Multifamily

Managing Volatility, Disruption Is Crucial to Multifamily Debt Market, Says Freddie Mac’s Martinez

by Taylor Williams March 16, 2020

As markets, consumers and businesses react to the novel coronavirus, lenders and mortgage bankers across the country find themselves reflecting on the volatility that characterized the multifamily debt market in 2019 and wondering just how similar 2020 could be. To be sure, market uncertainty is par for the course during presidential election years, and the market event related to coronavirus is creating additional anxiety. The multifamily debt markets are also working to move away from the LIBOR index as a benchmark for pricing loans to a new index, creating the need for adjustment within the industry when that move takes effect in 2021. But beyond those factors, lenders and mortgage bankers anticipate continued strength in multifamily loan production fueled by strong fundamentals and low interest rates. These topics formed the basis of discussion for much of the Mortgage Bankers Association and CREFC’s Multifamily Housing Convention & Expo, held February 9-12 in San Diego. The event afforded ample opportunities for publications that cover the industry to meet individually with multifamily finance professionals and gauge their outlooks on the health and prospective performance of the market in 2020. Rebusinessonline.com took advantage of those opportunities to sit down and talk with Rich Martinez, …

March 16, 2020

Market Reports Multifamily Texas Texas Market Reports

Margins Moderate for Multifamily Developers in Dallas-Fort Worth

by Taylor Williams February 28, 2020

Multifamily developers in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex in 2020 expect to see a slightly slower pace of rent growth brought on by record levels of new supply in recent years. This trend, paired with higher costs of adding features that distinguish properties from their competition, could lead to slightly more modest profit margins for multifamily developers. According to the latest data from CoStar Group, the average rate of multifamily rent growth in DFW between 2015 and 2019 was roughly 3.5 percent, skewed in part by a massive annual gain of 6.1 percent in 2015 and 3.9 percent in 2016. The citywide vacancy rate compressed below 7 percent in those two years, leading to an even more pronounced building boom. Since then, annual rent growth has maintained the current projection of 2 to 3 percent, with gains in the Class B space outpacing those of Class A product, a classification that captures virtually all new construction outside of purpose-built affordable housing. During the five-year period ending in 2019, nearly 110,000 new units were delivered in DFW, with annual supply growth as a percentage of total inventory topping 10 percent in some years. The new year purports to be the first …

February 28, 2020

Market Reports Multifamily Texas Texas Market Reports

How Austin’s Growth Creates Opportunities for Multifamily Developers, Investors

by Taylor Williams February 18, 2020

With its unique culture, relatively low cost of living, warm weather and booming economy, Austin has emerged as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. As more people and companies flock to this vibrant city, the multifamily real estate market looks primed for growth from both a development and investment perspective. At its core, this real estate potential lies in the fact that the housing supply needs to keep up with a growing population of workers. According to the Austin Board of Realtors (AboR), in October 2019, the number of homes sold reached new highs, while the inventory of single-family homes reached new lows. As this gap shows, and as ABoR notes in its report, housing demand is outpacing housing stock, particularly in areas close to major employers and transit options. To remedy this problem, multifamily developers and investors can step in to build multi-unit buildings throughout Austin. Adding multifamily buildings can help tackle the housing shortage much faster than building more single-family homes, and many newcomers to Austin are young, well-paid professionals looking to rent apartments in exciting urban neighborhoods. As such, developers and investors can look to add more units in both existing high-density areas that …

February 18, 2020

Colorado Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Colorado Is Experiencing Residential Growth, But Uncertainty Could Temper That

by Taylor Williams February 14, 2020

The past 10 years has brought population growth to Colorado, which many associate with Amendment 64, or the legalization of marijuana, along with an overall flat interest rate. The new issue is whether Colorado can sustain this growth, despite the heavy focus on affordability. So far, however, the state has experienced continued growth in population, income and multifamily sales volume, according to CoStar. Tapestry Segmentation also reports a median household income in the Greater Denver area of $76,094, which is 28 percent higher than the national figure reported by the U.S. Census. The Denver multifamily market is enticing to tenants as many view the option to lease as an easier path than purchasing a home. This, in turn, has enticed investors and developers to build due to demand. Investors also see opportunity in converting apartments to condos when the market shifts. At the same time, there are concerns that the Federal Reserve’s Interest on Excess Reserves (IOER) policy could present uncertainty to the overarching environment. The intention of the IOER policy is to allow banks to have a lower reserve, which is intended to remove the volatility of interest rates. However, many experts are questioning if …

February 14, 2020

California Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Orange County’s Multifamily Market Continues to Grow

by Taylor Williams January 31, 2020

Orange County’s multifamily housing market remained exceptionally strong throughout 2019. The average asking rent closed the quarter at $2,055 per unit, up 3.3 percent from the fourth quarter of 2018. This was the highest asking rent on record, up 34.5 percent from the prior peak reached in the third quarter of 2008. The Central submarket saw the largest year-over-year rental rate increase, with the asking rent there rising 3.8 percent to $1,920 per unit. This quarter, the Irvine submarket also saw its average asking rent adjust a bit, down 0.7 percent from the prior quarter to $2,446 per unit as existing inventory competed with new construction added to the market. However, the average rent in Irvine is up 3.2 percent from last year. Completed construction has pushed vacancy up. The total vacancy rate in Orange County this quarter registered 4.8 percent, up 30 basis points from the prior quarter, steady from the fourth quarter of 2018. Four significant projects totaling 2,567 units were completed this quarter. This includes Promenade at Irvine Spectrum with 1,781 units; SkyLoft, a 388-unit development in Irvine; the Charlie Orange County, a 228-unit complex in Santa Ana; and the Murphy, a 170-unit complex in Irvine. Annual …

