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Jobs – Not Economy – Drive Commercial Real Estate Activity

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, CPBJ Articles, Trends No Comments

Note: This article was published by the Central Penn Business Journal. Click here to read the original version.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose less than expected. To put this into perspective, claims dropped to 208,000 during the week of July 14, which was the lowest it has been since December 1969! After peaking at nearly 300,000 claims in October of 2017, we have seen a mostly steady (with some variation) decline in unemployment claims moving forward.

Dropping unemployment numbers indicate a strong labor market. The United States has an estimated 149 million jobs – 19 million more than it did just nine years ago. When you think about that type of job growth, it’s easy to see how it will have an impact on commercial real estate. To accommodate 19 million more workers, businesses have had to add space. Even for jobs that are run outside of traditional office space, there are still many more that do utilize office, retail or industrial real estate to some capacity.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Many people may assume that it’s the economy that drives commercial real estate activity, but really it’s jobs. The two are closely correlated, but for several compelling reasons jobs have the greater impact and drive businesses to either expand or contract their commercial space.

It all comes down to people and space.

Economic growth is measured by GDP and can be fueled by any number of factors, most of which won’t have a direct impact on commercial real estate. Businesses can earn more money without necessarily needing to hire more people or move into a different commercial location. Though it’s common that when the economy is growing, the commercial real estate industry becomes more active, the true driving force is jobs.

When businesses need more people, they also need more space to accommodate these people. A business using traditional office space is not likely able to hire more than three or so people before working quarters begin to feel a bit crammed. As a result, they move. It is increasing jobs, not just economy, that spurs new commercial real estate activity.

Change doesn’t happen overnight.

There is somewhat of a long tail on job growth driving commercial real estate activity. It takes time to catch up! When businesses are adding employees, they will usually make their current space “work” for as long as possible and then strategically move into a bigger space when they absolutely must. Conversely, when businesses are forced to lay off employees, they often stay in their current space, even if it means some space goes unused. The reason is it’s easier (and less expensive) to lay off employees as the first means of cutting costs than it is to downsize commercial space.

So, the job growth that we’ve seen over the course of many years is now driving the commercial real estate activity we are seeing today.

Slowing, but not stopping.

Job growth peaked in early 2015, then fell steadily through the end of 2017. Since then we have seen a modest, yet mostly steady increase in recent months. The reality is job growth, at any rate, cannot go on forever. The reason is, at some point, the United States will reach its “full employment” where everyone who wants a job, has a job. The unemployment rate, now at 4%, is about as low as it has been since the late 1960s, almost 50 years ago.

For commercial real estate, the link between job growth and space demand is clear and direct, though there may be lags. There will always be businesses who are looking to change their commercial space. Some will want more space, some will want less. Others will want to move to a newer space or will desire a different location. Businesses will close while others open. And so the cycle continues.

Short-Term Impact

Even with economic growth heating up, commercial real estate investors and property owners should not set their expectations for greater space absorption too high, at least in the short-term. Yes, there will be some pick-up in leasing associated with the spike in GDP growth. However, CRE professionals would be wise to focus more on job growth as the gauge for leasing prospects – and this outlook looks much more moderate because the ranks of unemployed workers available is largely exhausted. Looking at the short-term, we should not anticipate significant growth in property leasing this year. The surging industrial sector is the exception, which is the result of the shift from in-store to online shopping, not jobs.

Do you agree that it’s jobs, not the economy, that has the greater impact on commercial real estate activity? Why or why not? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.

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How to Identify the Best Commercial Tenant Agent (Guest Post by William Gary)

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Guest Blogger, Tenant Representative/Buyer Agent No Comments

Note: This article was originally published by William Gary, MBA, MIM on MacLaurin Williams, LLC. Permission to republish has been granted. Click here to read the original version.

How to Identify the Best Commercial Tenant Agent

Commercial Tenants and Buyers often complain that “their” supposed Real Estate Broker seems more interested in depositing a commission check than in helping them to find the right workspace at the best price. Sadly, they are quite correct. Far worse, do Occupiers understand what’s wrong when Brokers try to “double-end” their deals and pocket commission checks on both sides of the table? In commercial real estate parlance, this is aptly known as “double-dipping” and it’s not good for Tenants and Owner-Occupants.

Even Landlords and Sellers may feel pressured by their Listing Brokers, Landlords’ Agents or Sellers’ Agents to make price reductions or to accept offers that are less than what they wanted. On the other side of the table, Tenants and Buyers can feel their arms painfully twisted by “their” Brokers to pay more than they had budgeted to lease space or purchase a building.

So whose Broker is whose and what’s really going on? And why does it matter so much?

DIRTY SECRET NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT

Shockingly, in many transactions in the US, Commercial Real Estate Brokers have no (zero) legal obligation to look out for the best interests of the Tenants or Buyers they work with. However, many Tenants and Buyers are woefully unaware of this troubling fact.

Laws in at least 25 US states now allow a Commercial Broker to work with a Tenant or Buyer as a Transaction Broker, Facilitator, Intermediary, Dual Agent or Subagent. All but the last of these are pure middlemen. None of them have any legal fiduciary duties of loyalty or obedience to the Tenant or Buyer they work with.

In some states, Texas as one example, the “Client” legally is not even a Client of an Intermediary, Transaction Broker or Facilitator; he or she is merely a “Customer.”

Such Brokers might work “with” you as their Customer, but certainly not “for” you as your advocate. That’s a critical distinction. They’re definitely not your Tenant Representative, 100% Tenant Rep, Tenant’s Agent or Buyer’s Agent.

All fifty (50) states provide avenues for Commercial Brokers to double-end deals, i.e. work with both the Landlord and Tenant or both the Buyer and Seller in the very same transaction and, thereby, avoid any obligation to split or share commissions with an outside “Cooperating Broker“. A Broker (or his or her Brokerage House/Company) is legally allowed to keep the commissions on both sides of a transaction; hence the term “double-dipping“.

