This was shot while tooling down Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Kingman, Arizona. It’s all part of a new feature for this blog entitled CRE Road Kill. Stay tuned for more CRE Road Kill.

Posted by Donald Teel – Arizona Commercial

Everyone, everywhere, is talking about the real estate market. Even people who do not know anything about the real estate market are talking about the real estate market.

Understandably, much of the discussion remains negative. After all, some estimates tells us that the net value of all commercial real estate in the United States has plummeted by as much as 30% since 2006. I would like to address the shiny side of this very ugly coin.

As we come to the end of 2009, how can we successfully invest in commercial real estate?

Many small to intermediate investors have been discovering that buying was the easy side of commercial real estate investment coin…the shiny side! Managing and turning properties in the volatile environment of 2009 has proved to be the tarnished side of our coin.

With respect to the fundamentals of investment, nothing has really changed. Yet, we all know much has changed and continues to change, especially with respect to the acquisition and cost of capital and sustained values. For the purpose of this article, I would like to place a market spin on what I think are the 10 most important principles for small commercial real estate investors to follow in 2010 and beyond.

Property Type. Who could have predicted that the multi-family sector would be where it is today based upon our assumptions ten years ago. We must remind ourselves that our assumptions are merely momentary conclusion based upon ever-evolving data and that the moving data is almost always something over which we have most likely, no control.

Type-casting isn’t just a Hollywood phenomenon, it’s imperative with every real estate transaction these days and in the case of multiple tenant revenues each lease will need to be sifted and ground down in order to determine its viability and value going forward. There are “leases” and there are “Leases” and there are “LEASES.” Nothing works well if the tenants don’t!

Inventory, absorption rates and occupancy rates and CAP rates are imperative to the investment equation. There is no negotiating these issues and they are deal breakers.

Still, it’s Location. It appears that the newest and perhaps safest strategy for small to medium investors is to get big by investing small all over. Just as mix of property types is essential to a sound investment strategy, so also is the principle of multiple locations based upon regional economic dissimilarities. Atlanta’s medical office values and projected demands will be different than those of Seattle and it would be ridiculous to compare Phoenix multi-family to say Manhattan multi-family.

Within macro locations there are micro locations and micro product. For example, if one really must invest in multi-family in Arizona, it would be wise to see investments with 4-8 tenants, under $2 million and perhaps not in the dense market of metro Phoenix but perhaps in central or northern Arizona communities of Prescott, Sedona, Payson or Flagstaff, since these markets are more self-contained.

Sound commercial investment thinking must go beyond the local to the national and even, when qualified and warranted, an investor can think international.

Commercial investment is about the cash flow and it is the cash flow that will ultimately determine the investment property value.

The Pace of Personal Risk. Too much, too fast is what I saw occurring from 2000-2006. Investor appetites were often out of control, money was easy and many believed the returns were going to be sustainable. Not so, we all know now! Pace of investment, especially where the investor is relatively new to commercial real estate is sooooooo important. It’s advisable that a new investor look at one property every 18 months for three years, as a basic formula. There is just too much to watch, more to know and the risks are greater than at any other time in history.

A partnership buffer can help with personal risk. It’s not advisable to put all of your eggs into one basket and it is less than optimal to do so alone. It looks like partnership are becoming more attractive to a lot of previous Lone Rangers who are now mortgage heavy and cash light. On most properties I have owned, there has been a partner behind me, beside me and in front of me and it always helped with both risk balance, capital demands, mortgages and in the end divestiture.

Going slow and not going slow alone is the new formula for smaller investors.

Demand Analysis. I have watched many small investors purchase a property with limited or no demand analysis. Demand analysis looks at the next owner who will step in at year 5 and it looks at the numbers that can indicate current and future user demand.

Questions to ask might be: Who wants the property today and why? Who will want it tomorrow and why? Who are today’s buyers and why? Who are tomorrow’s users and why?

