HOUSTON — Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp. (MMCC) has arranged two green loans totaling $21.4 million for the refinancing of two multifamily assets in the Houston area totaling 340 units. Brandon Brown of MMCC arranged the loans, both of which featured a 3.16 percent fixed interest rate and nine years of interest-only payments. The lenders, borrowers and property names were not disclosed.
ADDISON, TEXAS — ATW Corp., a locally based provider of trailer parts and accessories, has signed a 26,127-square-foot office headquarters lease at Greenhill Towers in the northern Dallas suburb of Addison. The company will be relocating from Richardson. Dan Zeltser of SHOP Cos. represented the tenant in its site selection and lease negotiations. Grant Sumner and Russell Podraza of Avison Young represented the building ownership, Florida-based Codina Partners, which recently implemented an $8 million capital improvement program at Greenhill Towers.
The pandemic has forced the appraisal business into a surreal experience: many valuation professionals had their physical connections to the market severed or diminished. The question became: how best to assign value to the properties that appraisers are tasked with assessing especially while the demand for valuation has grown. Where does the rise of automatic valuation systems (AVSs) fit in with the valuation process? Karl Finkelstein, vice president of Business Development and senior managing director for Valbridge Property Advisors, spoke recently to REBusinessOnline. He explains, “The appraisal business is still all about reporting on what we see in the marketplace. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is our physical connection to the market — talking with market participants and attempting to read the tea leaves.” As for many companies, the past few months have been a time of reassessment and reengagement with the technology and tools at hand. “We’ve had to rethink how we do inspections; we’ve had to rethink how we physically interact. Technology has given us a big hand with that, and it has changed some of the some of the ways we do business and enhanced others,” says Finkelstein. A Hands-On Business, Socially Distanced Physical inspections remain …
By Mark Wolf, CEO and founder, AHV Communities The single-family rental (SFR) sector began its institutionalization during the Global Financial Crisis when so many homeowners found themselves unable to pay their mortgages. The mass quantity of repossessed homes was sold off on courthouse steps or at large in-person or online auctions, with mega-landlords amassing the homes and renting them out as investments. At the time, that business model was the only one widely recognized or, notably, well capitalized. However, the sector would not ultimately remain a one-trick pony. Alternate visions for single-family rentals have subsequently emerged. The most widely known model, which is oftentimes incorrectly characterized today, is the purpose-built rental community. Built from the ground up and delivered as a contiguous, cohesive communities — basically the opposite of existing randomly located distressed homes purchased and leased — the purpose-built SFR community is on the rise. Texas is currently one of the hottest states for new development of these communities. The activity is undoubtedly fueled by the ongoing in-migration of individuals and families from other states flooding into the Lone Star State in favor of lower taxes, high quality of life, friendly business climate and an overall affordable cost of …
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Six Flags Entertainment Corp. has announced plans to reopen all 26 of its theme parks and waterparks throughout North America and is now hiring team members for the 2021 season. After shutting down in mid-March at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the Arlington-based entertainment operator reopened 21 of its 26 parks at various points in 2020, implementing mask mandates, enhanced sanitation protocols and temperature screenings. Six Flags said that it is actively working with state and government officials to secure firm opening dates for parks in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mexico and Canada that remained closed in 2020.
DENTON, TEXAS — Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap, has negotiated the sale of The Coventry Apartments, a 240-unit multifamily community in the North Texas city of Denton. The property was built on eight acres in 2001 and features one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Amenities include a pool, clubhouse, fitness center, business center, coffee bar, volleyball court and a dog park. Drew Kile, Joey Tumminello, Will Balthrope, Asher Hall and Grant Raymond of IPA represented the seller, SPI Advisory, in the transaction. Additional terms of sale were not disclosed.
BROKEN ARROW, OKLA. — Berkadia has provided a $46.1 million HUD loan for the refinancing of Creekside Apartments I and II, a 380-unit multifamily property located in the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow. The property features one-, two- and three-bedroom units and amenities such as a pool, fitness center, childcare area, business center and a dog park. Jennifer Quigley of Berkadia originated the loan through HUD’s 223(f) program on behalf of the borrower, Montana-based BlackRidge Cos. The program insures loans used to acquire or refinance existing multifamily properties that may have been originally financed with conventional or FHA-insured mortgages.
HOUSTON — Dallas-based investment firm Momentum Multifamily has purchased The Henry at Liberty Hills, a 228-unit apartment community in East Houston. The property was built in 2012 as SYNC at Liberty Hills and offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units with built-in workspaces, entertainment bars and private balconies or patios. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, a dog park, game/media room and a business center. Cutt Ableson and Colin Marusak of Berkadia arranged Freddie Mac acquisition financing and preferred equity on behalf of Momentum Multifamily for the transaction.
STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS —Spectra Student Living is underway on construction of Fireside District, a 180-bed student housing development located near the Tarleton State University campus in Stephenville. The project is scheduled to be delivered in time for the 2021 fall semester. The 66-unit community will include eight three-story buildings featuring one-, two- and four-bedroom floor plans with bed-to-bath parity. Communal amenities will include a media production room, computer center, private study areas, a gaming area, bike storage, a pool with a sundeck, an outdoor social lounge and a grilling area.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — PEG Cos., a Utah-based investment and development firm, has acquired The Habitat Suites Austin, an extended-stay hotel located at 500 E. Highland Mall Blvd. in Austin. The company plans to convert the hotel into a Class B multifamily community. PEG plans to undertake a full renovation of the property, including the addition of new amenities like a fitness center and workspaces. Completion is slated for the summer.