Advice I’m Giving These Days

Hello friends! I’m penning this on the balcony of my stateroom on a ship somewhere in the Caribbean. With Nassau in our rear view mirror and steaming toward San Juan - the weather is slightly overcast, mid seventies with a mild breeze blowing. Well not really,  but a man can dream. Actually, I’m just pecking away at my dining room table in Orange. But I digress. Today, I go deep on the advice we’re giving to a client of ours who wants to purchase a building. They’re woefully short in space and have placed a bandaid on their growth by adding 3PL pallet positions. 

 
Based upon our direction in early 2024
 
We’re early. Which is good if we can get seller capitulation. Which we have. We’ve actually found someone willing to sell to us. Problem is, our idea of value differs. But, remember 2021? We couldn’t compete with the number of buyers in the market with deep pockets and a rabid desire to own. In my opinion, those times return this year as rents stabilize and interest rates decline.   
 
The real soft spot in the market is the rental market. I believe a financially qualified tenant could make an an unbelievable deal today. Not quite to 2019 pricing - but close. Waiting to purchase costs money. Let’s say today’s value is $358 per square foot and we can strike at $350 per square foot and every month you rent costs $1.00 per square foot. If you wait twelve months, you must buy the same building at $338 per square foot.  
 
So based upon this - their alternatives appear to be. 
 
Stay put. By striking a short term deal with his current landlord, we can watch the market and react when pricing becomes more favorable. 
Positives: 
+ avoid moving twice 

Negatives:
·        space is smaller
·        already racked
·        3PL is costly 
 
Strike a short term Sublease. Similar to staying put but different in that the space need is solved. All of this money is sunk. The client builds no equity and potentially misses out on market opportunity as the two year sublease term is a long time.
Positives: 
+ cheapest space alternative
+ racked 

Negatives:
·        no equity
·        racking RE-config
·        uncertainty after 22 months 
·        two moves
 
Buy the deal we found
Positives: 
+ certainty
+ size
+ divisibility
+ one move 
Negatives:
·        price impasse
·        expensive
 
Lease with an option to buy. 
 
Positives: 
+ lowers his basis
+ rent is equity
+ one move
+ time to ramp up operation 
+ speed of move.
Negatives:
·        absolute non-starter with the ownership
·        difficult to peg an option price
 
Strike new lease.
Positives:
+ preserves operating capital
+ cheaper 

Negatives:
·        no generational wealth creation
·        expense at the end of the term?
·        Over 120 months no equity build-up and loan pay down. 
 
What will the client do? You’ll have to stay tuned as this saga is just now unfolding. 
 
Bon Voyage!
  
Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at abuchanan@lee-associates.com or 714.564.7104. His website is allencbuchanan.blogspot.com.

Advice I’m Giving These Days

As I pen this, we begin the second week of 2024. National Football playoff matchups are set, the first Professional Golf event is in the books, Washington v Michigan takes center stage for the NCAA football championship - Go Huskies, it feels like winter in socal as temps dip into the thirties at night, the television and movie industry awarded the Golden Globes, and the Iowa presidential primaries are just over a week away which officially begins an election year. Yes! A lot is happening. As 2024 ramps into full swing, here’s the advice I’m giving to my owners and occupants of industrial buildings. 
 
Look at total cost. Generally, our annual transaction mix is around 70% leasing and 30% sales. 2023 was no exception. 2022 reversed that ratio as we experienced a buying frenzy in the first half of the year. But as I mentioned in my annual prediction column last week, I expected some rate softening last year and we got it. For context, let’s use a 40,000 square foot building in the Inland Empire. In January 2023, the prevailing ask was $66,000 per month triple net - rent net of operating expenses. By the end of 2023 it had dropped to $54,000 - an 18% decline. However, ignored in that calculus are the “gross up expenses” of property taxes, insurance, and costs associated with mowing the lawn, servicing the air conditioners, and keeping the roof water tight. These vary widely. For an owner who purchased his building recently, expect these extras to be approximately $6000 per month. The low end - for an owner who’s held title for many years could be half - $3000 per month. Added to our triple net rates and a $54,000 per month cost escalates to a range of $57,000-$60,000. We advise clients these days to consider the “grossed up” rates when comparing alternatives. 
 
Buying. More buildings for sale will hit the market this year. Fueled by vacancies - not experienced in years - some owners will cash out vs originating new leases. We just completed a deal where the owner spent 36% of the leases future income just to attract our client to his building. Downtime, abated rent, beneficial occupancy, refurbishment, tenant improvements, and paying commercial real estate professionals for their representation are among the expenses necessary. We’ll also see sales of buildings to their tenant occupants. I’ve mentioned many times in this space - your best buyer is your resident. What about interest rates, you may be wondering? Some wise person once opined, “you marry the building, you date the interest rate”. Focus upon the price you’re paying. You can always refinance if rates settle lower. Also, consider owner financing. We struck a sale last year using this structure. Encumbered by a long term lease that paid them effectively a 3% dividend - they were thrilled to sell, carry the paper, and get a higher return. Plus, the crush of taxes is protracted. 
 