I have never been fond of Las Vegas and I am not a gambler. Dice and I don’t mix well and cards are even worse. Slot machines emanate noises that frighten me. Gamblers eventually fold and there is really no place in commercial investment for risky speculation. Demand analysis can minimize some of the crap shooting that became all too inherent in real estate investment during the first decade of the 21st century.

Earlier in this piece, I talked about inventory and absorption rates. In many cases, investors complete ignore these trend lines and make investments solely on attractive CAP rates at the time of purchase. Understanding the demand cycle past, present and future will tell you a lot about an investment and give you some comfort that tomorrow’s market will serve your interests.

Ask Vs. Bid Strategy. Spread is everything. Spread forms the initial basis and our capitalization model should strengthen it further. We are seeing an incredible amount of stress regarding what owners say they must sell or lease for and what smart buyers are willing to risk. The ask value is no longer valid when risk is high. What an owner paid is almost irrelevant to today’s informed investor and nothing is worse than extremism on both sides of that negotiating equation.

In the past year, more than ever, I have heard buyers talk about things like “we need to adjust our offer (bid) in a way that we are protected for 36 months in case the market continues its decline. Buyers are bidding with a calculator set, not to appreciation, but rather to depreciation. Buyers are actually betting on losses!

The ask vs. bid spread creates a huge set of psychological negatives in a transaction and traditional lenders are taking hard and long looks at projected appreciation based upon property actuary tables, the life cycle of performance.

Better than half of all small to medium sized commercial property owners have seen more than 25% decreases in their property values. This is disrupting lease values, tenant negotiations and ultimately the asking price.

Crafting (another work for Brokering) the transaction involves a lot more patience and skill with respect to coaching the competing interests of the Asker and Bidder so that there is a reasonable expectation of a meeting of the minds. Tilting the transaction to one side or the other can lead to serious financing problems, not to mention ROI issues. Owner who ask too much attract buyers who offer too little. In the end a good commercial transaction will be empirical, not emotional.

Creative Capitalization. Risk is always a function of the market conditions and the cost of capital or, I might say the “capital plan.” These days, I am becoming a big fan of creative capital sourcing, i.e., partnering the capital requirement through partnerships and other structures including, LLC and Sub S corporations (see your legal and tax advisors for input).

The lending streams are parched and institutional lenders are increasingly favor stronger partnerships that can personally and severally guarantee. However, there are other capital marriages that can include down payment partnerships that provide a down payment partner with 30% interest in a single asset commercial LLC in exchange for a 20-20% capital requirement. Today’s numbers need to look very good and provide 12-15% cash-on-cash return. In addition, the exit strategy must be rock solid at the end of a 3-7 year model and will most likely need at least one round of new financing.

Shifting or spreading risk is a good way to think. Formation of partnerships, joint ventures, LLC and corporations that involve multiple players is what I call creative capitalization. Do not over-leverage a property just so you can buy it. In fact, never over-leverage.

Management. Property management for small and medium sized investors is a much larger factor than is admitted. The value of maintenance, attention and presence can create substantive value increases to an investor. Yet, many smaller investors attempt to manage property without management services. This is almost always a mistake. Professional property management services have been known to hold value and in some cases protect owners from factors that can destroy return.

Property Management can be the eyes, ears and sense of touch and taste for a small investor and the cost of management should be rolled into the performance analysis.

A simple rule to follow is that if you do not have to manage your own investment, do not attempt to do so. The marginal savings will not be worth the effort. Typically, if a small investor has more than 4 units to manage or more than a $300,000 investment the management should be placed in the hands of trained Certified Property Manager.

Let me remind you that bad management can also contribute to the decline of property value and selecting, reviewing and correcting property management is a part of the investment model.

Reserve Resources. Capital reserves are as valid for the $200,000 investor as they are for the $15,000,000 investor. In fact, the stakes may sometimes be higher and the risk ratio more dangerous for small investors who do not create and maintain capital reserves as a part of the investment formula.

Capital reserves are something your Broker can assist you with and a factor in property management analysis that helps owners manage for the long term by having funds available for those pesky, yet often expensive “surprise” capital requirements.

