Southeast

Sustained leasing velocity for industrial/warehouse space in the Northern Virginia market, combined with the nearly insatiable demand for data center product, is contributing to developers repurposing existing business communities with this asset class to support demand, as well as companies expanding their geographic footprints into suburban Maryland and Central Virginia to secure space. This trend could be pivoting slightly due to the recent slowdown in leasing activity both locally and nationally as it relates to rising interest rates, the prospects for a looming recession and the possible end of a prolonged real estate cycle. The vacancy rate for industrial/warehouse space in the region currently stands at just over 2 percent. In the last quarter, the Northern Virginia industrial market experienced the largest pipeline in its history with more than 1 million square feet of space delivered, with nearly 5 million square feet of space in the development pipeline. The largest projects are contained within Stafford County as land in Loudoun and Fairfax counties has become unaffordable, or simply unattainable. Triple-net asking rents reached another all-time high of $12.45 per square foot in the third quarter, aided in part by these new deliveries. New space remains scarce and commands a premium, …

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Negative leverage Colin Grayson Lument

By Colin Grayson, Lument If you consider multifamily real estate assets to be a good investment, you are in good company. At mid-year, asset managers and private equity firms alone held an estimated $325 billion of levered dry powder set aside for this purpose, enough cash to finance nearly every acquisition closed in the United States in 2021, the highest investment sales volume on record. Despite nearly unanimous support for the asset class, however, multifamily transaction volume in the third quarter slumped year-over-year for the first time since the peak of the pandemic. The mainspring was a sharp rise in mortgage financing costs triggered by high inflation and the Federal Reserve’s commitment to raising rates to bring it under control. Generic rates for 65 percent loan-to-value (LTV) first mortgage debt stood on 5.71 percent at the end of November, representing an increase of 248 basis points since the beginning of the year. Even as financing costs soared, asset pricing changed very little. Initial net cash flow yields of transactions closed in the third quarter of 2022 averaged only 4.6 percent, according to Real Capital Analytics, an increase of 10 basis points from second-quarter 2022 levels. At the same time, cap …

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Total U.S. nonfarm payroll employment increased by 223,000 in December, while the unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The leisure and hospitality industry added 67,000 jobs, leading all employment sectors. The latest employment figures released this morning beat expectations. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had estimated the U.S. labor market grew by 200,000 jobs in December. Meanwhile, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 0.3 percent in December. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 4.6 percent, coming in below the 5 percent estimate, an indication that inflation pressures could be easing. In 2022, the leisure and hospitality sector added an average of 79,000 jobs per month, substantially less than the average gain of 196,000 jobs per month in 2021. Employment in the industry remains below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level by 932,000, or 5.5 percent. Healthcare employment increased by 55,000 in December, with gains in ambulatory health care services (+30,000), hospitals (+16,000), and nursing and residential care facilities (+9,000). Job growth in healthcare averaged 49,000 per month in 2022, considerably above the 2021 average monthly gain of 9,000. …

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RUSTON, LA. — Timberline Real Estate Ventures has sold CEV Ruston, a 432-bed community serving students attending Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. Constructed in 2008, the property offers two- and four-bedroom, fully furnished units. Shared amenities include a fitness center, group and private study rooms, a computer center and swimming pool. The community is situated adjacent to campus at 1812 W. Alabama Ave. Scott Clifton, Stewart Hayes, Teddy Leatherman, Kevin Kazlow and Jack Goldberger of JLL represented Timberline in the disposition of the property to Briar Meads Capital. The sales price was not disclosed.

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MIAMI — SRS Real Estate Partners’ National Net Lease Group (NNLG) has facilitated the $14.4 million sale of a single-tenant retail property located 3595 Coral Way in Miami. Comprising 16,285 square feet, the property is occupied by the seller, Walgreens, which has signed a new 15-year, corporate guaranteed, triple-net lease. Sean Lutz, Dan Elliot, Matthew Mousavi and Patrick Luther of SRS represented the buyer, a Nevada-based private investor, in the 1031, all-cash transaction.

