By Jeff Coles, Berkadia Over the last 15 years, even during the Great Recession, single-family rentals continued to deliver excellent returns through appreciation and rental income. As demand for the sector has increased significantly, driven by changing migration patterns, many investors are shifting their investment strategies to include single-family rental/build-to-rent homes (SFR/BTR), also referred to as built for rent (BFR) houses. Development and Interest in SFR/BTR Despite recessionary rumors, development is continuing, often undertaken by some of the leading developers in the for-sale single-family market. Also, institutional investors have shown …
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court has released its decision on Sackett v. EPA, a case focused on the definition of the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). The court unanimously ruled on May 25 that the federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA) extends only to wetlands that are “indistinguishable” from larger bodies of water by having a “continuous surface connection.” The decision narrows the reach of federal CWA protections and could have a major impact on a variety of industries, including commercial real estate. On June 1, 2022, …
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA) has reclaimed the title of largest apartment owner in the U.S., up from the No. 2 spot a year ago. Even though MAA owns fewer units today than it did in 2022, when its portfolio size was 100,002 units, the company dethroned Starwood Capital Group from the top of this year’s list. MAA previously held the No. 1 spot in 2021. The newly released ranking from the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) shows Germantown, Tennessee-based MAA owned 99,676 units at the end of 2022, …
NAA Survey Respondents Overwhelmingly Say Rent Control Policies Affect Investment, Development Plans
ARLINGTON, VA. — More than 70 percent of housing providers say that rent control policies impact their investment and development plans, according to a newly released survey from the National Apartment Association (NAA). In addition, two-thirds of respondents say they would not consider investing in markets with strict rent control policies. The survey — which examined the consequences of rent control policies in cities across America — was conducted by NDP Analytics and commissioned by NAA. From December 2022 to February 2023, NDP conducted 24 interviews with housing providers and developers …
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With many office buildings, hotels and shopping malls sitting vacant or underutilized, repurposing commercial properties into multifamily housing is growing more commonplace. A recently released report suggests that these conversions could be financially feasible across a broad range of markets and circumstances. “Conversions have existed for decades, but the pandemic has accelerated their growth potential by rendering more commercial properties obsolete,” says Anita Kramer, senior vice president of the ULI Center for Real Estate Economics and Capital Markets. “Our research demonstrates that there’s no ‘cookie-cutter’ formula for …
Investment sales professionals are bracing for a slower, more complicated year compared with the buying and selling frenzy that characterized the Texas apartment market in late 2020 and most of 2021. Owners who acquired assets in the past few years using floating-rate debt could face some difficult choices in 2023, say industry veterans. But a slowdown in the development pipeline, the unaffordability of for-sale housing and job and population growth will keep asset performance solid while investors wait and see what the interest rate environment will bring this year. Texas …
DALLAS — Texas has earned bragging rights on the multifamily investment front. Investment firm CONTI Capital — has developed a proprietary location analysis technology platform known as the CONTI Index — lists Dallas, Houston and Austin among the top 10 strongest markets for multifamily investment in the first half of 2023. Dallas-based CONTI released the rankings in January. From one to 10, the most attractive places to park apartment capital this year are as follows: (1) Dallas; (2) Atlanta; (3) Austin, Texas; (4) Charlotte, North Carolina; (5) Orlando, Florida; (6) Tampa, Florida; (7) Houston; (8) …
Empty Office Buildings in Chicago’s Financial District Offer Possible Solution to Housing Crisis
Often dubbed the Wall Street of Chicago, the LaSalle Street corridor historically has been the location of choice for big business in the Windy City. However, in recent years the corridor has suffered from significant vacancies largely due to the remote work trend of the pandemic and an overall shift to remain remote permanently. In response, Chicago’s employers either downsized office space or completely left the office environment altogether. Chicago’s overall office vacancy situation has been on an increasing trend for over two years. According to fourth-quarter 2022 data from …
The doubling of multifamily mortgage rates to around 6 percent since early 2022 as a result of the Federal Reserve’s monetary tightening efforts has rocked the commercial real estate investment sales market. The higher rates have fueled a stubborn bid-ask spread, and debt-service coverage requirements have limited the amount of leverage buyers can borrow to around 50 percent of an asset’s value, down from roughly 60 percent or more earlier this year. The sharp uptick in the price of debt not only requires borrowers to raise more equity, but those who …
Nothing can compare to the rent growth and investment activity of 2021 and early 2022. Most brokers active in the Southeast predict the first half of 2023 will be slower compared with the past several quarters, but the second half of the year could provide just enough clarity about interest rates to inspire buyers and sellers. A positive spring leasing season could fan the flames of pent-up demand from investors who, for now, will wait to make their next move. Southeast Multifamily & Affordable Housing Business sent questionnaires via email to …