The World’s Mega-Rich Are Betting Big on American Renters

A rising number of the super-rich are placing their bets on the US rental market as falling prices in the apartment sector make it increasingly attractive.

Global Tycoons Turn to US Multifamily Buildings in Billion-Dollar Bets

A rising number of the super-rich are placing their bets on the US rental market as falling prices in the apartment sector make it increasingly attractive.

Shifting market: Over the last decade, investments by the ultra-wealthy in multifamily housing have surged. Why is that? The enduring appeal is partly due to their attractive return rates and promising rent increase prospects, stemming from an ongoing supply shortage in the housing market. This trend marks a strategic shift from pre-pandemic times when investments were predominantly focused on office properties, offering stable income through long-term leases.

Billionaire bets: A prime example of this trend is Chicago’s luxurious 727 West Madison tower, which has a new owner, billionaire Amancio Ortega, founder of Zara, who purchased the property for $232 million. This deal follows similar investments, such as Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s acquisition of a 57-unit building near Manhattan’s Gramercy Park. Additionally, wealthy families from Latin America and firms backed by global investors like David Rubenstein are also exploring opportunities in the multifamily building sector, seeking to capitalize on the current real estate market dislocations.

Rental housing > office spaces: The shift towards remote work and a rise in office vacancies post-pandemic have prompted wealthy investors to pivot from office properties to rental housing. This move has been accelerated by a commercial property downturn, marked by a 57% YoY drop in global investment to $142 billion in Q2. While institutional players are cautious due to heightened borrowing costs and falling values, wealthy investors are seizing opportunities with the capability to leverage cash payments or secure financing through strong banking relationships.

Attractive gap: Amidst the rise of remote work and office vacancies, wealthy investors are shifting from office properties to rental housing. A 57% YoY drop in global property investment in Q2 further accelerated this shift. While some institutions are cautious due to heightened borrowing costs and falling values, affluent cash-rich investors see opportunity, especially with sustained housing demand that boosted median rents significantly in recent years.

➥ THE TAKEAWAY

Shaping the future: The convergence of falling apartment prices and increasing rental demands is painting a lucrative picture for the world’s richest to strategically bolster their real estate portfolios. This shift in investment preference signals a newfound confidence in the long-term profitability of the multifamily housing sector amidst the ongoing commercial property slowdown. Moreover, the broadening of rental-housing deals globally hints at the unfolding of a multifaceted investment landscape, potentially redefining wealth accumulation strategies for the mega-rich in the coming years.

Source: The World’s Mega-Rich Are Betting Big on American Renters

https://www.creconsult.net/market-trends/the-worlds-mega-rich-are-betting-big-on-american-renters/

1120 E Ogden Ave

New Listing | Retail-Office For Sale Naperville IL
eXp Commercial is pleased to present to market 1120 E Ogden Avenue, a highly visible 10,860 square foot retail-office property on 1.26 acres in desirable affluent Naperville, Illinois, along the I-88 E-W corridor approximately 28 miles west of Chicago. The property is currently owner-occupied and will be fully vacated shortly after closing, with the seller seeking approximately 60 days of post-closing possession. Flexible B3 zoning allows for a number of retail and office uses, ideal for an investor, owner-user, or redevelopment of the property.
Listing Broker: Randolph Taylor | rtaylor@creconsult.net

https://www.creconsult.net/retail-office-for-sale-1120-e-ogden-ave-naperville-il-60563/

Five Key CRE Investment Themes for Uncertain Times

The CRE industry is navigating challenging waters with higher interest rates, limited financing options, and a slowing economy. Yet, promising developments ("green shoots") suggest potential growth opportunities.

Five CRE Investment Themes for Turbulent Times

While the CRE industry is navigating turbulent waters, there are promising indicators on the horizon. Here are five investment themes worth following.

Extend to the end: In the throes of the 2007-2012 Great Recession, CRE lenders adopted the "extend and pretend" strategy to mitigate further loan defaults. The present-day mantra is "extend to the end," pointing to the cessation of the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes. It's predicted that after one more .25% hike, the Fed will hold steady, eventually decreasing rates by the first half of 2024, setting the stage for a CRE investment surge.

Anticipating a CRE boom in 2024: Once the Fed reduces interest rates in 2024, the CRE sector is set to flourish. Investors will find ripe opportunities to seize distressed assets like office spaces, retail hubs, and senior housing properties. The possibility to procure defaulted CRE property notes will emerge, supported by a still-thriving job market.