One of the key reserve resources is adequate property, casualty and catastrophic insurance, including, when necessary, flood insurance. In addition, a percentage of cash flow should be allocated to a capital reserves account, monitored by your Property Management Company.

Air conditioning, heating, parking lot surfaces, roofing, glass, pools, common areas and other expenses can destroy property value and place capital demands on an owner that are unsustainable. When you invest always, always…let me say it again, always create a capital reserve analysis commensurate with the property and make the property performance fund these reserves.

Reserves can also be in the form of personal wealth or lender commitments. The principle is a simple one; if you are a commercial real estate investor you WILL need a source of capital funds and having access to capital can serve as a hedge against the market. Survival can sometimes be dependent upon having access to affordable funds.

Holding and Folding. There is that popular country western song with the lyrics, “you’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em” that has as much wisdom as it does rhythm. Knowing when to hold and when to fold is a skill, not just an impulse. This skill is true not just in the game of poker but in a commercial real estate investment model as well.

Many investors who were advised to “fold ‘em” waited too long. They should have sold when advised to do so by their Broker but they refused to do so and now they hold properties that are highly devalued in the market.

There are many rules to follow when holding and folding and each property, its location, the objectives of the owner, market trends and the availability of financing all play a role in determining when it is time to sell and walk.

Pay attention to trends. Study the trends. Know the trends. Especially important to the hold-n-fold tension is your knowledge of capital and lending trends. These are often ignored in favor of market analysis. Capital markets are often ahead of broker analysis of market trends. Lenders are typically a cycle ahead of the market and therefore knowing when to hold and when to fold is largely a function of lending strength and the availability of affordable financing.

Let me say one more thing about this subject. If you have a property that is free and clear and the leasing trends are in a downward spiral for that property type, it may be best to fold and carry back the financing for as long as you can in order to offset value losses created by market declines. If you can be the bank, be the bank.

Rotation, Rotation, Rotation. Exchange rules are not such an easy game to play today; however, exchanging property is a key fundamental to building long-term wealth. Once you are in the game, it is not so much about location, location, location as it is about rotation, rotation, rotation.

Flipping property by means of tax deferred exchanges should be built into your investment plan and model at the time of your first purchase. The key to this is that sales are taxable events in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service, while 1031 exchanges are not immediately taxable events.

The 1031 tax deferred exchange is an IRS approved model for selling one “qualifying” property and from the proceeds acquiring another property of like kind within an IRS approved length of time. The transaction of selling and re-investing is treated as an exchange and not as a typical sale where capital gains are taxed.

Property rotation under the IRS rules of exchange is the most lucrative long term method for building wealth through real estate investment. There are specific rules and processes that must be followed for rotating in and out of properties but a qualified Broker or what is known as an “Intermediary” can explain those rules to you.

With each investment, we must ask ourselves the questions, “When will I sell?” and “What will I do with the capital…pay taxes or, invest again to increase your wealth?”

Posted by Donald Teel – Arizona Commercial

In today’s commercial investment environment, property taxes can be lethal. Many investors are still paying property taxes that are reflective of the market run-up of 2000-2006 and not necessarily on the current valuations of their investments.

The questions are what can you do about inflated tax valuations, where do you turn and more importantly, how can investors challenge property tax values successfully?

Property Tax Analysis. Create an analysis of the assessed value of your property for the previous five years to determine the trend line. The analysis should show the assessed values and compare those with a legitimate Broker Price Opinion (BPO) to show market value trend compared to assess valuation trend. It might look something like the following (Download the FREE sample spreadsheet here).

Assessed Value VS Market Value Sample Analysis - Sample of Presentation for Tax Challenge

Commercial BPO. Secure a commercial property broker price opinion (BPO) for your property to help determine the market value trend line. Arizona Commercial can do this for you for a nominal fee. The report includes photos, recorded sales values, spreadsheet analysis and conclusion.

The BPO must include such detail as location within the market, property style, age, square footage, lot size, parking, vacancy/occupancy rates, number of leasable office/areas, and other issues that demonstrate the empirical value of the property.

