HOUSTON — Fundrise, an investment firm with roughly $1.7 billion in assets under management, has acquired Balcara at Balmoral, a 163-unit single-family rental (SFR) community in northeast Houston. Homes at Balcara at Balmoral feature one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, as well as garages and backyards. Amenities include a clubhouse, leasing center and a children’s play area. Fundrise acquired the 20-acre community from Houston-based Balcara Group and Dallas-based Montgomery Street Partners for an undisclosed price.
ATLANTA — The build-to-rent (BTR) space boasts a scintillating story of short-term success, driven by demand from households that rent by choice and want the feel and privacy of owning a home without dealing with maintenance and paying property taxes. Building to rent involves developing residential properties with the explicit, predetermined purpose of renting them. This differs from single-family rental (SFR), a more established practice of buying existing single-family homes and renting them out that has its roots in mom-and-pop investments but is now being adopted by larger companies. The rapid growth of the BTR space has brought challenges that are markedly different from those of building and operating traditional multifamily and student housing properties. A panel of experts outlined some of these commonplace hurdles at the 12th annual InterFace Multifamily Southeast conference on Thursday, Dec 2. About 350 industry professionals attended the event, which took place at the Westin Buckhead hotel in Atlanta. For starters, the space can be a tough one to break into. Developers undertake different strategies for launching their BTR platforms and divisions, frequently partnering with single-family homebuilders or leveraging existing relationships with third-party general contractors. This is largely because these developers often lack the in-house …
WOODBURY, MINN. — A joint venture between PCCP and Watermark Cos. has unveiled plans to develop Canvas at Woodbury North, an 89-unit build-for-rent (BFR) community in Woodbury near St. Paul. The development team plans to deliver the first homes in fall 2022, with final completion slated for fall 2023. The project marks the joint venture’s second BFR community on the east side of the Twin Cities. The unit mix will consist of two-, three-, four and five-bedroom floorplans ranging from 1,200 to 2,966 square feet. All homes will feature washers and dryers, two-car garages, backyards, smart home technology, pet retreats and package drop-off boxes. Residents will have access to a clubhouse, fitness center, pool and dog park.
DENTON, TEXAS — Christopher Todd Communities will develop a 316-unit single-family rental community in Denton. Homes will come in one-, two- and three-bedroom formats and will range in size from 750 to 1,250 square feet. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center and a dog park. David Davidson Jr., Edward Bogel and Ryan Turner of Davidson & Bogel Real Estate brokered the sale of the land. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second quarter, with the first move-ins slated for late 2023.
FISHERS, IND. — Thompson Thrift Residential, a wholly owned affiliate of Indianapolis-based Thompson Thrift, has broken ground on Slate at Fishers District in the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers. The build-for-rent community will feature 242 luxury single-family homes. The developer expects to begin welcoming residents in the first quarter of 2023. The residences will average 1,215 square feet and will come in one-, two- and three-bedroom villas as well as four-bedroom townhomes. Residents will have access to a clubhouse, fitness center, pool and dog parks. As part of the project, a public park and paved trail will be constructed, providing the community direct pedestrian access to Fishers District, a mixed-use development with 110,000 square feet of retail space.
WILDOMAR, CALIF. — Tricon Residential, Foremost Pacific Group and Woodbridge Pacific Group Cos. has broken ground on Bacara, a townhome single-family rental community in Wildomar. Located at 24808 Preilipp Road, Bacara will feature 170 rental townhomes with one-, two- and three-bedroom options with solar power, attached one- or two-car garages, keyless front-door entry and forecourt patios. Community amenities will include a dog park, lap pool and spa, gym and community center. Completion is slated for late 2022. Tricon Residential will operate Bacara upon completion. Foremost Pacific Group is serving as project developer and Woodbridge Pacific Group Cos. is serving as project contractor.
OAK CREEK, WIS. — Northmarq has provided $12.2 million in construction takeout financing for the recently completed first phase of Residences at Oak View in Oak Creek, just south of Milwaukee. The build-for-rent community, located at 10730 S. Howell Ave., includes 42 rental homes. Residents have access to a clubhouse with a fitness center, game room, community room and outdoor pool. The property was fully pre-leased within two months of the first home delivery and achieved occupancy stabilization within five months. Construction on a 41-home second phase is currently underway, with completion slated for summer 2022. Brett Hood of Northmarq arranged the 10-year loan, which features five years of interest-only payments followed by a 30-year amortization schedule. Northmarq originated the financing for the borrower, ModHomes, through its status as a Freddie Mac Optigo lender.
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Demographic, Economic Trends Likely to Sustain Build-For-Rent Sector’s Growth
Institutional investors have been increasingly interested in the build-for-rent (BFR) space over the last five years. But the pandemic poured gasoline on an asset class that offers tenants space, privacy and the flexibility of renting. Now that COVID appears to be receding in some areas, can the BFR sector maintain its growth? Paul Garner, director at Walker & Dunlop, believes that demographic and economic trends will maintain the demand for BFR, especially in the Sun Belt states, for the near future. Opportunities for Growth and a Focus on the Sun Belt Garner sees the most potential for BFR growth in suburban areas — particularly those located 15 to 20 minutes outside of a metropolitan statistical area. The economic growth and increasing populations of nearby cities determine whether suburban BFR setups will attract tenants. According to Garner, the dedicated BFR/single-family rental (SFR) team at Walker & Dunlop has started to see a lot of action similar to what they saw on the West Coast (especially in Arizona) four or five years ago. He notes, “BFR properties are becoming increasingly popular all throughout the Sun Belt states, especially Florida and the Carolinas. There’s a potential in this area to get land very, …
KYLE, TEXAS — Los Angeles-based Banyan Residential has broken ground on Banyan Bunton Creek, a 163-unit single-family rental (SFR) community in Kyle, located in between Austin and San Antonio. Residences will feature two-car garages, fully landscaped backyards and modern interiors, and renters will have access to a pool with a splash pad and cabanas. Leasing is scheduled to begin early next year. An affiliate of Walton Street Capital is financing the project, which will be Banyan Residential’s second SFR community following the July opening of the 96-unit Banyan Kingsland Heights in Houston.
By Drew Ricciardi, Research Manager, ABI Multifamily Research Manager Following a chaotic year that left investors on the sidelines, the Phoenix market proved resilient. In fact, it ended up witnessing one of the most significant rebounds nationally. The Phoenix multifamily market exploded with a record start for 2021 and is now considered one of the top multifamily markets in the country. Phoenix continues to see robust population increases due to job growth, quality of life, industry diversity and affordability. According to a Redfin study, the Phoenix metro market had the highest population net inflow in 2020 of all U.S. metros. Phoenix benefited from the work-from-home phenomenon due to COVID-19, which resulted in high-paid workers fleeing high-priced, high-density markets for more affordable markets offering more spacious living options. Not only are people migrating to Phoenix, but the area is becoming a prime spot for company headquarters and advanced facilities. The metro area’s educated workforce, strong talent pool, business-friendly tax environment, and affordability are all key factors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plans to invest around $35 billion in new Phoenix facilities. This is the most substantial direct foreign investment in Arizona to date. The investment will have significant ripple effects on the …