The Northwest APARTMENT INVESTOR newsletter
Transcription
The Northwest APARTMENT INVESTOR newsletter
PAGE 1 HFO INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE: “ALL APARTMENTS. ALL THE TIME!” The Northwest APARTMENT INVESTOR newsletter Sponsored in part by: FALL 2014 Keep Calm and Party On! Highlights of this Edition By Greg Frick, HFO Investment Real Estate • Portland metro’s vacancy rate remains low, and effective rent increases are forecast to remain among the nation’s highest. • Portland now has the west coast’s fastest job growth — 9th fastest among the top 50 US metros. • Apartment construction, near 6,000 units for 2014, will we fall short of what Metro says will be needed to house 1 million more residents by 2035? • Legislators have passed important tax changes you should know about — read on for all this and more. Table of Contents Keep Calm & Party On! HFO’s Apartment Report............ 1 The party is still going strong but the wee hours of the night are approaching, and it’s anyone’s guess when the lights will come on. Multifamily investors looking for a foothold in one of the nation’s strongest apartment markets have continued to inject capital into Portland in 2014. It’s no surprise that investment dollars are looking here for a place to call home. A perfect storm of in-migration, changing demographic preferences, and the recessionary slowdown in apartment construction has resulted in a supply of rental housing considerably smaller than demand. As Multifamily NW’s fall apartment report states, the market’s overall vacancy rate is still under 4% while rental rates continue to climb. HFO Expands Brokers, Staff.......................................... 4 New IRS Tangible Property Regulations......................... 7 Market Trends Affecting Lender Motivations................... 8 Higher Rates, Lower Returns, Coming Soon? ................ 10 Metro’s Rental Housing Demand Forecast...................... 12 Increasing Apartment Property Values Through NOI...... 13 How You Can Help Emergency Responders’ Firefighting... 14 Business Tax Changes and Your Choice of Entity ........... 15 (Continued on page 3) FORECAST PERMITS INTEREST RATES or RENTS VACANCIES EMPLOYMENT NO. OF TRANSACTIONS TRANSACTION VOLUME H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 2 INTERVEST IS ACTIVELY LENDING! Give Mark a call today Apartment Financing 5 units and up. HFO Current Listing — Colonial Gardens Apartments — 72 Units in NE Portland, Oregon RSVP: Mark Paskill Vice President Intervest 503-214-5082 or e-mail [email protected] HFO 2014 Listing — Desertbrook — 110 Units in Kennewick, Washington PAGE 3 Keep Calm and Party On! (Continued from page 1) Transaction Volumes While the number of overall transactions is trending down for 2014, we are currently well on the way to surpassing last year’s dollar volume. Through mid-October of 2014, there have been 115 apartment transactions involving 10 or more units in the Portland metro area. These transactions have accounted for more than $997 million in transaction volume. This compares to a total of nearly $1.01 billion and a total of 149 apartment transactions for all of 2013. Institutional Transactions of ($10 Million and Up) The catalyst for the huge increase in transaction volume is the large number of institutional transactions involving properties valued at more than $10 million. Through mid-October 2014, there were 21 apartment transactions over $10 million, compared to 20 for all of last year. In terms of dollar volume, these 21 transactions account for more than $784 million in sales. This is nearly $73 million more than last year’s total, and $246 million more than 2012. These impressive sales do not take into account a number of large properties currently under contract and set to close in the 4th quarter of 2014. Examples of some institutional transactions this year include: • The Asa Flats + Lofts, 231 units in the Pearl District sold for $105.5 million; $456,710 per unit — a record high price per unit. This sale included retail square footage. • Reflections at Summer Creek, 351 units in Beaverton, sold for $53 million; $150,997 per unit. • Monterey Springs, 390 units in Happy Valley, sold for $51.25 million; $131,410 per unit. • Seneca Village, 264 units in Hillsboro, sold for $51 million; $193,182 per unit. • Westview Heights, 198 units in Portland, sold for $44.8 million; $226,263 per unit. • Kempton Downs Apartments, 278 units in Gresham, sold for $27 million; $97,122 per unit. • The Addy, 105 units in Northwest Portland, sold for $26.65 million; $253,810 per unit. • Lewis Ridge, 112 units in Vancouver, sold for $15.79 million; $140,938 per unit. The increase in institutional sales can be attributed to the investment capital market aggressively seeking opportunities to achieve secured returns. This capital is finding security in hard assets, located in markets with strong fundamentals. Portland fits the description of a market with strong fundamentals: in-migration, employment growth, barriers of entry and West Coast location. Capitalization (CAP) rates continue to be at the lowest levels we have ever seen. Assets in the core are trading at CAP rates from 4.00% to 4.50%, while suburban properties have CAP rates which are 50 to 100 basis points higher. Buyers’ willingness to pay these historically low CAP rates is allowing owners who are yield-driven to capture long-term performance targets in shorter hold periods — resulting in more apartments going to market. We are also seeing this same effect with new construction. A number of new developments are being put on the market as soon as they are completed — sometimes even before completion. Developers are taking advantage of the spread between their costs and the aggressive pricing they are able to achieve by selling in this environment. In terms of price-per-unit and price-per-square-foot there is a wide variety due to age, location, condition and the ability to put new debt on the property at the time of purchase. (Continued on page 5) H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 4 HFO Continues Expansion, Adding Managing Director, Brokers & Staff Already the largest apartment-only commercial real estate brokerage in Oregon