Appraisal Approach. If the first two suggestions demonstrate that you have a potential tax overcharge, the final requirement may be to secure a full appraisal with detailed analysis of comparable properties. Appraisals are expensive and should only be used if the economics of the situation warrant such a measure. However, when push comes to shove, a certified appraisal will carry more weight than a commercial BPO.

Challenge Process and Procedure. States have specific procedures for challenging property taxes and the process must be respected in order to be successful.

The process will include forms, time frames and details that must be completed prior to consideration of a claim. Following these procedures and time limitations will be a critical factor. Most likely you will be required to pay the taxes while challenging their validity and if taxes are not paid in a timely manner, other negative consequences can occur in the form of interest and penalties and in severe cases, assessors may sell the delinquent taxes with a lien or even sell the property after a specified time.

Appealing a tax bill is not easy and may include several layers of review including a hearing for the property owner and even judicial recourse. Ask your County Assessor’s office for a copy of their appeal process.

Failure, Refusal or Inability to Pay Taxes. It is unlikely that a refusal to pay property taxes pending the outcome of a challenge will carry any weight and may further exacerbate the problem by creating a hostile situation.

Philosophical, political or principles of conscience are irrelevant to the process. However, in some cases, hardship may be considered as a factor in when and how the taxes are to be paid. Hardship exemptions are difficult when it comes to commercial property and typically are more successful when the property is a primary residence.

Generally speaking if an owner cannot pay the commercial real estate property taxes that owner should immediately communicate with the County Assessor’s office where the property is located and seek advice.

If a challenge is in order, owners may want to contact a competent lawyer with experience in real estate property tax law.

Declining Commercial Values. Most property types have declined in value and this naturally leads to an examination of all expenses related to market value and the cost of the property, including property taxes.

Declining values are now creating a backlog of challenges and yes, it can get very nasty, as some governments are deliberately protracting the challenges and the court cases to their advantage.

There is no doubt about it, however, that some owners are still paying taxes based on unsupportable valuations from previous years. Despite the declines, property taxes have continued to climb in far too many markets. As an example of the lagging, for the first time in 12 years, property taxes in some areas of Los Angeles County declined up to 15% while others increased.

Three suites are currently available and are priced at $9.50 per square foot, triple net with graduated annual rent incentives and half rents for qualified tenants. Download the flyer.

Owner is offering graduated lease rates with half-rent incentive for qualifying tenants. Download the flyer.

Watch the short video below to preview this property

For more information about this property, contact Donald Teel by email or, if you prefer by calling 928.777.8100. Visit CommercialWebPage.com. Download the flyer.

Posted by Donald Teel, Arizona Commercial

Taking the guesswork out of commercial real estate investment requires more than a hope, a prayer and signature.

The genesis of commercial real estate investment is found in the analysis of the basic math surrounding the transaction. Costs, cash flow, depreciation, appreciation, money in and money out. Math is the science of the deal.

While the origin of commercial transactions is found in the science of basic mathematical functions, the art of performance is found in the crafting of the document; this is the model. Well crafted documents are extensions of the numbers and the intentions of the principals.

If there is to be any semblance of predictability of performance such must be memorialized and embedded in the language that constructs the investment, i.e., the purchase agreement or lease agreement.

Then too, the document’s credibility is only as good as the integrity of its signatories; their motivations. They who sign are those who are called upon to act in accordance with their written promises.

Summary: the deal is as good as the numbers (the Math), the performance is as good as the document (the Model) and the execution of the promises is only as good as the integrity of the principals (the Motives). Upon these three the investment hinges.

The numbers are the science, the document is the art and the performance is the warranty. Upon these three the deal hinges and the door of performance opens and closes.

I have seen and written a lot of documents. In my career I have seen short documents that were good and long documents that were bad. There have been times when the short word accomplished as much as the long word and vice-versa.

Good numbers, contrary to the opinions of some of my contemporaries, are seldom the guarantor of performance. My experience has shown me, countless times, that the integrity of the transaction is always found in the fulfillment of the promises of the principles and this only as a result of superior documentation, whether short or long.