In such instances, detractors, including Consumer Advocates, maintain that neither a Tenant nor an Owner-Occupant is actually represented. That’s accurate because neither has an advocate nor champion truly sitting on his or her side of the table.

A Consumer, in this case a Tenant or Owner-Occupant, should not assume that his or her Broker is obligated to represent his or her best interests, and his or her best interests alone, until one has first seen a formal, written disclosure describing the agency relationship under which real estate services are being provided. Tenants and Owner-Occupants should see this disclosure upfront, too, not at the closing table as some Tenants report Big Brokerage Houses are doing. By then, it’s usually way too late to hire a 100% Tenant Rep as an advocate and start over.

Even Landlords and Sellers looking to negotiate the best commission rates, to obtain the highest levels of service and to protect their legal rights in the event of a dispute, should start the process by making certain that they fully understand the form of representation that a Broker is offering to provide them.

Is it a “Single Agency” relationship, which is the optimum and best relationship for the Consumer? That is The Gold Standard of Representation, especially for Tenants and Owner-Occupants.

Or is it a legal relationship that leaves the door open for a Broker or his or her company to double-end the deal and double-dip on commissions?

TYPES OF AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS

Agency relationships are created when one person or party agrees to act on another’s behalf, or to represent them in dealings with a third party.

Once an agency relationship is established, Brokers (as Agents) owe their Clients “fiduciary duties of loyalty and obedience.” In a Single Agency relationship, Agents are typically required to place their Clients’ interests above and ahead of their own. They do so by providing advocacy services with honesty and good faith, while carefully avoiding conflicts of interest or “self-dealing.”

There is confusion, though, because rules governing agency relationships between Consumers and Real Estate Brokers vary from state to state, and all have been rewritten in the last 25 years. Depending on the laws of the state in which they are licensed, Brokers provide services through one of six (6) relationships:

#1) Single Agency: A Broker represents only the interests of the Landlord or the Tenant (or the Seller or Buyer) in a transaction, either as the “Listing Agent” for the property or as a “Tenant’s Agent” or a “Buyer’s Agent” for the Occupier. Consumer Advocates maintain that Single Agency is the optimum form of representation. This is The Gold Standard of Representation, especially for Tenants and Owner-Occupants.

#2) Designated Agency: This occurs when a conflict of interest arises within a Brokerage Company and one Broker is in a position to represent both parties on opposite sides of a transaction; for example, the Landlord and the Tenant on lease. To seemingly remove the conflict of interest, the Employing, Sponsoring or Managing Broker of the Brokerage Company separately designates two (2) of his In-house Brokers, one to represent the Landlord and the other to represent the Tenant.

When states require that Employing, Sponsoring or Managing Brokers implement safeguards to protect a Client’s confidential information, academics and Consumer Advocates say that Designated Agency is the next best alternative to Single Agency. But we maintain that there’s a giant drop off between #1 Single Agency Representation versus #2 Designated Agency. That is particularly true for the Tenant, which only needs one lease at a time as compared to a Landlord that requires assistance from its Listing Broker or Landlord’s Agent with multiple leases in a single building or maybe even in multiple buildings in a portfolio.

Colorado offers Designated Agency. In reality, it was creative wiggling by the Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Commercial Brokers to get the Colorado Legislature to exempt them with a pen from having hundreds of troubling, very inconvenient conflicts of interest. You see, when the Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Brokers were previously seeking to represent Tenants, every single one of their property listings was an actual or potential conflict of interest. So the Colorado Legislature gave them just the legal loophole they wanted. In my opinion, you can expect to see this occur in many other states, too.’

#3) Disclosed Dual Agency: This is when a single Broker or two (2) Brokers working for the same Company provide services simultaneously to both the Landlord and Tenant (or the Seller and Buyer) in a limited, reduced agency relationship, which they must disclose to the to Principal Parties to the transaction. However, part of the disclosure is that neither Broker is legally allowed or obligated to represent the best interests of either the Landlord or the Tenant (or the Seller or Buyer).

In states with no provisions for Designated Agency, the single broker or two (2) Brokers affiliated with the same Company may be considered Dual Agent(s). It’s rather like “double agents” in the world of espionage and it’s not a good situation for Landlords and Tenants or Sellers and Buyers because Dual Agents are required to be impartial and cannot act as an advocate for either side of the transaction.

Although controversial even among Real Estate Brokers and Agents, Disclosed Dual Agency does present an opportunity for experienced Landlords and Sellers to negotiate discounted or “variable rate” commissions in advance, primarily because the Landlord or Seller would have to settle for a lesser standard of representation than in a Single Agency relationship.

But for Tenants and Buyers in the US, who don’t pay the commission to their Brokers or Agents, since it’s paid by Landlords or Sellers, what Tenants and Buyers unfortunately receive in Dual Agency situations are lower standards of representation, including zero advocacy.

#4) Transaction Brokers, Facilitators & Intermediaries: Transaction Brokerage occurs when one (1) Broker or two (2) Brokers at the same Brokerage House/Company work with a Landlord or Tenant or a Seller or Buyer in a non-agency, non-advocacy relationship. It may or may not be declared in writing but a Transaction Broker owes no fiduciary duties of loyalty and obedience to a Landlord, Tenant, Seller or Buyer.

A Broker that performs Transaction Brokerage is called, as one might expect, a “Transaction Broker” in some states but a “Facilitator” or “Intermediary” in other states. In Colorado, it’s called a Transaction Broker and in Texas it’s called an Intermediary.