and SW Washington, the expansion is in line with the company’s goal to improve the HFO experience and is a reflection of the growth in apartment development. HFO is proud to introduce new brokers Trevor T. Calton, MBA, senior broker and Jack Stephens, who was promoted to broker from researcher. The promotion of Jack Stephens brings the number of licensed brokers in the office to nine, a new high water mark. Spencer Marona, HFO’s new managing director, and Lee Fehrenbacher, analyst, were also recently added to the team. Spencer Marona, Managing Director, joins HFO in a newly-created position. Spencer has spent his career working for titans of commercial real estate and commerce in the Pacific Northwest. He is a driven organizational leader with a successful track record of helping teams implement their strategic vision. He will manage the firm’s goal of continually improving HFO’s process for client satisfaction. Spencer has worked with winning teams since college, where he spent years as a player and assistant coach for the University of Washington Huskies football team. He played in the 2001 Rose Bowl and in four NCAA Bowl Games. Spencer holds a degree in Humanities from the University of Washington. Trevor T. Calton, MBA, Senior Broker, has worked in commercial real estate & mortgage banking since 1997, and is regarded as one of Portland’s top commercial real estate investment advisors. In addition to his brokerage and lending experience, Trevor also oversaw the management of over 6,000 affordable housing units as the Assistant Director of Asset Management for the Housing Authority of Portland. Today, in addition to being part of the HFO team, he is a professor of real estate finance at Portland State University. Jack Stephens, Broker, was recruited by HFO from a national commercial real estate firm in 2013. Jack uses his life-long knowledge of the Portland metro area to educate clients on the nuances of the regional market and sub-markets. His thirst for knowledge and attention to detail make him highly valuable in analyzing the ever-changing landscape for apartment investors. Jack earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Oregon. Lee Fehrenbacher, Analyst, is new to the brokerage side of real estate, but not the industry. Prior to joining HFO, he was a reporter for the Daily Journal of Commerce, where he wrote hundreds of articles on Portland’s real estate market. After nearly three years of full-time research, Lee has a virtually encyclopedic knowledge of the apartment development pipeline, and an intuitive understanding of the economic drivers behind each project. A native of Portland, he grew up in Sacramento and earned a B.A. in English at Western Washington University in Bellingham. Your HFO Broker Team Cody Greg Rob Tyler Trevor Jack H F O I N VHagerman E S T M E N T R E A L E S Frick T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E WMarton AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2Johnson 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9Calton 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1Stephens .5541 • HFORE.COM PAGE 5 Keep Calm and Party On! (Continued from page 3) Institutional investors’ underwriting standards have remained relatively consistent, with the exception of rent growth. Future rent growth predictions have been dialed back to account for the increase in new product hitting the market. To offset this underwriting adjustment, buyers are getting more aggressive with their capital structure to achieve their yield goals. Similar to 2006, we are once again seeing interest-only commitments, and higher levels of leverage on first and second loans. Non-Institutional Transactions (Under $10 Million) Ninety-one transactions below $10 million accounting for $206 million in dollar volume have been reported for the first three quarters of 2014. This is trending slightly below 2013 levels. The downward trend in sales is likely due to: (1) The lack of suitable 1031 Exchange options for current owners; (2) Current owners’ taking advantage of historically low interest rates and refinancing. As a result, many are reinvesting that capital into their existing assets for physical upgrades. At the current pace, the number of noninstitutional transactions will not reach the levels seen last year. Even with the reduction of the number of transactions, non-institutional CAP rates are in the low 6% to 6.75% range, and well-maintained properties in the urban core are pushing rates down even further. When investors find a suitable apartment property to purchase, many are also able to achieve attractive terms to finance the asset with the current state of the debt market. Long-term rates are still in the 4.5% range or better depending on the loan-tovalue ratio, property condition and borrowers’ strength. As we have forecast for the last 3 years, the fundamentals of the Portland apartment market remain very strong. Factors That Could Temper The Market in 2015 Rising rents and Wage growth Rents in the Portland market have been on a roll. According to Multifamily NW’s most recent report, the average rent per square foot was up more than 10 percent this fall over the previous year at $1.21. It’s important to consideration the large number of new construction units included in the survey, but the trend is unmistakable. The market saw similar increases in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and today numerous properties — whether tiny apartments in Southeast Portland or luxury flats in the Pearl — are pushing rents. For investors, that’s created great opportunities. But as rents continue to increase, so too are concerns over renters’ ability to pay them. Despite news in August that Oregon’s labor force is growing — a positive sign that previously disenfranchised workers are once again feeling optimistic about their employment prospects — wage growth across the state has so far barely kept pace with inflation. While Oregon wages have been growing approximately 2 to 3 percent per year, inflation has been close behind at 1 to 2 percent — effectively keeping incomes stagnant. Josh Lehner, an economist with the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, has been tracking the trend and its