Tag Archives: Commercial Real Estate

Are Sovereign Wealth Funds Shifting Capital out of CRE?

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Office skyscraper Reflection in the sunlight, Canary Wharf, London

Are Sovereign Wealth Funds Shifting Capital out of CRE? For over a decade sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), like Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), have been among the biggest investors in the commercial real estate (CRE) market — striking deals that have shaped sectors from office and retail to hospitality and industrial. According to a recent Bisnow article, however, 2024 might see these government-owned investment giants hit the brakes, as high interest rates continue to add to challenges in the dealmaking landscape. Returns and allocations dropping Bisnow quotes data from real estate capital advisory Hodes Weill, stating that SWFs are expected to cut allocations to real estate from 7.5% to 7.2% this year. For many the driving force behind those cuts is the combination of higher interest rates and lower returns. Some of the largest entities, including Norway’s GPFG and Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) saw double-digit negative returns in 2023. Others like Oxford, the real estate arm of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), have cut allocations in addition to divesting around USD3.5 billion in industrial assets as well as “a number of large office buildings” since 2022. Contrasting figures But while the above might suggest a strong downward trajectory, it’s worth noting that different sources provide varying appraisals of the situation. Quoting data from research firm Global SWF, Bisnow notes that “The amount [SWFs] spent on real estate fell 40% in 2023 to $32B,” adding however that: “The 26% of the funds’ overall spending made up by real estate is higher than the 20% figure the previous year.” A closer look at Global SWF’s 2024 Annual Report shows that a large chunk of the amount invested in 2022 fell within the residential sector. 2023’s allocation to residential was much lower (dropping the overall figure), but the amounts spent on commercial sectors overall remains largely similar between years. Meanwhile, research by the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) shows a slow but steady uptick in CRE investment since 2019. IFSWF states: “In 2023, sovereign wealth funds invested $14.8 billion in 39 real estate deals. These totals represent a significant increase from the $10.9 billion invested in 2022, marking the highest total value since 2017.” Worth noting is that IFSWF’s total at USD14.8 billion is a lot lower than the numbers provided by Global SWF, likely due to differing criteria around which funds are included in each report. Shifting sectors As we’ve seen in CRE markets elsewhere, a key change shown in IFSWF’s data lies in levels of investment into specific subsectors. Data centers and logistics facilities continued to dominate SWF investment growth last year while co-working and mixed-use spaces saw drop-offs. Other sectors, like hospitality, have held steady, largely driven by key investments from the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) ongoing investment into the NEOM mega-project. Ongoing interest in “tangible assets” Taken together, the data from these sources seems to indicate continued interest from SWF’s in the opportunities presented by solid CRE investments. While the nature of those opportunities might change from year-to-year, the long-term fundamentals of the commercial property market are still attracting the attention of these mega-investors in 2024. IFSWF sums up: “The resurgence of real estate and infrastructure investments, which comprised 40% of all sovereign wealth funds’ direct investments in 2023, underscores their growing appetite for tangible assets amid market uncertainties and inflationary pressures.” SOCIAL: Brokers: How have large investment deals shaped the market in your area over the past year? And what impact has this had on overall dealmaking volume?

Facebook to build $1 billion data center in eastern Henrico County

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Facebook to build $1 billion data center in eastern Henrico County