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PARKVILLE, MD. — Neuman Commercial Group has arranged the sale of a 21,200-square-foot shopping center located at 1901‐7 E. Joppa Rd. in Parkville, roughly 10 miles northeast of Baltimore. Gil Neuman of Neuman represented the seller, Besche Realty, in the $4.5 million transaction. Originally built in 1965, the property was fully occupied by three tenants at the time of sale. The buyer was not disclosed.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) projects that total commercial and multifamily mortgage borrowing and lending is expected to fall to $700 billion in 2023, a 5 percent decline from an expected volume of $740 billion in 2022. Multifamily lending volume alone is expected to drop to $393 billion in 2023, an 11 percent decline from an expected total of $439 billion in 2022. The projected drop in borrowing and lending reflects current market conditions. Jamie Woodwell, head of commercial real estate research for MBA, which is based in Washington, D.C., underlined that the forecast matched what the association had been hearing from commercial and multifamily mortgage finance professionals, with many indicating the Federal Reserve’s multiple interest rate increases in rapid succession have been a key factor in the projected decline in lending and borrowing activity. At its December meeting, the Federal Reserve raised the benchmark federal funds rate by half a percentage point, a smaller increase than the four consecutive three-quarter-point hikes earlier in 2022. The Fed is showing no sign of slowing rate hikes in 2023, with Chairman Jerome Powell announcing after the meeting that the central bank will continue to raise rates for quite some …

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CHARLESTON, S.C. — Aventon Cos. has broken ground on Aventon Bees Ferry, a 394-unit apartment community located on a 30-acre site in Charleston’s West Ashley submarket. The development is the first project in South Carolina for the Raleigh-based developer. Situated near the intersection of Bees Ferry Road and Savannah Highway, Aventon Bees Ferry will feature one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a community clubhouse with a fitness center and coworking spaces and two courtyards that will feature a resort-style pool, gaming lawn, pet spa and a dog park. Aventon expects to open Aventon Bees Ferry in early 2024. Other members of the development team include Watts Leaf Architects, Studio 5 Interiors Inc. and Thomas & Hutton.

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LOCUST GROVE, GA. — Stonemont Financial Group has purchased an infill, 113-acre site in Locust Grove with plans to develop a 903,200-square-foot industrial park. The development will break ground in the first quarter, with an expected completion of first-quarter 2024. Called Stonemont Park 75 South, the development will include three rear-load speculative warehouses ranging in sizes from 124,800 square feet to 538,720 square feet. Clear heights will vary from 32 feet to 40 feet, and the property will also include 316 trailer parking stalls and 612 car parking stalls, as well as 2,000 linear feet of frontage along I-75. Stonemont Park 75 South will sit along Highway 42 within Atlanta’s I-75 South industrial submarket. The design-build team will include Ware Malcomb (architect), Eberly & Associates (civil engineer) and Alston Construction (general contractor). Wilson Hull & Neal will serve as the leasing agent for the park on behalf of Stonemont Financial.

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COCOA, FLA. — Housing Trust Group (HTG) and local nonprofit Housing for Homeless Inc. have broken ground on Orchid Lake, a $30 million affordable housing community in Cocoa, a city on Florida’s Space Coast. Situated in Brevard County on the Atlantic Ocean side of the state, Orchid Lake will feature 90 units reserved for income-qualifying residents who earn at or below 22, 33 and 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), with rents ranging from $228 to $1,107 per month. The floor plan mix includes one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from 802 to 1,137 square feet. The property is scheduled to deliver in early 2024. Amenities will include a clubhouse and fitness center, community splash pad and playground, outdoor barbecue area and a media room for residents. Housing for Homeless will also offer services to residents including adult literacy training, an employment assistance program and a financial management program. Funding sources for Orchid Lake include $15.7 million in 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity syndicated through Raymond James Bank, as well as a $9 million loan through the State Apartment Incentive Loan program (SAIL). Other capital sources include loans from Raymond James Bank, Florida …

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