The Port Strategy Fallacy – It’s the Deal That Counts.

The Port Strategy Fallacy – It’s the Deal That Counts.

Both brokers and investors tout the strengths of investing in markets with a vibrant harbor and airport. This has been a pronounced strategy from at least 1997 when container imports began increasing beyond incremental growth. Many institutional investors have dubbed this the Gateway Strategy. But grand proclamations like these normally lead to increased competition amongst buyers and lower returns. If history is any lesson, the money was made by the first round Buyers who purchased these distribution buildings at distress. It was the following group who used port dynamics to justify their high purchases and are now sitting with vacant and poorly leased properties at rents vastly below proforma. In retrospect, it was the deal strategy that made investors money. Being located by the port was secondary.
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SIOR Spring Conference Brings More Optimism

SIOR Spring Conference Brings More Optimism

We finished our semi-annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. The general sentiment is we have reached the bottom of the cycle. Although by what measurement? Recent sales and leases have indicated a low point. However, when other leases expire, those buildings will still need to discover their own downward level. Visually, think of dominoes falling down over a lengthy period of time. The current signals are more a psychological target rather than one of momentum. Monitoring rent tends will validate when we are at the beginning of a new upward trajectory.

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Economic Development in Greater Los Angeles

Economic Development in Greater Los Angeles


More so than ever before, cities are vying for companies that create jobs. There’s the policy aspect that favors clean and green jobs. Then there’s the backroom bargaining that favors successful outcomes. Companies that can offer employment would do well to study some of the recent newsworthy examples. They include the failed attempt by Los Angeles to attract AnseldoBreda, local jostling to snare Tesla Motors, competition for Eli Broad’s museum, Los Angeles Stadium in the City of Industry, and the smaller manufacturing deals coming through the CRA of Los Angeles. Each one is fairly lucrative to the company and does not necessarily fit any set model. They are similar to the large retailers, like Costco or Walmart, who were able to negotiate attractive packages for redevelopment funds, property tax breaks, and property development benefits. I haven’t seen any studies if these retail developments met city economic expectations, but certainly the recent raise in sales tax makes up any marginal differences. It pays to understand the multitude of incentives available from local, state and national agencies.
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The Year Ahead – 2010

The Year Ahead – 2010

General Sentiment

To judge the health of the industrial market, I rely on activity reports from fellow brokers. Across the board, its been obviously weak. Most of my peers are squeaking out a living from short term leases and renewals. Sales and investments are moribund. There’s a bit of government support and stimulus work for those in the pipeline, but not enough to have a broad impact. Many agents have left the business. Most of my broker friends anticipate the same for 2010. We may be nearing the bottom of the cycle, but most sellers and banks are not willing to accept the greatly reduced prices.


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Finding Deals In Foreclosure Land

Finding Deals In Foreclosure Land

Foreclosure pricing has set the tone in the residential market. While we remain in Foreclosure Land, everyone wants a bargain. This way of thinking bleeds to what was once the “normal functioning” market. Many are anticipating the same will happen in the commercial area. But whether in good markets or bad, the same thing holds true. It’s hard finding deals and it takes ingenuity to make them work. Now more than ever, a tenant is the critical ingredient in almost every purchase.
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Foreclosure Land

Foreclosure Land

It’s late in the Summer and temperatures are hitting 100 degrees. A few people are setting up large beach umbrellas in a tall tree planter. Others are unfolding beach chairs. Someone is dragging a large cooler full of beverages and food for the day. It’s not an unemployed broker’s beach paradise, but the west steps of the County Courthouse in Norwalk – the largest property auction of our lifetime. On an average day $30 Million of Trust Deeds are sold. The daily street auction is unsanctioned by the government and there is no institutional oversight. Day after day, it is the lender’s clearinghouse of foreclosed mortgages where clever real estate buyers stuff their portfolios full of cheap property. It’s a feeding frenzy of real estate bargains that may never be repeated.

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Back to Local Markets

Back to Local Markets

WHERE THE ACTION IS

Perhaps I should qualify. Where there is action, it’s on the local level. Now that plentiful financing has been squeezed from the market, there is no more room for mega projects, program development, or new concepts. It’s back to basics and that means individual businesses and landlords dealing with their own unique decisions. Loans are available through SBA programs but limited to business expansions. Local banks that were not burned by sub-prime also have resources for conservative lending. The land side is virtually dead for development except under the most risk averse situations. There is however considerable activity in securing tenants for build-to-suit, but locating sites is still a challenge.

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