports that e-commerce has doubled its total share of retail sales over the past decade …

November 7, 2019

Features Illinois Midwest Office

CBRE: Chicago Remains Most Green U.S. Office Market

by John Nelson November 5, 2019

LOS ANGELES — Chicago’s office market maintains its top status in the 2019 edition of CBRE’s Green Building Adoption Index, an annual report that measures the energy sustainability of the top 30 office markets in the United States. The index (GBAI) reviews the various office markets’ adoption of two green building certifications — the EPA’s Energy Star rating and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification. The GBAI is tracked in terms of both square footage and number of buildings. More than 167 million square feet of Chicago’s office space is certified green, or approximately 71.1 percent of the metro’s total office inventory (235 rentable million square feet). Coming in behind the City of Broad Shoulders is San Francisco (67.5 percent), Atlanta (59.3 percent), Minneapolis/St. Paul (57.1 percent) and Los Angeles (56.6 percent). Chicago is a growing and thriving office market. Tech firms such as Uber, Amazon and LinkedIn, as well as coworking concepts Spaces, Industrious and WeWork, have all taken down large swaths of office space in the metro area. According to third-quarter data from CBRE Research, more than 5 million square feet of office space is under construction in metro Chicago. “Going green is one key to any …

November 5, 2019

Features Heartland Feature Archive Retail

Mall Owners Scramble to Redevelop Properties in Face of Department Store Closures

by Alex Tostado October 31, 2019

The number of retail store closures nationwide in the first half of 2019 surpassed 7,000 and is on pace to reach a record 12,000 by year’s end, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Major retail bankruptcies over the last year have caused the power and regional shopping center sector to experience continued store closures and negative absorption of 2 million square feet in the first half of 2019. That said, discount retailers, entertainment and fitness concepts are still in expansion mode and help backfill vacant space. Mall and shopping center owners are scrambling to redevelop properties and incorporate a variety of uses. For example, this month CBL Properties will wrap up completion of a Sears redevelopment at Brookfield Square in Milwaukee. The project includes new-to-market entertainment operator WhirlyBall as well as a Movie Tavern by Marcus Theatres. Additionally, there are several new dining options and an Orangetheory Fitness location. “Our strategy is to transform our properties from traditional, enclosed malls to suburban town centers that offer a variety of uses, including entertainment, dining, fitness and in some cases office, hotel or multifamily,” says Stacey Keating, public relations and corporate communications director for Chattanooga, Tennessee-based CBL, which owns 108 properties totaling 68.2 …

October 31, 2019

District of Columbia Features Retail Southeast

Holiday Shoppers Plan to Spend 4 Percent More This Year, NRF Survey Shows

by Alex Tostado October 29, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. — American consumers plan to boost their holiday spending 4 percent this season on a year-over-year basis, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insight & Analytics. The projection is based on a survey of 7,782 adult consumers. Specifically, shoppers expect to spend an average of $1,047.83 this year, up 4 percent from last year’s total of $1,007.24, the survey findings show. Meanwhile, shoppers who are between the ages of 35 and 44 plan to spend an average of $1,158.63 this holiday season. Consumer spending is grouped into three separate categories: gifts for family, friends and co-workers, at an average $658.55; non-gift holiday items such as candy and food, decorations, greeting cards and flowers at $227.26; and other non-gift purchases that take advantage of the deals and promotions throughout the season at $162.02. “Consumers are in good financial shape and willing to spend a little more on gifts for the special people in their lives this holiday season,” says Matthew Shay, president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based NRF, the world’s largest retail trade association. Furthermore, 52 percent of shoppers between the ages of 25 and 34 plan to purchase gifts for co-workers, and 82 percent of …

October 29, 2019

Features Heartland Feature Archive Retail

F&B Dominates Discussion at ICSC’s Chicago Deal Making

by Kristin Harlow October 24, 2019

CHICAGO — The food and beverage industry dominated much of the programming and sessions at this year’s Chicago Deal Making, hosted by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). In fact, the keynote speaker was Fabio Viviani, a celebrity chef and hospitality developer. Examples of other food-oriented workshops and panels included “How to Craft Restaurant Deals,” “From Automation to Ghost Kitchens, Understanding the Trends Reshaping F&B” and “Small Bites: New Restaurant Concepts.” The two-day ICSC event took place at Navy Pier on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 16-17. The show kicked off with an hour-long session in which retailers pitched their expansion plans in the Midwest. An overwhelming number of participants were restaurants. “Chicago is recognized for being a gastronomical center, not one or two really good chefs and restaurant tours but many,” said Steven Weinstock, first vice president and regional manager of Marcus & Millichap’s Chicago Oak Brook office. “We win as residents of Chicago because they keep trying new concepts.” Weinstock cited the influx of residents in Chicago’s River North, Streeterville and West Loop neighborhoods for helping grow the food industry within the city. This younger, affluent crowd views restaurants as a source of enjoyment and entertainment, he argued. …