impact on housing closely. Lehner said the average renter in Portland is now spending roughly 25 percent of his or her income on rent — a high point for the market. “Is there a breaking point there where rents just get so high that they force people to move away or to some other building?” Lehner queried. “Or are rents going to come down? One of these trends is not sustainable for a long period of time.” But while the state’s personal income hasn’t improved much since the recession — it only reached pre-recession levels at the end of September — there has been some positive news, particularly in Portland. According to a recent report by Christian Kaylor, an economist for the Oregon Employment Department, while incomes idled or declined in Washington, Clackamas and Clark counties between 2010 and 2013, Portland’s average income grew more than 8 percent to $49,616. Portland also benefits from in-migration. Between 2008 and 2013, Portland’s population grew by 50,940 people — nearly double the growth seen in Washington County, according to research by Kaylor. And while many of those people are finding work in Washington County’s Silicon Forest, most aren’t moving to Portland to live in the suburbs. Rather, they’re coming for its foodie, walkable and bike-friendly core, whether they have a job or not. “One of the issues we fight with is, because we are attractive to the young creative class — the Millenials — people come here without the jobs and they find the jobs,” said Jerry Johnson, the managing principal at Johnson Economics, a consultancy specializing in real estate (Continued on page 6) H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 6 Keep Calm and Party On! (Continued from page 5) development and land use economics. “So we always have a lot of labor force available, which makes it hard to get the price pressure (in wages).” Fortunately, Portland’s migrants tend to be scrappy — 91 percent of new residents are between the ages of 18 and 64, and 73 percent are college educated. Portland also has a higher-than-average share of entrepreneurs. That bodes well for landlords’ abilities to attract tenants who are willing (and able) to pay competitive rents. “The other thing that drives price is demand,” Kaylor said. “The reason the property developers are getting $1,750 per month for a 650-square-foot studio in North Portland, or inner east Portland, or Irvington, or Hollywood, is because people are willing to pay that.” A Wave of New Construction Predictions for 2015: • Investor demand for institutional apartments will continue to be strong. The number of transactions over $10 million will be at or above levels seen in 2014 as owners and developers look to make a profit in this low CAP Rate environment and sell new projects. • The number of non-institutional transactions will continue to increase slightly as some owners decide to exit the market due to the recovery of values. • Values and CAP Rates: CAP Rates will stay at their historical low levels. The rise in values will be attributed to the increase in Net Operating Income, not the compression of CAP Rates. The Threat of Rising Interest Rates All of these predictions are predicated on interest rates staying at their historically low levels. Should rates begin to rise — as many expect them to over the next couple years — it will have a dramatic impact on apartment values as described on page 10. Party On! Of course, rents can’t climb forever and they certainly won’t given the amount of new apartment construction on the horizon. HFO is tracking approximately 26,148 new apartment units that are either proposed, planned or under construction in the Portland metropolitan area. More than half — approximately 15,000 units — are slated for the urban core. If the current pace holds steady, 2014 will be the most active year for new apartment construction in Multnomah County since 1990. That’s about 4,000 units more than the market can absorb in a typical year, but apartment construction between 2009 and 2012 was also far below historical levels. The Portland market is still doing a bit of catch-up. As we have said for the last 3 years, the good feelings are still flowing in the Portland apartment market for both the operations side and investment side. Winston Churchill once said, “One does not leave a convivial party before closing time.” The Portland apartment market is still going strong and no one is headed for the door just yet. Greg Frick is a partner at HFO Investment Real Estate, now celebrating its 15th year in business. HFO’s partners have brokered transactions of more than 15,000 units valued at $1.86 billion throughout Oregon and Washington. Greg works with both private market and institutional clients and can be reached directly by phone at 503-241-5541 or e-mail [email protected]. H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 7 New IRS Tangible Property Regulations Change the Cost of Doing Business for Apartment Owners By Thomas B. Eriksen, Shareholder with Jordan Ramis PC [email protected] Effective January 1, 2014, new IRS regulations regarding the expensing and depreciation of tangible property for commercial property owners may change the cost of doing business for apartment owners. The new regulations are long overdue, as the first set of proposed rules was issued in 2006, only to be withdrawn and replaced with another set of proposed rules issued in 2008. The 2008 rules never took effect. In 2011, the IRS issued temporary regulations in order to clarify the proposed 2008 rules. In 2013, effective January 1, 2014, final regulations were issued. Regulations Tilt Toward Capitalization, Not Expensing Costs incurred in repairing and maintaining residential rental property must either be capitalized or expensed. Expensing is preferred, as it provides for an immediate deduction against income; whereas capitalized items must be depreciated over the useful life of the item — up to 39 years. as repainting, re-carpeting, etc., can typically be expected to occur more than once every 10 years and are immediately deductible for residential rental property. Small Taxpayer Safe Harbor Taxpayers with less than $10 million of gross receipts are eligible to elect not to apply the capitalization