January 31, 2020

Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Missouri Multifamily

Capital Continues to Flow to the City of Fountains

by Kristin Harlow January 23, 2020

Private capital delivered several new investors to Kansas City in 2019 and the new year will undoubtedly see plenty of competitive bidding and elevated pricing. Overall, the investment market continues to be supported by Kansas City’s diversified economy, with job growth weighted on the Kansas side at 2.7 percent over Missouri’s 1.1 percent (as of August 2019). Targeting talent Kansas City’s low cost of living, educated workforce and business-friendly environment attracted several coastal employers to the Heartland. This trend will likely continue in 2020. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the relocation of two research agencies from Washington, D.C., representing a landmark win with 525 total jobs. Other wins in 2019 included Honeywell’s centralization of its operational offices from Seattle to Kansas City; Niagara Bottling moving 50 jobs from California; Hostess Brands relocating a distribution center from Illinois; and CarMax announcing 300 jobs for its Customer Experience Center after completing a nationwide search. Annual employment growth (as of August 2019) delivered nearly 20,000 jobs with additions in healthcare, biotech and business services, substantiating the selling point of a diversified economy capable of weathering future storms. Employers have found their fit, but more importantly, their talent is seeing reasons they can …

January 23, 2020

Market Reports Massachusetts Multifamily Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Selling Affordability is Crucial in Metro Boston

by Taylor Williams January 22, 2020

With a pressing demand for new housing in the Boston area and communities struggling to provide affordable options to mitigate the effect of rising prices, the barriers to providing new affordable multifamily properties remain significant. Here in the Boston region, the scale of the problem is immense. Boston’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council recently declared a need for 185,000 new units of housing over next 10 or so years in the 15 cities and towns that comprise the inner core of the metro area — just to keep up with expected growth. Some of the integral variables and processes associated with multifamily development, like land acquisition and construction costs, can be tangibly quantified. But harder to define is the often unpredictable process of securing public approvals, wherein a development team must navigate the sometimes contentious ground between neighborhood groups and regulatory agencies. Locally Scaled Solutions In 2018, Related Beal completed The Beverly, a 239-unit, income-restricted project in downtown Boston, capturing headlines that heralded this significant model for addressing housing affordability in the region. Landmark projects like The Beverly represent great strides toward addressing the housing affordability crisis and have helped raise the awareness of efforts to develop real solutions to the …

January 22, 2020

Arizona Market Reports Multifamily Western Western Market Reports

Phoenix’s Growth Keeps The Multifamily Sector Hot

by Taylor Williams January 18, 2020

Stemming from the ashes of 2009 — a decade later and a decade wiser — Phoenix and the surrounding Maricopa County has exploded to outpace the national averages in both rent and job growth. In fact, the entire State of Arizona is booming in population growth and job production. The Census Bureau just released its American Community Survey “One-Year Estimates” in which Arizona was named the fastest-growing state in the nation with a year-over-year growth of 2.2 percent. The Phoenix MSA also experienced a 2.6 percent increase (as of October 2019) from the prior year ranking when it came to the largest job gains in the education and health services industries. The state also boasts a tax-friendly environment, pro-business governor, competitive workforce and one of the youngest median age populations in the country at 35.4. This has attracted a broad array of financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and tech companies that have been moving to Phoenix in droves, making Phoenix a diversified and balanced economy that is different than years’ past. What does all this mean? The need for housing is paramount and multifamily investors are reaping the benefits. Phoenix is able to absorb the roughly 7,500 new units developers are …

January 18, 2020

Affordable Housing Market Reports Multifamily Texas Texas Market Reports

Investor Demand for Texas Affordable Housing Intensifies

by Taylor Williams January 17, 2020

The declining affordability of housing has become a worsening problem in many areas throughout the country, and Texas is no exception. Despite talk of a cooling housing market, home prices in both North and Central Texas are hitting high-water marks, making the dream of homeownership less likely to become a reality for many people. According to the Austin Board of Realtors, median home prices in Austin hit an all-time high in May, topping $400,000. As for North Texas, a report from ATTOM Data reveals that as of the third quarter, the median home price in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) was 73 percent above the market’s pre-recession peak. As home prices skyrocket in the these markets, apartment rental rates are also experiencing upward pressure. The Austin Affordable Housing Corp., a nonprofit subsidiary of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin, reports that Austin is now the most expensive rental market in Texas. In addition, The Dallas Morning News reported in August that while Dallas-area apartment rents are growing at a slower rate than the national average, these figures rose 3 percent from a year earlier. Rising apartment rental rates in these markets are resulting in a greater percentage of cost-burdened renters …

January 17, 2020

Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Missouri Multifamily

Dynamic St. Louis Multifamily Real Estate Market Is on a Roll

by Kristin Harlow January 9, 2020

The greater St. Louis metropolitan statistical area (MSA) includes the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Warren and St. Charles County, as well as various counties in Illinois collectively known as the Metro East. The MSA ranks as the 21st largest in the country with a population of approximately 2.8 million residents and features many Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. St. Louis has a very diverse economy with the largest categories of employment base in transportation, utilities, education, healthcare, defense and professional/business services. The per capita income for approximately 1.5 million workers in the MSA is approximately $60,000 per year. With an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent, the MSA has had almost 11 quarters of sub-4 percent unemployment. In 2019 alone, payrolls across the MSA expanded 1.7 percent with a net gain of 23,100 jobs created. Of these, 1,500 jobs alone were created with the 2019 completion of Amazon’s first Missouri fulfillment center in St. Peters, which is a western suburb of St. Louis. Other major job creators include the 295-acre redevelopment project called Fenton Logistics Park in Fenton, which is at the forefront of transforming the logistics and manufacturing industries with 2.5 million square …

January 9, 2020

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