Seize distressed investment opportunities: It's crucial for CRE investment entities to amass capital for distressed funds now. Ready capital will position them to exploit defaults and discounted properties in the imminent years. Around $150 billion is already allocated for distressed assets, with high-crime Gateway city office properties presenting discounts of up to 50% from their pre-pandemic values.

Target suburban Midwest apartments: While the national apartment scene remains strong, suburban Midwest apartments stand out for their lucrative cap rates between 6.0% to 8.0%. Contrasting with the Coastal and Sunbelt areas, Midwest rentals witnessed a moderate rent increase of around 3.0% over the past half-decade, offering them at appealing risk-adjusted cap rates.

➥ THE TAKEAWAY

Prepare the war chest: Despite current challenges in the CRE industry, 2024 will present key investment opportunities, especially in distressed assets and specific regions. The anticipated Federal Reserve rate changes will drive these prospects, underscoring the importance of timely, strategic investments.

Source: Five Key CRE Investment Themes for Uncertain Times

https://www.creconsult.net/market-trends/five-key-cre-investment-themes-for-uncertain-times/

Why Rents in U.S. Suburbs Aren't Falling as Fast as Cities

Once an escape from city prices, suburbs now present a challenging financial landscape for renters.

Why Rents in U.S. Suburbs Aren't Falling as Fast as Cities

For years, renting in the suburbs meant shelling out less than city rents. However, recent data indicates that this traditional disparity is lessening, leading many to wonder why.

From cities to suburbs: The pandemic saw many professionals with remote work opportunities move from city apartments to the suburbs. Driven by factors like high mortgage rates, increased home prices, and urban concerns such as crime, there's been a noticeable preference for extended renting in suburban areas. Consequently, while city rents rose by 20%, suburban rents surged by 27% since March 2020.

Suburban rents outpacing urban growth: Certain suburbs of cities like Atlanta, Detroit, and Seattle experienced rent jumps ranging from 15% to 21%. Over the pandemic's duration, suburban rent growth surpassed city rent growth by approximately 8 percentage points, marking an unprecedented peak. Although suburban rents remain lower on average, the difference has dwindled from 12% in 2019 to just 5.8% in 2022.

The impact of rising home prices: Skyrocketing home prices also play a crucial role in the altered rental landscape. With median home prices exceeding $400,000 and mortgage rates increasing, the typical American finds homeownership less attainable. Consequently, many opt for longer rental durations, reducing the available apartments for newcomers.

Rental construction lags behind demand: Another critical factor is the significant rental unit shortage that predates the pandemic. While the U.S. faced a deficit of approximately 6.8 million affordable rentals in early 2020, construction has since attempted to bridge this gap. Data from 2023 indicates that nearly a million new apartment complexes are underway, aiming to alleviate the shortage over the next couple of years.

➥ THE TAKEAWAY

Why it matters: The traditional gap in rental prices between city centers and suburbs is shrinking. Factors like pandemic-driven migration, soaring home prices, and a shortage of rental units play pivotal roles in this transformation. As new constructions progress, experts anticipate a cooling down of rent hikes, but the changing face of rental economics hints at a more balanced urban-suburban rental landscape in the future.

Source: Why Rents in U.S. Suburbs Aren’t Falling as Fast as Cities

https://www.creconsult.net/market-trends/why-rents-in-u-s-suburbs-arent-falling-as-fast-as-cities/

Grand Prairie 2nd

NEW LISTING: 4,408 SF Medical-Dental | Dallas-Fort Worth Market
eXp Commercial is pleased to present to the market a fully built-out, free-standing 4,408-square-foot medical/dental office building in Grand Prairie, Texas, centrally located 22 miles southwest of downtown Dallas and 26 miles southeast of downtown Fort Worth. Though the current use is for a dental office, the property is zoned PD267A (commercial development), allowing for a variety of medical and dental uses. The property is owner-occupied and will be vacated at closing, providing an ideal opportunity for another dental practice or any number of medical office users to utilize the property for their practice or an investor who works with medical office tenants to take advantage of an investment opportunity.
Listing Brokers:
Tyson Grona | tyson@tysongronagroup.com | 936.444.3635
Randolph Taylor | rtaylor@creconsult.net | 630.474.6441
https://properties.expcommercial.com/1253332-sale

U.S. Apartment Rents See First Yearly Drop Since Early 2021

For the first time since the onset of the pandemic, both annual and monthly rent growth rates have turned negative.