of the new regulations. If annual repair, maintenance, and improvement costs preformed on an eligible building do not exceed the lesser of $10,000 or 2% of the cost basis of the building, these costs can be expensed each year. An eligible building is a building “unit of property” with a cost basis of $1,000,000 or less. The seemingly low ceiling of $10,000 of annual costs and $1,000,000 of cost basis would appear to limit the usefulness of this safe harbor rule. However, the regulations treat separate building systems as individual units of property. Accordingly, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, elevators, pools, etc. can be considered separately for purposes of qualifying for the Small Taxpayer Safe Harbor. For taxpayers acquiring new residential rental property, this highlights the need for a detailed and accurate allocation of the purchase price among the various building systems and components. De Minimis Safe Harbor The Internal Revenue Code provides that costs incurred For taxpayers with applicable financial statements, written to acquire, produce, or improve property must be accounting procedures for expensing amounts under the capitalized. Costs not required to be capitalized may be specified dollar limits, and who consistently treat such expensed each year, resulting in amounts as expenses on applicable obvious tax benefits to the property The new regulations tend to financial statements, a de minimis owner. The new regulations tend favor capitalization of costs safe harbor may be available. This to favor capitalization of costs rather than expensing. In safe harbor is available for amounts rather than expensing. In general general, “improvements” must paid for tangible personal property at “improvements” must be capitalized, be capitalized, while “repairs” or below $5,000 per invoice, or per while “repairs” may be expensed. may be expensed. item substantiated on the invoice. Properly structured, replacement To make the distinction between of refrigerators, ranges, and other appliances may be repairs and improvements easier to determine, the new expensed, rather than capitalized. regulations enacted several safe harbors. These safe harbor provisions may provide opportunities for apartment owners to As you can see from the above discussion, each of the safe expense a greater amount of repair and maintenance costs. harbors is highly technical and takes careful planning and implementation to assure compliance with the regulations. Routine Maintenance Expense Safe Harbor Consulting with your tax professional in advance of The routine maintenance expense safe harbor provides that incurring any repair, maintenance, or replacement costs is recurring activities for the purpose of using the property and strongly recommended. assuring it is in operating condition may be expensed and immediately deducted. Routine maintenance for commercial This article is intended to inform the reader of general legal buildings is defined as activities the owner reasonably expects principles applicable to the subject area. It is not intended to to perform more than once every 10 years. Since apartment provide legal advice regarding specific problems or circumstances. units experience a higher rate of turnover and wear and tear Readers should consult with competent counsel with regard to than other commercial properties, maintenance activities that specific situations. might be performed less often on commercial properties, such H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 8 Market Trends Affecting Lender Motivation sheet health. The following is a quick summary of what to expect from each lender segment: By Mark Paskill, VP, Intervest Bank Banks get their capital from depositors and Fed borrowings, and earn income from the interest margin between their capital costs and loan interest rates. Banks receive favorable reserve requirements from regulators on multifamily loans, which motivates many banks to focus on multifamily lending. Banks generally favor shorterterm fixed rates — and flexible prepayment penalties — to match their borrowing capital. Some of the larger banks have recently been offering attractive 10-year fixed rates to grow their balance sheets, which have recovered from the recession. With deposit rates at historic lows and the ability to borrow from the Fed at effectively 0%, banks currently have the ability to offer increasingly competitive terms. The commercial loan market is a diverse and ever-changing landscape. Customers in the market today looking for a commercial mortgage are faced with a diverse range of loan terms and rates. Customers are often surprised how much loan structures vary between lenders and often ask why, for example, their local bank cannot offer what other lenders are offering, or why commercial mortgagebacked securities (CMBS) lenders, absent from the market three years ago are now offering aggressive interest only periods. As each lender is different, thus understanding how each lender segment functions as well as the current market condition in that segment can speed up the process of finding the best loan structure that fits the customer financing goals. Lenders can be categorized into distinct segments including banks, life insurance companies, CMBS and agencies such as Fannie and Freddie. Each segment is individually motivated based on whether they retain or sell their loans, their source and cost of capital, risk tolerance and balance Life insurance lenders get their capital from insurance policy premiums and their return on investments from stocks, bonds and commercial mortgages. Unlike banks, life lenders do not borrower the funds they lend and are long term portfolio lenders. For life lenders, the drive of capital preservation outweighs rate yields, thus they are generally not max LTV lenders. Life lenders are motivated today (Continued on page 9) H F O Current I N V E S TListing MENT— R EAspen A L E SVillage T A T E •—1 0162 2 8 SUnits E W ATin E RSpokane A V E . S U I Valley, T E 2 7 0 Washington PORTLAND, OR HFO 97214 • ph 503.241.5541 • HFORE.COM PAGE 9 Market Trends Affecting Lender Motivation (Continued from page 8) to make commercial mortgages, as they offer a higheryielding