In retrospect, I have seen great documents backed by great numbers end in disaster due only to the diminished capacity, whether intentional or not, of a Principal Party to perform as promised. Lawyers want us to believe that documents are everything. I have seen good deals with superior documents go south because of bad intentions.

Nothing can overcome a Principal with a misguided principle, no matter the document, no matter the math.

Then too, I have seen miserable documents when placed in the hands of principled Principals run their course without incident.

After more than two decades I have learned that the math, the model and the motives are the three inseparable ingredients of any commercial real estate transaction; the most powerful being the later.

To me, this is the holy trinity of real estate investment and one cannot function without the other two.

Upon these three the deal hinges.

 I’ve mentioned the SNDA in previous posts (Subordination, Non-Disturbance, and  Attornment). The ND portion refers to non-disturbance of the tenant’s right to have its lease  recognized as valid in the event of the foreclosure of a senior trust deed. The S refers to the  Subordination clause and the A refers to the Attornment clause. I’ll discuss the Subordination  and Attornment clauses in separate blog posts. From the Tenant’s standpoint, the non-disturbance clause (“ND”) is most important. 

The use of the Non-Disturbance Agreement depends on the timing of the recording of the trust deed and the recording date of the lease (or the recording of a Short Form Notice of Lease) ,collectively “Notice”. Usually neither the Tenant nor the Landlord want the whole lease recorded. The lease may or may not provide for the recording of a Short Form Notice of Lease. As a Tenant you may want a Notice recorded. Check with your attorney for advice.

Both California and Arizona follow the race-notice theory of recording. [If you'd like more information about how recording of documents works in Arizona, contact Donald Teel at 928.777.8100.]  The first legitimate document recorded has priority over subsequently recorded documents. If a trust deed is signed on January 2, but not immediately recorded, and the lease is signed on January 10 and its Notice is recorded on January 11, while the trust deed has not yet been recorded , the lease would have priority over the trust deed. If the trust deed were subsequently foreclosed, it would NOT have the right to evict the Tenant so long as the Tenant was not in default under the terms of the lease.

However, if the trust deed were RECORDED first the lease would be subject to the priority of the trust deed. If the trust deed were foreclosed, the foreclosing party could evict the Tenant! The reason most Tenants want the ND is that they usually have spent quite a bit of money on leasehold improvements, moving costs would adversely impact their bottom line, they may have spent substantial amounts branding their location, and they may be out of business while moving to a new location. A Non-Disturbance agreement should protect the Tenant in those circumstances.

Before entering into a lease, or when renegotiating a lease, the Tenant should determine whether or not there is a recorded trust deed encumbering the property. If there is, the Tenant should make it a condition of the lease that the Landlord provides a Non-Disturbance agreement signed by the lender. Obtaining a Non-Disturbance Agreement often depends on the negotiating position of the parties. A tenant leasing 1,000 square feet of retail space in a mall probably won’t be able to obtain the lender’s consent to a Non-Disturbance agreement. However, a major Tenant in a development should insist on an ND agreement. Merely having the ND clause in the lease will not protect the Tenant if the lender has not provided the signed agreement. The ND clause may provide that the Landlord will use its best efforts to obtain the lender’s Non-Disturbance Agreement. In the standard lease used by commercial brokers in Carlsbad and the rest of San Diego, the lease ND clause provides that if the landlord doesn’t obtain the ND agreement within 60 days, the Tenant may go directly to the lender to try to obtain the Agreement. Without the lender’s signed agreement, the Tenant is at risk. [Contact Donald Teel to review the lease form used in Prescott and the rest of Arizona.] There are various forms of ND clauses and agreements. Be sure to have the language reviewed by your attorney if you want to protect your rights to retain your lease rights in the event of foreclosure. 

If you have general questions about commercial leases, please send us a note at Lee@leesterling.com

McCormick Place - Prescott, Arizona

Post Sponsored by Donald Teel

What is the current state of commercial property ownership, user potential, performance and values in the Prescott, Arizona area?