Apartment Rent Growth Declines for the First Time Since Pandemic Onset

The apartment market, once a hotbed of growth, is seeing a downward trend in rent prices, marking a shift from its previous trajectory, as noted in the September 2023 Apartment List National Rent Report.

Rent trends: Specifically, the rent index decreased by 0.1% in August 2023. Interestingly, this decline started a month earlier than it did the previous year, bucking the typical trend of prices rising in the spring and summer and dropping in the fall and winter. Just last year, all 100 surveyed cities reported positive year-over-year rent increases.

Contrast to previous years: The current annual rent growth is at -1.2%, meaning apartments are now 1.2% cheaper than they were a year ago. This is a significant change from past years when annual rent growth was as high as 18% nationally, with some cities even witnessing growth surpassing 40%.

Causes of rent volatility: Rent fluctuations primarily stem from the balance between apartment vacancies and renter demand. A previous shortage in 2021 and 2022 caused rents to soar. However, a 22-month increase in the vacancy index, now at 6.4%, and new apartment constructions have shifted the dynamics, making property owners more competitive for tenants.

City-wise overview: More than half of the country's 100 largest cities report decreasing rents. Significant drops are seen in "zoom towns" like Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, with Oakland, California, noting an 8.7% decline. Meanwhile, Midwest and New England cities, such as Chicago and Boston, show modest recent rent growth compared to prior years.

➥ THE TAKEAWAY

Zoom out: We're witnessing a pivotal shift in the rental landscape from skyrocketing rents to potentially greater leverage for renters. The slight rent decrease in August marks the beginning of a quieter rental phase, harking back to the early pandemic times in its year-over-year growth rate. With a slump in apartment demand and a surge in construction projects, the trend suggests a continued cooling of rent growth in the coming months.

Source: U.S. Apartment Rents See First Yearly Drop Since Early 2021

https://www.creconsult.net/market-trends/u-s-apartment-rents-see-first-yearly-drop-since-early-2021/

Billions Flow to Student Housing as Rents Soar

Investors are flocking to student housing as its rent growth outpaces traditional multifamily properties, lured by its resilience during economic downturns and higher-than-average returns.

Billions Funneled into Student Housing as Rent Growth Exceeds Apartment Market

 

Investors are flocking to student housing as its rent growth outpaces traditional multifamily properties, lured by its resilience during economic downturns and higher-than-average returns.

Rising star: Major investors are pouring billions into the student housing market attracted by its higher rent growth, outperforming traditional apartments. The off-campus student housing sector saw a 7.1% rent increase over six months, with some universities noting growth above 20%. Seen as "recession-proof," investments are especially concentrated in Sun Belt states, known for their substantial rent and enrollment hikes. However, this trend has raised concerns over the capacity of campus housing.

Student housing rent growth this year has far outpaced previous years, data from Yardi Matrix shows.

Student housing vs. apartment market: While student housing rents have surged, apartment rents have begun to plateau after reaching record highs in the past. For instance, student housing rent growth this year has substantially surpassed previous years, with data indicating a marked increase in rent growth rates. In contrast, multifamily property rents rose at a more modest rate, making student housing a more appealing investment.

Major deals: BREIT's acquisition of American Campus Communities for $13B last year underscored the growing appeal of student housing in the commercial real estate market. In addition, Blackstone's ACC has initiated two major student housing projects within its $3B program. However, as student enrollments rise, many universities struggle to provide adequate housing, leading to local market imbalances. Cities such as Boston, for instance, are experiencing shortages in off-campus apartments.

Shifting tides: Investor interest in student housing is now leaning towards luxury properties near campuses. Last year saw record property sales in this sector, with over $10B invested for two straight years. However, 1H23 saw a slower investment pace due to higher rates, changing the investor landscape. Investment funds made up 52% of deals in 1H23, a jump from 12% in 2H22, while universities and public REITs reduced their participation. There's also a spike in foreign investment, especially from the Middle East and Asia.

➥ THE TAKEAWAY

Campus housing crunch: The booming student housing sector is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's attracting significant investment, but on the other, it's amplifying accommodation issues in university towns. With universities experiencing record enrollments, there's an urgent need to house the growing student body without overburdening local housing markets. As enrollments surge, investors are faced with the challenge of benefiting from this growth while also addressing the housing deficits in academic communities.

Source: Billions Flow to Student Housing as Rents Soar

https://www.creconsult.net/market-trends/billions-flow-to-student-housing-as-rents-soar/