alternative to bond investments. With bond yields at an all-time low, life lenders have a strong appetite for long term commercial mortgages and continue to offer very aggressive rates on lower LTV transactions. Agency lenders — such as Fannie and Freddie — originate loans to be sold on the secondary market. These agencies have been the primary 10-year fixed rate non-recourse lender for many years. The originating DUS lender underwrites to government standards and is required to put a small slice of their capital at risk. Agency underwriting has tightened somewhat over the past year, limiting loan proceeds in some cases. Fannie recently responded to the issue by introducing a 12- year fixed rate loan product, which in some cases provides slightly higher loan proceeds than the traditional 10-year fixed-rate loan. The big question for agencies is how their loan offering will be affected when the US Treasury ends their conservatorship over them. Finally, a major capital trend has been the steady return of the CMBS market. Similar to Agency debt, CMBS lenders originate loans to be sold to the secondary market for bond securitization. The originators primary motivation is profit on the resale of the loan, but unlike Agency loans, they have no capital at risk once the loan is sold. The return of the CMBS market from the 2007-2010 recession has been driven by strong bond investor demand and improving commercial property performance. CMBS lenders are currently offering competitive terms including higher leverage (higher than Fannie and banks in many cases) along with interest-only, and high loanto-cost loans for newly constructed projects. Most loans are highly structured but many are coming with 3+ years of interest-only as a standard feature. Mark Paskill has more than 13 years of experience in commercial real estate lending. He has focused on sourcing, negotiating and closing commercial loans with a wide range of portfolio funding sources, including commercial banks, life insurance companies, commercial mortgage-backed securities lenders and credit unions. He can be reached at 503-214-5082 or by e-mail at [email protected]. HFO Sold Listing — Monterey — 390 Units in Portland, Oregon PAGE 10 Six Signs the Multifamily Investment Market is Peaking Higher Rates Lower Returns Coming Soon? By Trevor T. Calton, MBA As printed in Units Magazine Investors frequently ask how they can tell when the market has reached its peak. As we know, such assessments are more accurately made in retrospect or, as the saying goes, “Hindsight is 20/20.” But absent any crystal ball, certain market conditions may act as indicators of things to come. Below are six signs that the apartment market is entering the apex of the current investment cycle. 1. Lack of Inventory. With continued year-over-year double-digit rent increases, many apartment communities are performing better than ever. Consequently, many investors have been unwilling to sell, citing both record returns and a dearth of properties in which to reinvest through a 1031 exchange. A side effect of this lack of supply is increased competition among buyers, many of whom are willing to pay a premium to secure a property, thereby compressing cap rates. Once more inventory hits the market, buyers will have more options and these premiums will likely disappear. 2. Higher Interest Rates Coming Soon. The financial markets widely speculate that the Federal Reserve is nearing the end of its five-year run of near-zero interest rates. The Federal Funds Target Rate has hovered between 0.00% and 0.25% since the beginning of 2009, following the collapse of financial markets and the advent of the Great Recession. But with the economy in full- swing again — at least for the time being — the Fed has reduced its bond purchase rate from its peak of $85 million per month to $55 million per month (as of June). More reductions are on the way. The next step in tempering growth in the economy is to gradually raise interest rates, which most expect them to do in 2015. 3. New Construction Permits at Record Highs. The favorable market conditions previously noted have spurred new construction permit applications to record levels. With the virtual disappearance of new construction during the recession, developers have been scrambling to meet the pent-up market demand. But as with every real estate cycle, the lag-time between concept and occupancy creates latecomers to the market, and eventual oversupply. Although the demographics in the United States favor apartment owners, demand for apartments is still finite, and as soon as supply catches up to demand, vacancies will increase. The result of this will be an increase in competition for residents, more concessions, and consequently, reduced growth in net income. Net Operating Income $ Cap Rate % Property Value $ Equity Investment @ 25% Loan Amount @ 75% $300,000 6.0% $5,000,000 $1,250,000 $3,750,000 $ 300,000 6.0% $ 5,000,000 $ 1,250,000 $ 3,750,000 Interest Rate % Annual Debt Service $ Net Cash Flow $ Cash on Cash Return % 3.5% ($202,070) $97,930 7.8% 5.5% ($255,505) $44,495 3.6% (Continued on page 11) H F O Current I N V E S TListing MENT — R EVillage A L E S Fair TATE 1 0 2 8Units S E Win ATBremerton, E R A V E . S U I TWashington E 270 PORTLAND, OR 97214 • ph 503.241.5541 • H F O R E . C O M HFO —•120 PAGE 11 Higher Rates, Lower Returns, Coming Soon? (Continued from page 10) 4. Rents Leveling Out. Multifamily real estate has outperformed all other real estate sectors for almost a decade, primarily because of increased rents and a growing number of owners passing utility expenses on to residents. However, rent levels have outpaced residents’ income growth at a rate that is unsustainable, and the ceiling is finally within sight. In many top markets, double-digit rent increases of the past have given way to predictions of a more sustainable 3% through 2018. Additionally, recent surveys of owners and property managers reveal that many communities have fully realized the rent increases the market will bear and, for the first time in years, owners are scaling back their projections and offering concessions to attract renters. 