Transaction Brokers, Facilitators and Intermediaries share the same disadvantages as Dual Agents because neither the Landlord nor Tenant (nor the Seller or Buyer) can expect a Broker to represent its best interests during any negotiations. As a result, a Tenant or Buyer working with a Transaction Broker, Facilitator or Intermediary has little latitude to file a claim for professional negligence or ommission by any such Broker.

Another little dirty secret is that some Brokers intentionally dodge having the higher standards and duties owed to a Tenant or Owner-Occupant under a Single Agency relationship and prefer to work as Transaction Brokers, Facilitators or Intermediaries. Why? Because it affords them much more “wiggle room” and greater margin for error, plus it leaves the door wide open for a potential double-dipping down the road.

#5) Providing Ministerial Services to Unrepresented “Customers”: In real estate law, the unrepresented Tenant or Buyer is often called a “Customer.” A Listing Broker for a property may avoid splitting a commission with an outside Cooperating Broker by providing limited administrative services to an unrepresented Tenant or Buyer, i.e. to a Customer. Why? Again, it’s so the Broker can bank a commission on both sides of a transaction.

#6) Subagency: It’s pretty clear that the Listing Broker for a property represents the Landlord or Seller in a declared, usually written agency relationship, called a Listing Agreement.

But in some states, like Texas, without a written or declared agreement, all Brokers and Salespeople who work with Tenants or Buyers are actually legally “Subagents” of the Landlord or Seller’s Listing Broker/Agent for the property.

That’s right.

It means that all of the Brokers involved in a Subagency state like Texas legally owe 100% of their allegiance, loyalty and expertise to the Landlord or Seller. The Tenant or Buyer has no legal representation whatsoever.

In effect, in a Subagency state all of the Brokers can legally gang up against a Tenant or Buyer, if the Tenant or Buyer does not elect to sign up a Tenant or Buyer’s Agent to act as its advocate and to protect and advance its best interests.

Although Subagency was previously a national real estate industry practice in the US until the 1990s, this form of representation has largely fallen out of favor due to lack of protection for The Public/Consumers and the legal liability risks for Brokers, Landlords and Sellers. Nevertheless, Subagency remains the default or beginning legal relationship in a few states where nothing is in writing between a Tenant or Buyer and a Commercial Broker.

Colorado does not allow Subagency but in Texas it’s the default relationship. Unfortunately, Subagency can turn into a bad dream for unrepresented Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants. To be frank, I can’t even believe that Texas and a few other states still allow Subagents.

CONCLUSIONS

Every state in the US provides avenues for Commercial Brokers to double-end deals and double-dip on fees, which is usually the worst-case scenario for Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants.

Of the eight (8) states that ban Dual Agency altogether, four (4) states still allow Designated Agency (Alaska, Colorado, Maryland and Texas); five (5) states allow Transaction Brokerage, Facilitators or Intermediaries (Florida, Colorado, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma); and three (3) states allow both Transaction Brokerage and Designated Agency (Alaska, Colorado and Texas).

Designated Agents, Subagents, Transaction Brokers, Facilitators and Intermediaries, effectively, are all just Dual Agents and double-dipping under different legal names. Certain states’ outlawing of Dual Agency is pretty much an illusion and window dressing to assuage the legitimate concerns of Consumers/The Public.

Designated Agency, in particular, is artful window dressing that quite pleases Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Commercial Brokers, all of which seek to obfuscate and camouflage their numerous Conflicts of Interest. It still allows them to legally double-end deals as an excuse to double-dip on commissions. Dual Agents, Subagents, Designated Agents, Transaction Brokers, Facilitators and Intermediaries do little good for Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants, since none of them are true advocates.

To argue otherwise is disingenuous but traditional, regular Commercial Brokers go out there and do it every day.

This troubling issue for Tenants and Owner-Occupants is critical enough for the Office of General Counsel in the New York Department of State to post a notice to The Public. The warning is titled “Be Wary of Dual Agency” and you can read it for yourself at this link.

Honestly, the more I think about it, it’s obvious that Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Commercial Real Estate Brokers believe that Tenants and Owner-Occupants are naive. And that Occupiers still won’t recognize Conflicts of Interest or do anything about them. At best, the whole thing is confusing, even to licensed Brokers.

Some traditional Brokers still argue adamantly, as long as they disclose double-ending and double-dipping to the Landlord and Tenant or to the Seller and Buyer, then it’s perfectly OK based on the “Everyone Knows About It Theory.”

Here’s a link to a stunning article titled Major US Tenant Files Suit Alleging Multi-state Real Estate Fraud & Bribery Scheme. It’s about what goes wrong when a major Tenant doesn’t take Conflicts of Interest seriously enough and engages a Big Brokerage House accustomed to serving two masters in the same transaction. Letting the fox count the chickens doesn’t usually end well and this story doesn’t.

For Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants, what is the point of working with a Broker, even a friend or acquaintance, if they are not a true advocate sitting on your side of the table? It costs more or less the same to have your own advocate as it does to have a Broker whose loyalty is either totally to the other side or whose hands are severely limited and tied halfway behind his or her back.

This is why true Tenant/Buyer Representatives (“Tenant Reps”), Tenant Brokers, Tenant Rep Brokers, Tenant’s Agents and Buyer’s Agents, like MacLaurin Williams and our colleagues at MacLaurin Williams Worldwide, practice only Single Agency Representation. That is The Gold Standard of Representation. We never consider representing two (2) masters in the same transaction. Just because the law allows (less principled) Commercial Brokers to double-end deals and double-dip on commissions, we strongly believe that it’s highly unethical and we won’t do it.

But, for most Commercial Brokers in the US, double-ending and double-dipping are business as usual.

Author of this article, William Gary, MBA, MIM works at MacLaurin Williams Worldwide and can be reached by +1 303-901-1108 or at wgary@MacLW.com.

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Does Your Commercial Real Estate Property Qualify for Section 110 Construction Allowances?