October 24, 2019

California Features Multifamily Seniors Housing Western

NIC: Seniors Housing Occupancy Ticks Upward to 88 Percent as Construction Slows

by Alex Patton October 22, 2019

ANNAPOLIS, MD. — Seniors housing occupancy increased to 88 percent in the third quarter of 2019 from its lowest level in eight years (87.7 percent) recorded during the previous quarter, according to data from the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC). NIC is an Annapolis-based data firm serving the seniors housing industry. Of the 31 metropolitan markets that comprise NIC’s Primary Markets, San Jose (95.5 percent) and Minneapolis (91.3 percent) experienced the highest occupancy rates in the third quarter. Las Vegas (82.3 percent) and Houston (81.5 percent) recorded the lowest occupancy rates. San Antonio experienced the largest occupancy increase from a year ago, rising from 80.2 percent to 84.6 percent. Baltimore saw the largest year-over-year decrease, falling from 92.5 percent to 90.6 percent. “San Jose retains the distinction of having the highest occupancy rate of any major market in the country, as significant barriers to entry constrain development,” says Chuck Harry, NIC’s head of research and analytics. “Houston, on the other hand, places fewer restrictions on development, which is pressuring occupancy.” During the quarter, net new unit demand totaled 4,977 units, the greatest number of new units in any quarter since NIC began reporting the data in …

October 22, 2019

Features Loans Multifamily Seniors Housing

Expect Seniors Housing Lenders To Boost Deal Volumes

by Alex Tostado October 17, 2019

The sharp drop in interest rates over the past several months has not only lowered the cost of capital for borrowers, but it has also helped offset higher operating costs at a critically important time, say seniors housing lenders. At the close of business on Oct. 16, the 10-year Treasury yield — a benchmark for long-term, fixed-rate permanent financing in commercial real estate — stood at 1.75 percent, down about 125 basis points from the start of 2019. Meanwhile, the 30-day London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is used to help set interest rates on construction loans, registered 188 basis points as of Oct. 16, a drop of about 60 basis points since the beginning of the year. Adding an element of drama and complexity to the overall picture is the inverted yield curve scenario, the point at which the 10-year Treasury bond falls below the level on the two-year bond. That’s precisely what occurred in mid-August, resulting in high volatility on Wall Street. Historically, an inverted yield curve is a strong indicator that the risk of recession is increasing. It means that investors are concerned about the economic outlook in the short term, but it provides no guarantee that …

October 17, 2019

Features Retail

Assessors Fail to Recognize Challenges Facing Shopping Center Landlords

by Taylor Williams October 15, 2019

As retailers rise and fall in the age of Amazon, property taxes remain one of retailers’ largest operating expenses. That makes it critical to monitor assessments of retail properties and be ready to contest unfairly high taxable valuations. Assessors — and property owners attempting to educate those assessors — must understand how the changes taking place in the retail sector affect property value. Assessors must adjust their models to reflect new market realities, and property owners or their representatives must be able to explain why previously held valuation assumptions could no longer be valid. No Going Back Changing consumer tastes have always required retailers to adapt in order to survive, but traditional retailers are facing a different kind of challenge today. The increasing role of e-commerce in overall sales reflects a fundamental change in consumer behavior that will not reverse course with the whims of fashion. The ability to shop online is resetting consumer expectations, and retailers are struggling to adapt and stay competitive. This struggle is evident in store closings that in 2019 are outpacing closings from the prior year. In addition to the threat of e-commerce, some economists believe a recession is coming in 2020. Falling retail sales, …

October 15, 2019

Conference Coverage Features Multifamily Student Housing

The Importance of Reputation Management in Student Housing

by Katie Sloan October 11, 2019

DALLAS — It’s no secret that today’s students spend a lot of time on their phones, perusing social media and scanning the internet. With such a high level of importance placed on digital content, what people are saying about your community through online reviews is becoming more powerful than ever. As an owner or operator, it’s imperative to handle negative reviews quickly and efficiently, and to bolster the amount of positive reviews left about your community. A panel of reputation management strategists weighed in on best online reputation practices during the session, “Review and Reputation Management: Who Should be Managing Your Reputation? What are Best Practices? And Creating an Effective & Efficient Strategy for your Teams,” at the second annual LeaseCon: A Social Media, Digital & Traditional Marketing Boot Camp, held at The Westin Galleria in Dallas in September. “There is a direct correlation between online reputation and how well your assets are performing,” says John Hinckley, CEO of Modern Message. “Building the right strategy around reputation management is key. It’s been interesting to watch over the last eight years and see the industry change from turning a blind eye to reputation to incorporating it as an important component of …

October 11, 2019

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