6. Buy Low, Sell High. Once investors begin to see that their investments are performing at peak levels, many will choose to sell and realize their equity gains. As this happens, the momentum in the market will begin to shift. With increased supply, buyers will have more options and the “sellers’ market” that owners currently enjoy will begin to rebalance in favor of those buyers. Savvy owners and asset managers will take time in the second half of 2014 to analyze their portfolios and identify opportunities to sell certain assets at the top of the market, capitalizing on favorable market conditions and realizing extraordinary returns. Although some of the indicators mentioned previously may be slower to materialize than others, one thing is certain: This gravy-train will not continue forever. For many assets, now may be the perfect time to sell. Trevor T. Calton is a Senior Broker at HFO Investment Real 5. Higher Rates Mean Lower Returns. As the table below shows, a property producing $300,000 in net operating income will sell for $5 million at a 6% cap rate. If a buyer is able to secure 75% financing at today’s 3.5% interest rates, annual debt-service would be about $202,000 and net cash flow after debt service $98,000 — providing a cash-on-cash return of 7.8%. When market rates for the same loan increase to 5.5%, for example, annual debt service on that same loan would be $255,505 — yielding a net cash flow of $44,495 and a cash-on-cash return of just 3.6%. As happens with every real estate cycle, investors will likely be unwilling to settle for such low returns, consequently driving cap rates up and prices down. Estate and a Professor of Real Estate Finance at Portland State University. SAVE THE DATE! Thursday, January 8 - 2015 HFO’S BIGGEST EVENT OF THE YEAR! HFO Marketing Director Joins Board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters Portland, OR – HFO Investment Real Estate is delighted to announce that marketing director Aaron Kirk Douglas has joined the board of the nonprofit Big Brothers/ Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. Douglas has been a volunteer mentor since 2006 and chairs the organization’s 25-member ambassador board. He is a prior nominee for national Big Brother of the Year, and recipient of the 2011 Multnomah County Hilltop Award for making a positive difference in the lives of low-income individuals and families. HFO appreciates Aaron representing the company commitment to community. Featured speakers: John W. Mitchell – Economist Victor Calanog, Reis, Inc. VP of Apartment Research & Economics – New York Space is limited to 300 apartment investors. Reservations are required. E-mail [email protected] or call (971) 717-6337 with reservation requests ~ New Location ~ More Parking! H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 12 Metro Forecasts Portland Area Needs 7,000 New Apartments Annually 2010-2035 To Meet Demand When considering the number of apartments under construction in the Portland metro area, a quick look at housing need forecasts by Metro are informative. In 2012, Metro forecast that housing in the seven county PMSA would need to increase by 175,316 multifamily units between 2010 and 2035 (7,012 units/year) to keep up with population growth. The total number of multifamily units forecast to be needed within the urban growth boundary is 147,879, or 5,915 per year. The City of Portland will require an average of 3,966 units per year to meet expected demand. Various estimates put the number of apartments slated for delivery 2015-2016 squarely in that range, with more than half being added to the urban core. Boundary Area 2010 Multifamily Households 2035 Multifamily HH Estimate Total Increase Annual Avg. Increase Portland 104,897 204,050 99,153 3,966 Hillsboro 14,251 23,211 8,960 358 Beaverton 21,953 30,479 8,526 341 Gresham 18,243 25,656 7,413 296 Inside Urban Growth Boundary 236,346 384,225 147,879 5,915 Outside Urban Growth Boundary 47,872 64,185 20,713 828 Four-County Total (Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington & Clark) 284,218 459,534 175,316 7,012 395,348 154,602 6,184 Tri-County Total (Oregon) 240,746 Source: Oregonmetro.gov http://www.oregonmetro.gov Retrieved: 09/02/14 What’s New On HFO-TV: The latest videos from HFO’s latest investor events are online now! Click the link at www.hfore.com. • Local, State, and National Demographic Trends Presented by: Christopher Zahas of Leland Consulting Group Monroe Apartments - Market Rate Multifamily Moreland Crossing - Market Rate Multifamily • Trends in Portland’s Population, Economy, and Employment Christian Kaylor of the Oregon Employment Department • Current Apartment Financing Trends Trevor T. Calton, HFO Investment Real Estate • East Metro Trends in Gang Activity Portland & Fairview Police Officers • State of Oregon Tax Credits Maureen Bock, Energy Incentives Program Manager • Vancouver Area Sales & Rent Trends Greg Frick, HFO Investment Real Estate BUILDING YOUR VISION ©2014 Pavilion Construction NW, LLC 6720 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 310 Portland, OR 97219 503-290-5005 pavilionconstruction.com H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 13 Increasing Apartment Property Values Through NOI By Lee Fehrenbacher, HFO Research Analyst It’s a great time to be a seller in the Portland/Vancouver area. With vacancy rates as low as 3%, and rents pushing $1.16 per square foot, demand for apartments is high — from tenants and investors alike. But with a lack of available product on the market, opportunities to get a financial foot in the door are scarce, and that could spell opportunity for Portland/Vancouver area building owners. true for washers and dryers. Some managers are also looking at including Wi-Fi services in base rents. • Pet rent — More and more renters in Portland have dogs these days, and as a result many apartments are charging a monthly pet rent. • Appliance rentals — Some apartment managers are beginning to rent out appliances like vacuums and carpet cleaners — things renters need occasionally but not enough to buy themselves. “How great would it be for your residents to pay you to help clean up your property?” Calton said. HFO’s Greg Frick and Trevor Calton described those market dynamics to a room of private investors