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate No Comments

Section 110 of the current Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provides an interesting opportunity for commercial tenants and landlords alike. Essentially Section 110, in certain instances, allows commercial tenants to make improvements to their leased workspace with the benefit of not having to recognize income for any cash payments or rent reductions that are expressly identified in the lease as qualified Section 110 allowances. Additionally, under a qualified Section 110 provision, the landlord will be treated as the owner of the constructed improvements and entitled to depreciation deductions as nonresidential real estate.

The purpose of this tax provision is to provide a set of rules for certain construction allowances, in which the tax reporting and treatment will be consistent between the lessor and lessee. It’s important to understand the nuances of Section 110 that determine whether such improvements qualify. Qualified property is nonresidential real estate which is part of, or present at, “retail space,” which property reverts to the lessor at the termination of the lease. The term of the lease must be 15 years or less, applying certain rules.

For most commercial landlords and their tenants, it can be overwhelming to understand how and when it’s appropriate to take advantage of Section 110. If you find that you’re uncertain as to whether your situation qualifies, don’t let this be the reason you forfeit this potential tax break altogether. When used properly, Section 110 can offer a huge benefit to both parties, allowing tenants to enjoy an upgraded, functional workspace, and allowing landlords the ability to improve their commercial property.

Take a moment to answer these questions to determine if your property might qualify under Section 110. To help us answer, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Jim Holland, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to offer insight into qualifying for this tax deduction. *It’s important to keep in mind that these are simplified questions and answers. More details may be necessary to fully assess your situation.

Is my space considered “retail?”

If you leased, occupied or use space in your trade of selling tangible personal property (i.e. products or goods) or services to the general public, this is considered retail space. You qualify!

Am I in a short-term lease?

If your lease, with extensions, is not greater than 15 years in length this is considered a short-term lease. You qualify!

Am I constructing qualified long-term real property for use in my trade or business?

If you construct nonresidential improvements (sec 1250 property vs. sec 1245 property) which revert to the lessor (i.e. landlord or person leasing you the space) at termination of the lease, the answer to this question is yes. You qualify! A note of caution: if the lessor chooses to use a cost-segregation study to reallocate the costs, a different language must be used in the lease agreement.

Who will ultimately own the improvements to the property?

To adhere to the requirements under Section 110, your lease must specifically indicate that the lessor retains ownership of all improvements to the property. In this case…you qualify!

Do I have an official agreement between the tenant and landlord?

If you have obtained a signed agreement, before payment or before the reduction in rent begins, from the lessor to lessee…you qualify!

Will the allowance be expended in the tax year it is received?

If the full amount of your construction allowance is expended within 8 and 1/2 months after the close of the tax year…you qualify!

Will both the landlord and the tenant disclose this information with their tax returns?

In order to fulfill this requirement, you must disclose both the landlord and tenants names, addresses, employer IDs, location, and amount reported on both lessee and lessor tax returns. In doing so…you qualify!

Does the Safe-Harbor Exclusion apply?

If you have met all of the above requirements, the safe-harbor exclusion applies to your situation. You qualify!

As you can see, Section 110 provides a valuable opportunity for commercial tenants and landlords to improve their spaces while each receiving a benefit for doing so. If you meet the requirements, and it makes sense for your situation, taking advantage of the Section 110 tax breaks could open up new possibilities to create the commercial space you’ve dream about having! The most important thing to keep in mind is that you must be aware of the requirements to qualify under Section 110 in order to receive the maximum benefit. Speak to a professional advisor before entering any contract or commitment.

*General Disclaimer: These are simplified answers and your situation may be more complicated. This document is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors.

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How Commercial Real Estate Owners and Investors Can Capitalize on the Co-Working Movement

Posted on May 9, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Office Leasing, Trends No Comments

To younger generations who are making up more and more of our work force every day, work is no longer a physical space, but rather an activity that, for better or worse, can be taken nearly everywhere we go. For this reason, the movement toward co-working spaces has emerged in virtually every city that has a business industry. Co-working is present here in Central Pennsylvania with spaces like the Park and St@rtUp in Harrisburg, the Candy Factory in Lancaster and the Techcelerator in Carlisle, to name just a few.

Even though co-working spaces are present in Central Pennsylvania, the majority of our workplaces are still modeled after the “old” economy assembly line, where workflow was linear and corporate structures were hierarchical. For commercial real estate owners and investors who want to capitalize on the growing demand for co-working spaces, here’s what you need to know.

Understand how the modern day “office” has changed

Foremost, we must take a step back to understand how the modern day “office” has vastly changed from what was desired decades ago. Simply put, stop thinking like a baby boomer! Nearly 10,000 baby boomers retire every year. It’s estimated that millennials will comprise the largest segment of our work force (75 percent to be precise) within the next decade.

If you’re a commercial real estate landlord or investor, you know the importance of understanding your clients’ wants and needs. So let’s examine what millennials want out of an office. First, the word “office” isn’t really appropriate anymore. What’s desired is a workspace that in one instance can provide quiet and solitude for “head-down” work, and the very next moment, provide an energizing and collaborative group work environment. Should it come as a surprise that millennials want it all without having to commit to one style of space? This brings us to the next important point, which is design.

Design spaces that quickly adapt to changing needs

Co-working spaces are high on function and that means being able to quickly adapt to a variety of work situations. In a single day, a business and its employees may need quiet, private work stations where people can work independently; open, collaborative space where people can work in groups; and traditional meeting space where people can meet with clients. Over time, growing businesses also desire the ability to easily accommodate more employees without having to uproot and find a bigger office every few months.

With traditional office space, businesses usually have to settle for dysfunctional work spaces that don’t quite fit the number of employees or their work styles. As a result, employees are less efficient, communication is disjointed and company culture suffers. For those who own or invest in commercial real estate, the focus needs to be on redesigning traditional office space to function more like a co-working space. This means large, open work areas where employees can interact and collaborate. Also, look for furniture that can be easily reconfigured as often as needed to provide more work spaces and private offices for independent work and meetings. These features will be huge selling points for businesses who want an office that will meet their immediate needs as well as grow with them.