Expiring lease. If you occupy a building under a lease arrangement and your lease expires sometime in 2024, we advise proceeding with caution - particularly if your lease commenced prior to 2021. Lease rates have experienced an exponential rise, but are now softening. Depending upon pon the nature of your ownership - private or institutional - you may be able to strike a renewal at a rate below that of the market. Pay special attention to the owner’s cost to replace you. Remember the example above where an owner spent 36% of his future income just to secure a resident? Some owners can’t afford to do this and are willing to reduce the rate in order to keep you. Look to class-A industrial buildings as well. our prediction is that these rates will soften and you may be able to get a better building for the price of one that’s a bit more antiquated.
 
Election year. Jonathan Lansner did a masterful job reviewing election year trends as they affect our economy. If you didn’t catch his piece, I’d highly recommend you find it, cut it out, and pin it to your bulletin board. Enough said. 
 
Cap rates. We pay very close attention to a United States Treasury instrument known as the 10 year treasury note. Commercial lending, as well as capitalization rates closely follow this indicator. We started to see a fairly astronomical rise in 10 year notes last year. They reached a crescendo in November topping 5% for the first time in a couple of decades. They’ve now settled back to a more reasonable level of around 4%. Simply, you can invest idle cash and receive a risk free return of 4% on your money. Many opt to do this versus investing in the uncertainty of real estate ownership. For context, this same rate at the beginning of 2022 was a poultry 1.76%. As the 10 year note, falls into the 3 1/2% range, institutional investors shift their focus to investing in commercial real estate, which has the effect of lowering capitalization rates. This could spell a spate of buying activity by the big boys.
 
Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at abuchanan@lee-associates.com or 714.564.7104. His website is allencbuchanan.blogspot.com.
 

Advice I’m giving these days

As I pen this, it’s Good Friday and Passover. Happy Easter and Zissen Pesach! Most of you have folks from whom you solicit advice. Those of you who own a business most likely get counsel from a banker, attorney, or a CPA. Others may seek wise words from priests, clergy or a sage family member. And finally, maybe you get direction from Tik Tok, Facebook or Instagram. Regardless, you rely upon a trusted advisor. I am such a source for many of my clients. Today, I’d like to review some of the advice I’ve given this week and the situation that preceded the request for counsel.
 
Lease renewal on preset terms. We originated a lease in 2017. We are the owner Included in the transaction were five years of term with an option to renew for an additional five. As we’ve discussed here before - options are “personal” to the tenant and must be exercised within a specific time window. Also known as “time is of the essence” - you fail to give your owner the proper notice and you no longer have the option. In this case, the tenant wanted to remain in the building but missed his option window. He also wanted the owner to contribute to some construction expenses and wanted the right to buy the building.
 
So what advice did I give? I recommended the owner renew the tenant at the preset option terms and contribute a small amount of the construction expense. Additionally, I suggested not granting a right to purchase. But why? The family that owns the building relies upon the rent for their livelihood. The tenant wants to remain an keep paying. An interruption of this stream through a costly vacancy plus the expense of originating a new lease would not be offset by a small bump in rent that could be achieved with a new occupant. As to buy rights. These come in several flavors - option to purchase, right of first offer, and right of first refusal - and most favor the occupant. Vs limiting flexibility through a purchase right grant - I offered the owner approach their tenant first if they desire to sell. No commitment to the resident but they’re the most likely buyer anyway.
 
Lease term remaining. I was introduced to a light manufacturing company several years ago. They’ve not had a need for my services but we’ve kept in touch. Recently, the owner made a decision to exit the business she worked hard to build. Trouble was - time remained on her lease and the business buyer only wanted to occupy the premises for a short while - just enough time to relocate the business out of state. This is typical of a strategic buyer who purchases a competitor but has adequate physical plant to consume the operation - thus potentially creating redundancy. Consequently, some time would remain once the new owner of the enterprise vacated.
 
So what advice did I give? Fortunately, the lease rate she pays is dramatically below market - so she has a few paths forward. The easiest is to approach the owner and request a buyout of the remaining obligation. Sometimes a landlord will see a benefit if new tenant will pay more. The buyout is based upon the cost once downtime, broker fees, free rent and improvements are calculated. If that approach isn’t palpable, the tenant can sublease - in this case at more money than currently being paid. Some leases will ding you with a sharing if this profit - so beware.
  
Allen C. Buchanan, SIOR, is a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Orange. He can be reached at abuchanan@lee-associates.com or 714.564.7104. His website is allencbuchanan.blogspot.com.