Facebook Inc., the California-based social media and networking giant, will build a $1 billion data center in eastern Henrico County, according to multiple sources familiar with the project.
More details on Facebook’s $1 billion data center in Henrico County
The project would create thousands of jobs during construction and more than 100 full-time jobs in a data center of more than 970,000 square feet that represents the first phase of the company’s plans for property in White Oak Technology Park, the sources said.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe will make the announcement on Thursday at the state Capitol with state and local lawmakers.
The technology park, about 4 miles from Richmond International Airport, is home to a 1.3 million-square-foot data center operated by QTS, which acquired the former Qimonda computer chip plant in 2010.
The park, now owned by the Henrico Economic Development Authority, was created in 1996 for a $1.5 billion joint venture by Motorola Inc. and Siemens AG to build a plant to manufacture memory chips for semiconductors.
The plant became part of Infineon Technologies and then Qimonda, but closed in early 2009, laying off thousands of workers.
The Henrico Planning Commission voted last month to approve a development plan for a data center at White Oak of up to 2.5 million square feet, but the details were shrouded under the code name Project Echo.
It would be built in phases, with the first being a 1 million-square-foot data center on a 328-acre site on the northeastern and northwestern corners of the intersection of Technology Boulevard and Portugee Road, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported in mid-September.
Future phases would include three buildings totaling 1.5 million square feet.
The planning documents do not indicate who the user of the facility would be for Project Echo. The developer is listed as Scout Development LLC and the project engineer is Northern Virginia-based Christopher Consultants.
The occupant would have 100 employees and contractors in the first phase and about 240 at full build-out, according to Henrico planners.
The county has taken steps this year to attract other data centers by dramatically reducing its tax rate on computers and equipment related to data centers, which store and process vast amounts of digital information.
In April, the Board of Supervisors cut the tax rate by nearly 90 percent — from $3.50 per $100 of assessed value to just 40 cents per $100. The new rate went into effect July 1
mmartz@timesdispatch.com (804) 649-6964 Staff writer John Reid Blackwell contributed to this report.

Do Designations Matter When Choosing A Commercial Real Estate Broker?

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Chad Griffiths, a partner with NAI Commercial Real Estate in Edmonton, Canada, looks at the benefits of obtaining a CCIM or SIOR designation.  Many Agents and Brokers in NAI Dominion and our affiliate firms in NAI Global have one or both designations.  We would highly recommend working towards obtaining the designation right for you as it will only help you and your clients and customers.

“Commercial real estate transactions are some of the most important deals that a person or business can make. Finding the right commercial real estate can make or break a business venture. That is why people want the best professional commercial real estate broker available to guide them through the process. But how can you separate the best professional real estate brokers from the rest? Degrees And Designations Most other important professions have a degree or designation that any practitioner is required to have by law. Lawyers have the J.D., doctors the M.D., engineers the P.Eng and so on. Yet there are no professional designations that are required to practice as a commercial real estate broker. Fortunately, commercial real estate broker associations have created professional designations that allow you to identify those practitioners who have gone above and beyond to become masters of their craft. While anyone who has met the necessary licensing requirements for their jurisdiction can become a commercial real estate broker, these professional designations help the best stand out from the rest and give you the peace of mind that you have found someone that you can trust to guide you through these important decisions. What’s In A Degree Anyway? A degree or professional designation signifies that the holder has the necessary education and experience to safely practice their profession. These designations are designed by professional associations to represent at least a bare minimum of knowledge and experience that every practitioner needs to do their job effectively and to a minimum standard of performance expected by their professional peers. Anyone who meets these standards can be relied upon to make the right decisions when practicing their craft. Commercial real estate designations signify knowledge in relevant areas of law and finance, as well as the customs and ethics of the commercial real estate industry. These professional designations also signify a commitment to ongoing education and regular participation in the professional community and industry events.”

Tips When Negotiating Your Commercial Lease

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When you get to the contract stage of the office space leasing process, you should never be content to settle with the document that your soon-to-be-landlord presents you as-is. Negotiation is expected, and it’s possible to leave the table with a much more favorable deal if you approach things correctly. Following these tips will help to give you an edge during negotiations.

Have an Ally at the Table

A tenant rep is a major asset during lease negotiations. With their knowledge of the market, they know what’s fair and what’s not and can provide valuable input during talks. Best of all, their services won’t cost you a dime, as your landlord pays their fees.

Envision What You Want

You can’t negotiate effectively if you don’t know what you’re fighting for. Before you head into talks, carefully peruse the contract and have key members of your team such as your tenant rep, attorney and accountant do the same. Identify areas of the contract that need to be changed for the document to be acceptable. Then, create a prioritized list of things that you would ideally like to have added, changed or eliminated. Be prepared to give up less important items.

