In our state of the market overview article in Southeast Real Estate Business October 2023, we defined three challenges in the metro New Orleans multifamily market. These are interest rates, inflation and insurance — or as we dubbed them “the three I’s.” Not to be redundant; however, a year later these elements are still very much factors in the current market and continue to define how multifamily assets are acquired, sold, financed and developed. There is, however, reason for optimism as each of these defining elements has diminished, albeit not completely, from where they were 12 months ago. Interest rates — On Sept. 18, the Federal Reserve reduced short-term rates by 50 basis points — the first reduction in four years. More importantly was the decline in the rate of the 10-year Treasury yield, which is what most multifamily loans are priced from. As of this writing, the 10-year Treasury yield was at 3.76 percent, the lowest it has been in the past 16 months. A further reason for optimism is the fact that the Fed has indicated the potential for four rate cuts next year. There is also the anticipation of further clarity in the capital markets once the …
By David DiRienzo, director — business development, at Talonvest Capital, Inc. This is part one of a two-part series discussing the key drivers behind transaction volume and the steps owners can take to ensure they are well-positioned going forward. Much has been written about the decline in transaction volumes over the last 24 months. There is no question that properties are changing hands at a slower pace compared to the activity seen during the low interest rate environment that prevailed during the pandemic. Even so, many investors continue to seek out financing to address a variety of circumstances. In today’s market, beyond simply refinancing due to an upcoming loan maturity, three scenarios have been driving financing activity among owners of self-storage, multifamily and industrial assets: restructuring debt as a project evolves, elective refinancing to improve performance and capitalizing on a new business plan. We will cover the first theme below in part one of this two-part series. Business Plan Progression Offers Opportunities for Owners to Unlock Value As a business plan evolves and the asset matures, it’s beneficial for owners to reassess their capital stack to optimize investment performance and maximize their goals. Completing a refinance at a natural project inflection …
NEW YORK CITY — Multifamily and seniors housing bridge lending platform MONTICELLOAM LLC (MonticelloAM) has provided $87 million in bridge and working capital financing for a portfolio of skilled nursing facilities located in Florida. The portfolio comprises 450 skilled nursing beds across four properties. Proceeds from the loan, which features a 24-month term and two six-month extensions, were used to refinance existing debt on the properties. A $7 million working capital revolver will fund day-to-day operational expenses for the facilities. The borrower was not disclosed.
EARLY BRANCH, S.C. — Frampton Construction plans to build a new 300,000-square-foot distribution facility in Early Branch for Le Creuset of America, a kitchen supply retailer that operates boutique and outlet stores around the country. Set for completion in late 2025, the facility will feature space for bulk and direct-to-consumer distribution, general storage and a two-story designated office space spanning 22,000 square feet with amenities including locker rooms, a kitchen/breakroom, outdoor patio with a grill and a stone walking path surrounding a pond. The space will also feature a lobby and a 2,180-square-foot storefront that will display Le Creuset’s cookware. The build-to-suit facility will sit on 62 acres along Bob Gifford Boulevard and consolidate the tenant’s operations in the area, as well as create 30 new jobs. Architect McMillan Pazdan Smith designed the facility to be expandable by 120,000 square feet.
OXFORD, FLA. — JLL has brokered the sale of The Mark at Wildwood, a newly built, 294-unit apartment community located at 3795 Bismark Court in Oxford. The property sits at the northwest corner of The Villages master-planned community in Central Florida’s Sumter County. Cliff Taylor, Joe Ayers, Ryan Hixon, Tucker Brooks and Mike Scott of JLL represented the sellers, Varden Capital Properties and Tellus Partners, in the transaction. TriBridge Residential purchased the property for an undisclosed price. Completed in 2023, The Mark at Wildwood features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom flat and carriage home-style units. Amenities include a resort-style pool and a clubhouse.
COLLIERVILLE, TENN. — The Shopping Center Group (TSCG) has negotiated the sale of Houston Levee Galleria, a 65,900-square-foot retail center in Collierville, an eastern suburb of Memphis. Built in 2006, the property was 94 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including Jim’s Place, Gould’s Day Spa and Salon, Smoothie King, The Transformation Doctor, Newk’s Express Café, Club Pilates, Moe’s Southwestern Grill, Loni’s Fashions and The Sewing House. Anthony Blanco and Lynn De Marco of TSCG represented the seller, a limited liability company, in the transaction. The buyer and sales price were also not disclosed.
LANHAM, MD. — KLNB has arranged more than 50,000 square feet of office leases at Forbes Center, a 17-building business park in Lanham, 13 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. The landlord, D.C.-based DSC Partners LLC, hired KLNB this summer to oversee leasing at Forbes Center. The brokerage firm opened an onsite leasing office at the property to help facilitate the process. The KLNB landlord advisory team for Forbes Center includes Ken Fellows, Robert Pugh, Keiry Martinez and Aaron Carroll. The tenants were not disclosed.
MOBILE, ALA. — Scannell Properties has broken ground on RailPort Logistics Mobile, a 500-acre industrial park in Mobile. The project is designated by rail giant CSX as a “Platinum CSX Select Site,” meaning it’s been deemed a shovel-ready site along the CSX rail network. At full build-out, RailPort Logistics Mobile will span 4.7 million square feet across 10 buildings. Scannell Properties estimates that the property will support 2,500 workers. The site is located proximate to Port of Mobile and I-10. Phase I will encompass 390 acres, and approximately 149 acres will be reserved for conservation. Scannell Properties plans to invest approximately $15 million for transportation infrastructure upgrades at the site. David Salinas, senior development manager with the Indianapolis-based firm, says the investment will “also benefit the neighboring Todd Acres Industrial Park.”
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atlanta-based office REIT Cousins Properties is under contract to acquire Vantage South End, a lifestyle office development in Charlotte’s South End neighborhood spanning 639,000 square feet. The Spectrum Cos. and Invesco sold the two-tower property in an off-market transaction for $328.5 million. Built in 2021 and 2022, Vantage South End was 97 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants with a weighted average lease term (WALT) exceeding nine years. Tenants include CBRE, Lending Tree and Grant Thornton, among others.
TUCKER, GA. — Baltimore-based Greenberg Gibbons has entered the Georgia market with its $17.3 million purchase of Northlake Square, an 82,578-square-foot shopping center in Tucker. Built in 1988 at the intersection of Lavista Road and I-285 in metro Atlanta, the shopping center was 98 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including longtime anchors Aldi and Best Buy. Greenberg Gibbons purchased Northlake Square via Greenberg Gibbons Real Estate Income Fund I, an investment vehicle whose other acquisitions include shopping centers in Tennessee, Florida, the Carolinas and Maryland.