at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver. They explained that a scarcity of • Reduce utility expenses — Common sense upgrades available multifamily investment properties has helped to low-flow toilets and shower heads, sink aerators, and compress cap rates in Vancouver into the low 6% range — LED light bulbs are easy changes that can go a long which, with interest rates expected to rise in the not-tooways toward cutting expenses. “Combine that with native distant future, is as low as they’re landscaping and many owners are likely to go. Consider that in a 6.6% cap able to reduce water usage to as market, for every additional As such, there probably won’t be much as half,” Calton said. “I don’t $50 a unit generates per a better time for owners to sell in know how many times I’ve seen this: month, the value of that unit the current real estate cycle. But it’s nighttime, it’s been raining all increases by roughly $9,000. first, Calton urged landlords to take day, and the sprinklers are on. That’s another look at their properties’ money you’re throwing away.” income streams. Consider that in a 6.6% cap market, for every additional $50 a unit generates per month, the value • Vending machines — All over the country, managers of that unit increases by roughly $9,000. are adding vending machines that can sell everything from deodorants to cleaning products. Calton said he’s seen “So when you go to sell, getting that extra income can go a some machines bring in as much as $2,500 per week. long way toward putting extra income in your pocket,” said Calton. • Take nicer pictures — When marketing apartments for He offered a number of strategies for increasing a rent, it pays to have quality photos. “Even though you’re property’s Net Operating Income: not supposed to judge a book by its cover, residents do,” Calton said. • The trap of over occupancy — If a property is consistently 100% occupied, there’s a very good chance Other income-producing improvements include: that rental rates are too low. Having a small percentage • Instituting a RUBS program of vacant units allows landlords to assess the market’s • Leasing rooftop space to cell tower owners appetite to pay more. Calton suggested placing an • Increasing the cost of a load of laundry. advertisement touting higher rents as soon as a tenant gives their notice to vacate. If a unit traditionally garners But before making any of those decisions, Calton urged $1,000 per month, try listing it for $1,050 or $1,100 and investors to really get to know their market. Baby boomers, see who bites. for instance, searching for luxury apartments won’t be looking for the same things as 20-somethings straight out • Add amenities — Amenities are becoming increasingly of college. A successful building will respond to the specific important for tenants, who are expecting more for their needs of its targeted demographic. dollar as rents rise. Of all amenities, Calton said units without dishwashers are probably the biggest deal killers. Many residents are willing to pay as much as $100 more a month to have one, he said. The same is For more ideas on positioning your property for maximum return, contact the HFO team at 503-241-5541. H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 14 What You Can do to Help Emergency Responders’ Firefighting October is national fire safety month; the perfect time to consider what you can do to improve emergency responders’ firefighting at your properties. Did you ever think it would be the case that firefighters would arrive at your apartment building or condominium and not be able to reach the fire. It happens. Pumper trucks may be too wide for access lanes, or hoses could be too short to reach hot spots. The fire department has ways to resolve these problems, but valuable time is lost as they make adjustments. There are things landlords and property managers can do to ensure maximum access for emergency response vehicles and to reduce the spread of fire while problems are solved. Your actions might not only save your property, they could save the lives of residents and emergency personnel. Though standards governing buildings and fire protection systems are incorporated into building design, permitted flexibility in actual construction and architecture may create difficulties in certain circumstances with certain fire response vehicles and equipment. For example, the local fire code may require a fire department connection for a sprinkler system or an annunciator for a fire alarm system, but the location, position, marking of the device and other features may not be specified in detail. Delays caused by unclear or obstructed connection or communication devices can interfere with time-sensitive response success. Simplifying firefighters’ job, even in small ways, will help increase their chances of success when responding to an emergency at your building. And that doesn’t only include fire; it can include terrorist events, building collapse and natural catastrophes. Here are a few examples from the Occupation Safety and Health Administration. Pumper trucks and the famous “hook and ladder” trucks need aerial access. Do you have trees or signage that may obstruct their reach, arrangement or turning radius? How about frontage access? A building that has been designed properly initially can become subject to changes over the years, such as landscaping, parking and tree growth that hinder access to formerly clear areas. What about dumpsters and other items that get placed in fire lanes with the intent for removal? They could prevent emergency vehicle movement or turnaround. Think about your gates as well. Have you had any installed since the building was originally designed? If they are electronic, keep in mind their operation could be curtailed in a disaster event. Getting those open may be another Committed to Excellence in Each Service We Provide USI helps companies and individuals with employee benefits solutions, commercial insurance, risk strategies, retirement plan services, executive benefits and private client services. Contact us for a consultation, at: 503.224.8390 or usi.biz to see how we can help. © 2014 USI. All rights reserved. unforeseen delay. Additionally, if you