Offer shared amenities to attract and retain tenants

The good news about co-working spaces is that people get used to sharing amenities. Multiple businesses working in the same building could all benefit from a shared conference room, snack bar, lounge or gym. While this would be far too much for any one of these businesses to individually afford in their own office, a building that provides all tenants with access to such amenities has quite a leg up over the competition.

Look at how Google and Apple have designed “campuses” for their employees. You can create the same effect out of your office building. Give businesses a place to interact with other businesses. Now you not only offer work space, you offer networking and business development opportunities for all!

Deliver a seamless experience – even if it comes at a premium

By adding luxury amenities to your office building, like mentioned above, you give businesses a seamless experience. Their employees will have incentive to do more at the office, even if that is relaxing, eating or exercising. Best of all, this higher level of employee engagement comes at a premium. Businesses will pay more for office spaces that keep employees happy, healthy and invested in their jobs. When you invest in adding luxury amenities to you work spaces, you will stand out among the competition and be able to charge more for your space.

Focus on building your own brand!

If you want to engage the growing millennial workforce, you need to pay attention to your brand. This demographic is used to polished and prominent branding. If you want to attract them to your office space, you need to present them with a brand worth buying into. Many co-working spaces brand themselves with a trendy name and logo. They have professional websites and a strong social media presence. How does your “brand” compare? Any effort put into properly branding your properties will bring exponential benefits as time goes on.

Which of these tips do you believe is most valuable to commercial real estate owners and investors capitalizing on the growing trend of co-working spaces?

Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below!

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17 New Retail Buildings Under Construction in Central PA

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Trends No Comments

Cost of retail space in Central Pennsylvania continues to climb despite negative absorption and rising vacancy.

If you’ve been paying attention you know that traditional retail space is undergoing a major shift in how and where it’s being used. Many stores have closed their doors and/or have embraced the growth of ecommerce over brick-and-mortar locations.

In Central Pennsylvania, we’re seeing quite a few interesting trends that indicate more change is yet to come. Net absorption plummets further into the negative with just 3 new buildings delivered this quarter. A total of 17 new buildings are under construction which begs the question of how the market will respond when 423,994 square-feet of new space is delivered in the coming months. Though vacancy rate is on the rise, so is the quoted rental rate.

How do these trends tie together and what do they tell us about the future of retail real estate in Central Pennsylvania? Let’s take a closer look.

SELECT TOP UNDER CONSTRUCTION PROPERTIES

Coming in at number five on CoStar’s list of Select Top Under Construction Properties is the Gateway Hanover Shopping Center on Wilson Avenue in Hanover. The 136,193 square-foot Target is expected to be completed in Q3 2017. Number seven on the list is the Crossings at Conestoga Creek in Lancaster. This mixed-use project, anchored by Wegmans, will deliver 90,000 square-feet of unleased retail space in Q4 2018. Coming in at number 14 on the list is the Shoppes on South Queen located at 1701 S. Queen Street in York. The 55,000 square-feet of space, which will be delivered in Q4 2017, is 53% preleased.

SELECT TOP LEASES

Among CoStar’s list of Select Top Leases for Q2, one Central Pennsylvania lease made it to the top 10. Red Rose Commons in Lancaster County leased 43,091 square-feet of retail space to Burlington Coat Factory.

ABSORPTION

Net absorption, which was already in the red from Q1, fell even lower this quarter to negative 268,916 square-feet. This is the greatest square footage of space to be negatively absorbed in any one quarter since Q3 2013. It is also only the fourth time the market has experienced a negative net absorption in four years. Three new retail buildings were delivered this quarter totaling just 43,825 square-feet; however, 17 additional building are under construction with a total of 423,994 square-feet of new space that will be dumped into the market in the coming months.

VACANCY & RENTAL RATES

Vacancy rates raised ever so slightly this quarter, from 4.0% to 4.4%. Even with a negative net absorption and increasing vacancy rates, the quoted rental rate rose in Q2 from $13.10 to $13.58 per square foot. This is a recent record high for vacancy rates that have been almost consistently decreasing since 2013.

What we can learn from the market’s performance in Q2 is that, while retail space nationwide has taken a major blow over the last few years, it’s still in demand. The shift toward ecommerce has changed the landscape of retail real estate, but it has not made it completely irrelevant. New buildings are under construction, retailers are moving into new space and the rising cost per square foot demonstrates the demand exists.

Over the coming months and years, it will be important to watch how retailers strategically place their brick-and-mortar locations and how they rebuild their business model to harness the popularity of ecommerce. The business that will thrive in this new landscape will be ones who embrace change and listen to consumer demand.

What trend in Central Pennsylvania’s retail market do you think will have the largest impact? Share your insight and join in the conversation by leaving a comment below!

Learn more from past market reports:

Amidst Massive Retail Closings, Central PA Commercial Real Estate Continues to Grow

Central PA Experiences Highest Number of Retail Store Closings Since Recession

6 Things Disrupting Commercial Real Estate in 2017

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How Tenant-Only Broker Representation Will Shape the Future of Real Estate

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Tenant Representative/Buyer Agent No Comments

Note: This article was originally published by www.DukeLong.com. Click here to read the original version.

How Tenant-Only Broker Representation Will Shape the Future of Real Estate.

Tenant-only broker representation is quickly growing in popularity and moving into the mainstream of real estate. Now more than ever, people looking for space realize they need a broker to solely represent their interests. It doesn’t take much more proof than to examine the success of the two premier exclusive tenant rep firms that are now part of multi-billion dollar companies. The Staubach Company, founded by Roger Staubach who pioneered the specialty of tenant representation,was acquired by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) and did $6 billion in revenue in 2015.