Where is the commercial real estate market headed in 2009 and beyond and what should property owners be doing to focus on property performance going forward?

At Arizona Commercial, we believe it is critically important for owners of commercial property within the tri-cites of Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley to consider executing a thorough “Property Performance Analysis” or PPA, based upon changes taking place in the general market but especially with respect to changes taking place in commercial mortgage lending.

The Myth of Immunity

The tri-cities commercial real estate market is not immune from the impact of the economy on property performance in larger metro markets such as Los Angeles and Phoenix.

The local commercial market is directly impacted by the strength of the general ecomomy, unemployment, housing and most importantly, lending.

The decline in residential property values, a slowdown in new construction, the reversal of commercial appreciation rates and unemployment are all contributing to changes in the performance of all segments of the commercial real estate market.

Listen to a podcast about this topic:

Property Performance Analysis

Arizona Commercial is currently engaged in conducting “Property Performance Analysis” (PPA) with commercial property owners as a FREE service designed to guage an owner’s financial objectives, the current financial performance of a property and the short and long term financing needs associated with the property.

Because we anticipate new challenges to commercial property performance as a direct result of the general conditions of the economy we think it imperative that owners assess their property performance situation sooner rather than later, and that they develop a sound financial plan going forward.”

Jim Pullaro – Broker, Arizona Commercial

Arizona Commercial’s PPA includes an assessment of and owners’s financial objectives measured against the quality of tenant mix, correct property use, lease performance, operating cost analysis, mortgage situation and estimations of user demand through 2010, with specific recommendations in each category.

Arizona Commercial’s PPA is like a property physical, in a sense. It measure the critical components related to the health of a commercial property and sets forth prognosis and treatment before problems begin.

Listen to a podcast about this topic:

Refinancing and Replacing

Commercial property owners and investors are keenly aware of the need for quality “R and R” or, refinancing and replacing. These are the two keys to perpetuating long term performance.

Lenders are currently tightening requirement for new commercial loans and refinancing. Qualification requirements are more stringent and under-performing properties or, select segments (property types) within the commercial real estate market are finding it more difficult to secure financing.

A PPA can signal issues fan owner may face before they become critical and assist with pre-planning for mortgage refinancing, property replacement or, both.

Commercial real estate investments require monitoring, adjustments and sometime immediate changes in order to keep them performing. A PPA can flag areas where an owner can and should make adjustments in order to keep performance healthy.

Until recently, many properties were performing as a result of a strong demand and easy financing. Therefore, many owners ignored or postponed the need for regular property analysis. In today’s economy there is no guarantee that a property will appreciate or perform without careful “hands-on” attention and management of the components of performance.

Listen to a podcast about this topic:

Email Donald Teel for a confidential Property Performance Analysis or, if you prefer, call him at 928.777.8100 and if you are out of state call toll free to 877.777.9100.

Allan Woodruff, CCIM

We’ve all been hearing  and reading “gloom and doom” from the media.

But we know from history that turning points come while the masses are still moaning about how bad things are.

So are we at a turning point? Are we close enough to jump back into the market?

Here are a few facts investors can consider in refining their commercial real estate investment strategies on either the buy or sell side:

1. The deleveraging process will take more time as we work through the process of restoring sanity to private and corporate finances. We’ve lived through a period of very high leverage which must be unwound.  Habits and attitudes must change as investors take a more realistic view on risk, increase savings and reduce spending.
2. Yes, there are economic “green shoots” being seen this spring. Witness the stock market rally and an upturn in existing single-family residential (SFR) real estate sales in February. Consumer Confidence rose slightly from March to April, according to the Conference Board. SFR affordability has reached a multi-year high due to collapsed prices and interest rates at their lowest levels since about 1971. The “transition point” (the inflection point at which prices fall slower than they had been) seems to have occurred in the SFR market, so there is evidence that SFR prices will find a bottom soon.  Prices are typically at early-2004 levels or lower.
3. In the commercial real estate, cap rates (net operating income divided by sales price) have been moving up. This has increased downward pressure on prices, and is a reflection of the higher vacancy factors and lower rents that many owners have encountered. “Commercial follows rooftops”, and the commercial market still has more workout time.
4. Multi-family has seen the largest increase in cap rates. This sector had previously held up best, while retail, office and other commercial sectors were impacted by the poor economy. 
5. Increasing commercial foreclosures will exert additional price pressure on all commercial sectors.
6. Markets tend to overshoot on the way up, and again on the way down. This provides investors a great opportunity to buy when “there’s blood in the streets” if they watch key metrics and turning points.