Know What’s Negotiable

Knowing where there is flexibility in contracts can help you create the aforementioned wish list. The following are some of the most common points of negotiation for commercial leases:
  1. Base rent rates. You can often negotiate a lower rental rate by extending the length of your lease.
  2. Tenant improvement allowances. Landlords may be willing to spend more on improvements to customize or enhance your space, especially if they will increase the value of their property.
  3. Rent increase caps. If there is no cap on the amount that your rent can increase at renewal, argue for one. You can also ask to have an existing cap set lower, especially if it is out of line with the average increase rate in your area.
  4. Right to sublease. Having the ability to lease all or part of your space to another company can help to future-proof your lease.
  5. Multiplying factor. Ask the landlord to explain how the multiplying factor is calculated. This figure determines how you are charged rent for the shared square footage in the building, and it can often be negotiated.
  6. Rights of first refusal and first offer. Adding these clauses to your lease ensures that you’ll have a chance to lease any new space in the building that becomes available and that you will have the opportunity to renew your lease before your landlord offers it to a new tenant.

Do Your Homework

Having facts and figures about the commercial real estate market in your area at the ready can give you leverage at the negotiating table. Find out what the average rental rate is for your area and what types of terms similar companies are given. It’s also helpful to know what amenities and perks competitor buildings offer. Don Catalano of REoptimizer outlined these tips for negotiating a commercial lease.  

Why NAI Dominion and NAI Global?

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I am often asked why we partnered with NAI Global to expand out brokerage services. The link below helps to outline a few of the reason we partnered with NAI Global to grow our opportunities and success for our clients, customers, and tenants. Check out the link below and let us know what you think. NAI Dominion – NAI Global Opportunity Video

Why Use a Tenant Broker

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Don Catalano of REoptimizer recently discussed the benefits of using a Tenant Broker.

You have a lot to do when you’re searching for commercial real estate to rent. The last thing you want to do is add something else to the list, but finding and enlisting the help of a tenant rep broker isn’t something you should skip. Tenant rep brokers are invaluable when you’re securing office space to rent. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

1.  You Don’t Want to Pay More Than You Have to.

Getting the perfect office space isn’t enough. You need to get the perfect office at the best possible price. Having a tenant rep broker by your side can ensure that you do. With their knowledge of the market in your area, brokers can tell you when a deal is fair, overpriced or a steal. They can also know best how to negotiate with landlords to improve terms and rental rates. As a result, you’re sure to get the space you want at the right price.

2.  You Might Only Think You Know What You Need.

You likely have a vision of what you’re looking for when it comes to your new office space, but are you certain that the office you’re envisioning is the best thing for you? Tenant rep brokers are experts in all things commercial real estate and can help you consider what your true needs are. Brokers think of things that prospective tenants do not and no know how to balance potential future needs with current ones to ensure that an office continues to be ideal for tenants.

3.  Commercial Real Estate Is Complex.

When you’re leasing office space, you’ll be introduced to a whole new lexicon of complicated terms. Not fully understanding what they mean puts you at a disadvantage when you’re comparing properties and negotiating lease terms. Tenant rep brokers can take the mystery out of the process by explaining unfamiliar terminology and breaking down complex concepts in ways that you’ll understand. This way, you can be empowered throughout the process and able to assess deals for yourself.

4.  The Best Office Might Be Secret.

Not all available office spaces will turn up when you do an Internet search. Often times, spaces in the best buildings are snatched up long before there is a need to advertise them, meaning you never have a chance to see, let alone lease, them. Tenant rep brokers keep their ears open to find out when landlords in highly sought areas are expecting vacancies. This means that they can get you in fast and help you discover properties you otherwise wouldn’t have access to.

5.  There Is Zero Cost for So Many Benefits.

Hiring a tenant rep broker won’t impact your bottom line or make your deal more expensive. Prospective tenants don’t pay tenant rep brokers at all. Instead, the landlord covers the cost of brokers’ services. Since there is absolutely no cost to you to reap all of the benefits above, the question really isn’t why should you have a tenant rep broker, but why wouldn’t you?