Studley, another firm offering exclusive tenant representation, was acquired by Savills, a global real estate powerhouse that did £1,283.5 million in revenue in 2015. If this trend continues, and I expect it will, other brokerage firms will need to adjust their practices to provide what clients want – fair and exclusive representation. Here is how I predict tenant representation to shape the future of real estate.

Technology will change the role of a tenant representative, but not replace it.

With technology making it easier than ever for potential tenants and buyers to find available properties, the future role of a tenant representative will be less about helping someone find space. Rather, tenant representatives will be sought out to provide advice, negotiate and exclusively represent the interests of the tenant/buyer.

Successful tenant representatives will use technology to streamline and automate the ways in which they research properties. This will allow them more time to reinvest in providing clients with their expertise and non-conflicting representation.

Large brokerage firms will need to “pick a side.”

In November 2016, the California Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that a listing broker had a fiduciary responsibility to both the buyer and the seller in a “dual agency” transaction. This case dealt with the 2007 sale of a Los Angeles home that was marketed as 15,000 square feet, but in reality was 11,000 square feet. The buyer reasonably felt like the brokerage company had pulled a fast one on him, especially since the house was both listed and sold by Coldwell Banker.

This court decision has potentially far-reaching impact on how commercial and residential real estate brokerages do business. While some may be able to continue doing business as usual and make their disclosures a little more apparent, the large brokerage firms may find it more difficult to do that and still be able to adequately represent both sides of a transaction. Essentially, large brokerage firms will need to pick a side. Will they represent the buyers or the sellers?

I predict we will see more real estate brokers choose to exclusively represent one side or the other so that they don’t risk the appearance of (or real) conflict of interest that just might result in a costly court battle.

Clients will get smart about seeking out exclusive representation.

Potential buyers and tenants are getting smarter about bringing their own representation to the table. Because of recent news stories and court cases, like the one mentioned above, light is finally being shed on the questionable practices of brokerage firms that represent both sides of a real estate deal. In nearly any other industry, this conflict of interest would never fly. Finally, real estate is catching up and buyers and tenants are seeking out exclusive representation to ensure a fair deal.

For many reasons, the growth in tenant-only broker representation is a good thing. It means tenants and buyers are getting equal representation in real estate transactions. It means companies are recognizing the conflict of interest in representing both sides and making changes to offer better transparency and disclosure clients. Finally, the growth in tenant-only broker representation means real estate professionals can and should specialize. People don’t want a Jack of All Trades, they want an expert who exclusively represents one side of a deal.

Note: This article was originally published by www.DukeLong.com. Click here to read the original version.

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Influx of New Construction Impacts Central PA’s Industrial Real Estate Market

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Trends No Comments

In the third quarter, we saw some interesting trends emerging in the local industrial real estate market that appear to be just the beginning of a bigger movement yet to come.

Five new buildings have already been delivered so far in 2016 and there are 11 more buildings under construction with a total RBA of 4,820,849 sqft of space. Furthermore, much of this space is currently unoccupied which will have a big impact on net absorption and vacancy rates, among other things.

Let’s take a look at the most important trends we saw take place in Q3 2016 in the Central Pennsylvania industrial real estate market followed by our analysis of the effect this will have on the market.

Select Year-to-Date Deliveries:

Five of the top 15 Select Year-to-Date Deliveries in the Greater Philadelphia market took place in Central PA. Of these five, two were delivered in Q1 and three were delivered in Q2. None were delivered in Q3. For a quick recap, here are the square footage and occupancy of the buildings that have been delivered in the Central PA market so far this year:

139 Fredericksburg Road (Lebanon Valley Distribution Center), 874,126 sqft and 0% occupied
545 Old Forge Road, 500,000 sqft and 0% occupied
10874 2^nd Amendment Drive (Susquehanna Logistics Center), 423,300 sqft and 100% occupied
192 Kost Road, 422,400 sqft and 0% occupied
501 Old Forge Road (LogistiCenter 78-81), 405,000 sqft and 100% occupied (in the Q4)

Top Under-Construction Properties:

A large construction project broke ground this quarter in Central PA. United Business Park, located off Interstate 81 in Southampton Township plans to add 1,491,600 sqft of industrial space to the market by Q2 2017. This is one of two distribution centers that combined will offer about 2.7 million sqft of space in Franklin County. New Jersey-based Matrix Development Group is among the most active industrial developers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Sheetz will be the first tenant in this space in this space and they hope to offer other large companies like Proctor and Gamble who want to efficiently reach the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic populations.

Select Top Sales

Four of the nine Select Top Sales in the Greater Philadelphia Market between July 2015 and September 2016 have taken place here in Central PA. Though none have taken place specifically in Q3, here is a quick recap of the building that have been sold during this time:

1 True Temper Drive (Carlisle), 1,226,515 sqft for $90,150,000
234 Walnut Bottom Road – Park 81 (Shippensburg), 1,495,720 sqft for $83,000,000
100 Louis Parkway (Carlisle), 400,596 sqft for $28,850,000
1225 S Market Street (Mechanicsburg), 596,703 sqft for $21,350,000

Absorption and Demand:

This quarter, net absorption fell drastically from 164,650 sqft (Q2) to 28,978 sqft. Though still in the black, this is the lowest number we’ve seen for net absorption since Q2 2013 when it dipped into the red at negative 683,020 sqft. Only one building was delivered this quarter with an RBA of 165,800 sqft which is currently not occupied. Additionally, 11 buildings are under construction with a total RBA of 4,820,849 sqft of new space coming to the market soon. From what we’ve seen in the Top Under-Construction properties in the Q3 CoStar report, many of these are 0% occupied at this time. Should more unoccupied space hit the market, we could expect to see net absorption decrease even further, possibly dipping into the red.