have security gates, make sure the fire department has gate access keys or cards so they don’t have to hunt someone down for entrance to secure areas. There are many other issues inside a building that may need to be considered regarding emergency responder access, communications and identification of units and shutoff valves. OSHA has prepared a manual to assist owners of multi-unit residential properties in designing emergency-responder-friendly interiors and exteriors. Find it here: www.osha.gov/Publications/3256-07N-2006English.html Small, inexpensive actions can be taken immediately to help ensure improved fire and disaster response. Take the time to look through the OSHA manual for areas you may be able to enhance or fix. You never know what minute of what day a disaster will strike, but you can do many things to help reduce lost time and confusion in an emergency today. Reprinted with permission from www.multiunitliving. com, a partner of USI Northwest. USI Northwest offers fire and other insurance for apartment owners. For a free consultation or quote contact Heidi McCauley (Heidi. [email protected]) or Ted Stark ([email protected]) by phone at 503-727-6180 or online at www.usinw.usi.biz. H F O I N V E S T M E N T R E A L E S T A T E • 1 0 2 8 S E W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M PAGE 15 Business Tax Changes May Merit a Review of Your Choice of Entity By Krista Evans, Attorney with Jordan Ramis PC [email protected] During the October 2013 special legislative session, Governor Kitzhaber signed House Bill 3601, which, among other things, reduced tax rates for qualifying business income. House Bill 3601, codified in Oregon Revised Statutes Sec. 316.043, only benefits business owners with certain types of entities and the right type of income. Under current law, all income over $5,000 is taxed at 9% and above. The new rates, which will go into effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2015, are as follows: Amount of Taxable Income Applicable Rate Up to $250,000 7% $250,001 - $500,000 7.2% $500,001 - $1,000,000 7.6% $1,000,001 - $2,500,000 8% $2,500,001 - $5,000,000 9% Over $5,000,000 9.9% The new rates are only available to entities with passthrough tax structures, such as S corporations and other entities taxed as partnerships. This includes limited liability companies with more than one member that have not elected to be taxed as a corporation. Business owners that will not get to enjoy the new rates are (1) C corporations, which are subject to two levels of tax–one at the corporate level and one at the shareholder level; (2) sole proprietors, who have no separate entity for legal or tax purposes; and (3) single member limited liability companies. Unless the member of a single member limited liability company elects to be taxed as a corporation, the entity is treated as a disregarded entity and it is taxed like a sole proprietorship. As stated above, the income must be the right kind — it must be non-passive income, which does not include interest, dividends, capital gains, or wages. The Internal Revenue Code Sec. 469 defines “passive” activity as activity in which the taxpayer does not materially participate. Most rental activity is passive, except for real estate professionals. In addition to having the right type of entity and the right type of income, the business and taxpayer must meet the following requirements to take advantage of the reduced rates: 1.The taxpayer must materially participate in the day-today activities of the business; 2.The entity must employ at least one non-owner employee; and 3.A minimum of 1,200 aggregate hours of work in Oregon must be performed by non-owner employees. Income tax rates are just one of many reasons it may be time to evaluate if your choice of entity is the best for your business. Forming an entity limits the personal liability of the business owners. Whether a business has employees, and if so, how many, may also have an impact on choice of entity from a tax perspective. Limited liability companies offer pass-through taxation, flexible management, and limitation of liability for its members. S corporations offer pass-through taxation and limitation of liability for its shareholders, but eligibility is limited. For example, an S corporation can only have a limited number of shareholders, while a limited liability company is not subject to any limitation on the number of members it can have. S corporations can only issue a single class of stock. Limited liability companies offer full flexibility in capitalization structure. Additionally, S corporations must comply with the formalities of the Oregon Business Corporation Act, which is less flexible than the Act governing limited liability companies. Now is a good time to speak to your legal and tax professionals to determine if a change should be made to your business before the new tax rates go into effect. This article is intended to inform the reader of general legal principles applicable to the subject area. It is not intended to provide legal advice regarding specific problems or circumstances. Readers should consult with competent counsel with regard to specific situations. HFO Current Listing — The Corso — 46 Units in Portland, Oregon — Urban Core, New Construction PAGE 16 HFO Current Listing — Ridgestone Apartments — 103 Units in Spokane Valley, Washington A Sampling of Recent HFO Transactions HFO’s Current Listings — LOCATION # UNITS Latest Updates at www.hfore.com Clackamas, OR 390 LOCATION Portland, OR 198 Beaverton, OR 243 Independence, OR 196 Spokane Portfolio, WA 162 Vancouver, WA 112 Spokane Valley, WA 162 Vancouver, WA 104 Bremerton, WA 120 Astoria, OR 100 Kennewick, WA 110 Salem, OR 86 Spokane Valley, WA 103 Happy Valley, OR 72 NE Portland, OR 72 E Portland, OR 49 Spokane Valley, WA 72 Vancouver, WA 47 N Portland. OR 46 Lincoln City, OR 44 SE Portland, OR 44 N Portland, OR 30 Eugene, OR 41 SE Portland, OR 27 Eugene, OR 34 Hillsboro, OR 20 Gresham, OR 12 # UNITS H F O Sold I N V EListing STMEN R ENew A L EUnits S T A Tin E Hillsboro, • 1 0 2 8 S E Oregon W AT E R A V E . S U I T E 2 7 0 P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 • p h 5 0 3 . 2 4 1 . 5 5 4 1 • H F O R E . C O M HFO —T20