By Taylor Williams What do the phrases “owner-occupier,” “small-bay” and “mid-range WALT” have in common? They could potentially be obscure references to real-life inspirations behind songs on the new Taylor Swift album. But just in case that’s not the case, these terms also represent types of industrial investment plays that have become increasingly favorable among owners and prospective buyers in Northeast markets. The rising popularity of these deals attests to shifts in the broader landscape, i.e. — large-scale e-commerce and logistics facilities have been either overbuilt or priced to perfection in many areas. But the past 12 months have seen industrial deal volume in major Northeast markets regain traction. Although some — if not most — of that activity is tied to interest rates and geopolitics, the emergence of different deal types is nonetheless a positive indicator because it speaks to the creative approach that the investment community has taken in its return to the market. Unlike a few years ago, industrial real estate today is not a mindless beneficiary of both institutional and private debt and equity — a bottomless pit of capital flows. Tenants are no longer forced to write quasi-blank checks to owners just to secure crucial …