Vacancy & Rental Rate:

The vacancy rate remained the same this quarter at 5.4% after its big increase from Q1 to Q2 where it jumped 0.6% to the highest rate we’ve seen since Q4 2014. Given the projects under construction, we might expect this to increase further in the coming quarters as these properties are delivered. While vacancy stayed steady, the quoted rental rate decreased by 1 cent to $4.29 per square foot.

Our Summary:

Construction activity continues to be one of the prime drivers of the Central Pennsylvania industrial market. Speculative construction currently accounts for 70.5 percent of all construction projects. New construction has created opportunities for tenants in a market that has otherwise been difficult to enter. As developers noticed requirements are larger than quality options in the market, speculative projects broke ground to meet the needs of the active requirements.

Moving forward for the remainder of 2016, speculative construction will continue to exceed build-to-suit projects. While demand continues to be strong, a large volume of construction has delivered vacant this year, likely causing market conditions to shift to tenant favorable by 2018 due to large increases in Class A inventory and pending economic slowdown.

Based upon the data for Central PA’s industrial real estate market in Q3 2016, what do you find to be most interesting or important? Share your insight by commenting below!

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Central Pennsylvania’s Retail Real Estate Market Experiences Record-Setting Quarter

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Trends No Comments

This quarter has posted some of the highest and lowest numbers we have seen since 2012. In Central Pennsylvania’s local retail real estate market, vacancy rate is low, rental rate is high and both net absorption and total RBA have increased. But overall, what does this tell us about the state of our economy and what we can expect in future quarters?

Let’s take a closer look at some of the record-setting numbers we experienced in Central Pennsylvania’s retail real estate market in 2016’s second quarter and what they mean to the health of the economy.

Select Year-to-Date Deliveries:

Coming in at number three on the list of select year-to-date deliveries is the retail property located at I-81 and Walker Road in Chambersburg. Phase I and II, delivered in Q1 2016, total 109,237 square-feet of space that is 92% leased (44,000 square-feet with 4,400 square-feet vacant). Some of the major tenants include Kohl’s, Target, Giant, Red Robin, Staples, PetSmart, Michael’s, Olive Garden, VisionWorks, ATT&T and many more. Palisades Development, LLC are currently processing LOIs for the remaining space. Phase III is planned and construction will proceed when leasing warrants.

At number 15 on CoStar’s list, is another Palisades Development, LCC retail property located at 968 Norland Avenue in Chambersburg. This 10,800 square-foot building is 100% occupied and was also delivered in Q1 2016.

Select Top Retail Leases:

On the list of Select Top Retail Leases, Harrisburg area east claimed the top spot. Listed at number one is the Harrisburg East Shopping Center with 69,954 square-feet of space. Although not listed by CoStar’s as a “Select Top Retail Lease” for this quarter, plans are in place for the Giant currently in Colonial Commons, to make a move 0.2 miles down Jonestown Road to the Harrisburg East Shopping Center into the retail space formerly occupied by Gander Mountain. This will provide more space for Giant and is already attracting additional retail businesses nearby including a CVS Pharmacy and potentially a fast-casual restaurant, reports KIMCO, owner of the shopping center.

Select Top Sales:

Only one of the nine Select Top Sales from April 2015-June 2016 is from the Central Pennsylvania submarket. The Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace sold for $44,000,000 to Clarion Partners. With an RBA of 110,365 square-feet, this came at a cost of $398.68 per square foot.

Additionally, the West Porte Center, listed by CoStar as a Select Top Retail Lease, is more accurately represented as a sale. PennDOT purchased 67,126 square-feet of land for a new Amtrak station in Middletown that is expected to be finished in 2018. This is estimated to be a $32 million project which will include features like a covered pedestrian bridge to provide direct access to Penn State Harrisburg’s campus.

Absorption and Demand:

Net absorption increased this quarter from 64,467 square-feet (in Q1) to 110,449 square-feet, currently. Total RBA also increased, though just slightly, from 88,822,714 square-feet (in Q1) to 88,854,312 square-feet, currently. Six buildings were delivered with a total RBA of 31,598 square-feet. Additionally, five buildings are under construction.

Vacancy:

This quarter, the vacancy rate decreased by 0.1% to 4.7%. This once again matches the vacancy rate of Q4 2015, which is the lowest rate the Central PA submarket has experienced since prior to Q3 2012.

Rental Rate:

The quoted rental rate increased this quarter by $0.11 to $12.00. This is the highest price per square-foot the local retail real estate market has experienced since prior to Q3 2012.

Our Summary/Analysis:

Q2 2016 provided to be an exciting and record-setting quarter for Central Pennsylvania’s retail real estate market. We experienced a recent record low for vacancy rate at 4.7% and a recent record high for quoted rental rate at $12.00 per square-foot. These two trends go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise they would correlate together.

Another positive indicator for the health of the retail real estate market is the increase in net absorption and total RBA. Though neither were record-setting per se, net absorption nearly doubled in a single quarter which is impressive in its own right. It’s safe to say that the market is growing in demand, increasing in price and is able to absorb the new buildings that have been delivered.

What trend do you think will have the greatest impact on the Central Pennsylvania retail market? Share your insight by commenting below!

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ABC’s of Commercial Real Estate: What you need to know about each classification of office space

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, CPBJ Articles, Office Leasing No Comments

Note: This article was originally published by the Central Penn Business Journal. Click here to read the original version.

You are likely aware that there are different classifications of office space, specifically Class A, B and C. But what qualities determine the letter associated with any given commercial property? Is it the location, the layout, the finishes or the amenities?

The answer is it has to do with all of these things! The classification of office space is very important to keep in mind both as a real estate investor and as a business tenant. Your budget and use of the space will help determine the class best suited for your needs. When looking to rent or buy commercial real estate, you can save a lot of time and frustration by teaming up with an experienced tenant representative or buyer agent who can advise you on the most appropriate class.

Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of each of the three classifications of office real estate!

Class A

Overview: As you might expect by the name, Class A office space is considered extremely desirable investment-grade properties and command the highest rents or sale prices compared to other buildings in the same market. These buildings are in prime locations with efficient tenant layouts that function as well as they look. Some Class A office space is an architectural or historical landmark designed by prominent architects. Simply put, Class A office space is for the renter or investor who wants the highest level of quality and convenience and is willing to pay a premium for it.

Pros: With Class A office space, you know you’re getting the best – the best location, layout, finishes and amenities. You are likely to have other desirable businesses as your “neighbors” in the same building which can increase the value of your space. You can also rest assured knowing the space will be well maintained for the premium price, meaning less headaches or inconveniences for you in the long run.

Cons: This class of space comes with the highest rent or sale prices. You may also have less negotiation power since the space you’re getting is usually in top condition with every advantage to drive the price high – including many businesses who are eager to jump on the space if you don’t.

How It Relates to the Local Market: The Central Pennsylvania submarket has 93 existing buildings that are classified as Class A. Combined, that’s a total RBA of 8,820,990 square-feet. After submarkets Philadelphia CBD/Non-CBD and Southern New Jersey, Central PA is the submarket with the lowest vacancy rate in CoStar’s Philadelphia Office Market Area, coming in at 9.9% in first quarter 2016. The average asking rental rate for this the first quarter is $19.78 which is the third lowest rate in the market area.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that just because two buildings are both considered Class A, does not mean they are equal. This is all the more reason to work with an experienced tenant representative who can help you find the best space at the best price to meet your needs. Just take a look at the example of these two buildings in the Central PA submarket below. Both are Class A, but for which property would you be willing to pay the premium price?

Class A Office Space located at 100 Sterling Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA

Class A Office Space located at 3 Crossgate Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA

Class B

Overview: Class B office space is a step down from Class A space in its location, design, quality and amenities. As such, this space carries a lower price tag. Class B buildings offer utilitarian space without special attractions and have “ordinary” design, compared to Class A. These buildings typically have average to good maintenance, management and tenants. They are less appealing to tenants than Class A properties, and may be deficient in a number of respects including floor plans, condition and facilities. They lack prestige and must depend chiefly on a lower price to attract tenants and investors.

Pros: Since Class B office space is “middle of the road” for the classes, you have the advantage of getting a better work environment than Class C for a price that’s less expensive than Class A. As an owner or investors of Class B space, you’re likely to find many tenants whose budget and expectations align best with Class B space.

Cons: On the flip side, Class B space has several drawbacks to consider for the cost savings. It’s not likely to be in as prime of a location as Class A nor have the same amenities and quality of finishes. You may find the layout to be less convenient and the building and its other tenants to be “less prestigious” than Class A.

How It Relates to the Local Market: The Central Pennsylvania submarket has 1,303 existing buildings that are classified as Class B. Combined, that’s a total RBA of 28,378,254 square-feet. With a vacancy rate of 7.7% in first quarter 2016, it is the lowest of any submarket in CoStar’s Philadelphia Office Market Area though it’s average asking rental rate is only the third least expensive at $17.36, coming in higher than I-81 Corridor and Southern New Jersey. If you find it overwhelming to understand and interpret the local market trends, a tenant representative/buyer agent can guide you with knowledge and expertise. He or she knows how these trends impact demand and pricing and can use it as leverage to help you negotiate the best deal.

Here are two examples of Class B office space so you can see the variations within a single class.

Class B Office Space located at 200 N. Third St., Harrisburg, PA

Class B Office Space located at 204 S. 3rd St., Boiling Springs, PA

Class C

Overview: Class C office space describes buildings that generally qualify as no-frills, older buildings that offer basic space and command the lowest rents or sale prices compared to other buildings in the same market. Such buildings typically have below-average maintenance and management, and could have mixed or low tenant prestige. Things like inferior elevators, mechanical or electrical systems help reduce the cost, but also increase the possible headache for tenants. These buildings lack prestige and must depend chiefly on a lower price to attract tenants and investors.

Pros: The biggest benefit of Class C office space is its low price in comparison to Class A and B. If you’re looking for a simple and understated work space with zero frills, Class C might be a great option to help you stick within your budget while still gaining the space you need to grow your business.

Cons: When looking at Class C space, you need to keep your expectations in check. This is the lowest of the classes and likely to be the least desirable work conditions as well. There may be things that need obvious repair, the building and its location may leave a lot to be desired and your neighboring tenants are not likely to be prestigious businesses. Having said that, sometimes you can get lucky and find a Class C space in an area that still has “good bones” and a lot to offer the right business. It’s always important to keep an open mind, especially when working with a limited budget!

How It Relates to the Local Market: The Central Pennsylvania submarket has 2,162 existing buildings that are classified as Class C. Combined, that’s a total RBA of 16,600,363 square-feet. With a vacancy rate of 5.1% in first quarter 2016, Central PA has the second to lowest vacancy rate in CoStar’s Philadelphia Office Market Area. It’s average asking rental rate for the first quarter is $14.99 which is the second lowest only to I-81 Corridor.

Again, here are two examples of Class C office space so you can see the variations within a single class. Depending upon your requirements, Class C office space might be just what you need, but make sure you work with a real estate broker who exclusively represents tenants and buyers to ensure you’re getting a fair and favorable deal!

Class C Office Space located at 4655 Linglestown Rd, Harrisburg, PA

Class C Office Space located at 1505 Market St., Camp Hill, PA

What other questions do you have about the different classifications of commercial office space? Ask by commenting below!

Note: This article was originally published by the Central Penn Business Journal. Click here to read the original version.

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