See the attached article, “Here Comes the Sun: The Recession May Be Over”, by Liz Ann Sonders, Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Strategist, Charles Schwab & Co, Inc.

In summary, commercial owners may still benefit from selling now, and re-entering the market at lower prices later. Buyers should be careful… make sure the project is solid, with conservative assumptions. The great financing now available can help make the project work.

Our REO Service is a great way for investors to buy at very attractive prices. If you are seeking commercial investment advice, please email me or, if you prefer, you may call me at (928) 830-2599.

25,000 SF Retail - Prescott, Arizona

This is an excellent opportunity for an investor to acquire a value added, well located commercial investment property in Prescott, Arizona.

The existing lease is a new 10-year absolute NNN lease with increases and percentage rent and two five-year options to renew.

In addition, the property includes a 4,500 sf pad for retail expansion.

Property Description:
ASSUMABLE FINANCING. 5.75%, 27 year note, 15 years with option to renew at market rates. 8% CASH ON CASH. Single Tenant new 10-year Absolute NNN Lease with Escalations and Percentage Rents. 25,000 sf. Investor opportunity to acquire a well located, value-added asset with no landlord responsibilities. Includes a 4,500 sf Pad for additional expansion. Goodwill of Central Arizona is one of the largest and oldest nonprofits operating in the state of Arizona for more than 60 years.

Location Description:
Located within the Prescott Towne Center, a 53,000 sf retail center comprised of 3 buildings directly across from Village at the Boulders with Super Wal-Mart, Big Lots, Tuesday Morning, JoAnn’ s and Dollar Tree.

Prescott is located 90 miles NW of Phoenix with a mild 4 season climate resulting in a healthy growth rate. The Prescott MSA has a population base of approximately 100,000 and a trade area of approximately 165,000.

For more information about this property or any other commercial real estate investment opportunity in Prescott Arizona, email Mary Jo Kirk, CCIM or call me at 928.710.4045.

It is not that I am reluctant to be completely transparent with a client. That is the easy part. The difficulty lies in communicating to commercial property investors that they may be facing a new commercial reality.

Our new commercial reality contains several characteristics that make buying and selling, leasing and landlording and other forms of investment more precarious than perhaps in times past.

Heads I Win Tails You Lose

Commercial real estate values are tipping and for some investors it doesn’t matter what side of the coin comes up.

In a majority of major commercial markets commercial property is softening and for those who purchased in 2005-2007, things may be less than stellar. This is also true of commercial real estate markets like Prescott, Arizona.

Owners who purchased in the 2005-07 framework invested at the top of the market…they bought high.

Commercial Investment Reluctance

Investor reluctance is a second factor impacting the answer to the “What do you think my commercial property is worth?” question.

We are in the shadow of hesitation. Lack of confidence is creating a wait and see menality for some investors. This simply means that commercial property owners will need to be more creative with respect to how they attract tenants and buyers.

Commercial Financing Rules

Lenders are implementing both new and more stringent commercial property financing rules. It is simply more difficult to find funding than it was in 2002-2006 and lenders are burning through spreadsheet analysis in an attempt to only fund the most promising and secure loans.

Yes, lenders are lending! But lenders are lending more cautiously and they are less willing to bet on traditional performance with respect to property appreciation. In fact, they are factoring in depreciation based upon performance actuaries present in the market.

All is not lost. We are simply in need of a dose of creativity with respect to investing and divesting of commercial property.

Need new strategies? Call me at 1-877-380-1000 or, if you prefer, you may email me.