As part of the 2020 IMN Real Estate Private Equity Funds Virtual Forum, Yardi had the unique opportunity to participate in several panel discussions and share thoughts on trends in technology and investment management. In one session, “Meeting the Challenges of Fund Administration, Investor Reporting & Transparency,” Scott Tavolacci, Yardi regional director of global solutions, moderated the conversation. As Tavolacci noted, it seems that roughly 10 years ago the hedge fund space and the private equity space expanded into fund administrators and real estate may have been a bit behind. However, recently the real estate sector has picked up speed in this sense, and as Jeff Bush said, over the last five years, he’s seen a lot of real estate managers and firms thinking about and questioning fund raising and outsourcing practices every time they find a deal. Bush, president of Standish Real Estate Services Group, believes that the real estate industry is often taking the approach of seeing what works best in other sectors, mitigating risk or mistakes potentially along the way. Technology has played a major role in all aspects of fund administration as it does for just about all walks of business. Usage has only increased with the mass exodus away from the traditional office during the pandemic. The ability to use portals to access information in real time and make transactions on the go is vital, for anyone from investors to fund administrators. Beyond that, it’s important to have a connected solution that brings together all office functionality from accounting in the back office to investor relations with front office management. Real estate traditionally lagged behind in terms of tech usage, but the pandemic has expedited tech adoption while still keeping the focus on the value of data. Platforms are providing more secure and reliable ways to access and relay data between entities without any time-consuming or error-prone manual effort to aggregate data from disparate sources. In “Using Technology to Improve Efficiency & Returns,” Chris Barbier, Yardi industry principal for investment management, explained that while advanced tech has become a prominent focus for the industry, it was the more basic requirements that were in high demand earlier during the pandemic. “Starting with payables, people were going into the office, picking up the check printer and bringing it home with them. You would think some of these payables processes would be pretty basic, but as the workforce went remote, we saw this was an area of need to adopt some technologies,” Barbier said. Departments such as accounts receivables also saw a major uptick in tech usage. A large part of this was due to the volume of people who need visibility to data and reports, from accountants to property managers to CFOs to portfolio managers. Without basic data sharing and connectivity between departments, remote work would not have been nearly as successful as it has been this year. There was initially a significant level of uncertainty surrounding workforces transitioning to work from home environments, as both panel discussions touched on. Several panelists noted, however, that fears of lack of productivity hardly materialized, as companies adopted tech at higher rates than ever before and employees proved that remote work is feasible long term. On the investor side, the importance of communication has been highlighted throughout the year. “Investors want to know quickly what is going on with their portfolio and investments, so we’re seeing an uptick in tech adoption for better communication with investors to provide them information they’re looking for,” Barbier added. “It’s really interesting to see how investors are doing due diligence virtually, where a lot of that really wasn’t happening before,” said Barbara Rea, founder of Rea Advisory Group. Traditionally, investors expected to come in and meet in person, build some trust and forge a stronger relationship. With that being taken away this year, lenders and investors are relying on technology such as virtual meetings, a rare...
Realcomm | IBcon
CRE changes coming
Due to unique challenges this year, the 2020 Realcomm | IBcon Conference changed to a new hybrid format with two days of virtual sessions followed by a day of in-person sessions. As part of the virtual event, Yardi president and founder Anant Yardi participated in the opening session panel, as well as a thought leadership discussion with other industry software providers. Mr. Yardi’s vision for the future of the commercial real estate industry was optimistic, while stating the importance of businesses adapting to a new normal. In the opening session, “#COVID.RE.Economy.Technology.NewNormal,” he reflected on the difference between gathering 2,500 people in one venue at the last Realcomm conference in June 2019, versus a virtual environment over two full days of content in October 2020. “I yearn for those times when we were able to be face to face,” he stated. “But we understand change, we recalibrate and navigate that change.” Property owners and managers are likely to have some concern over whether tenants will need their space at the end of the lease, but enterprise corporations such as Microsoft and Exxon are leading the way on hybrid work models, which may be the new normal. Workers could access the office at some points during the week for team collaboration and then continue to function normally from remote environments, be it at home or a shared coworking location. For those companies seeking more space, often satellite offices, Mr. Yardi sees a trend where clients search available sublease space or sections of coworking offices to bring workers back into a collaborative environment. A significant challenge for the future of the office sector is occupancy levels. While a majority of tenants have managed to successfully pay rent and offices are slowly beginning to reopen, capacity restrictions and...
Office Space Survey
Tenants Still Find Value
The findings of the first BOMA International COVID-19 Commercial Real Estate Impact Study reveal that the death of the office is greatly exaggerated. While many tenants are reassessing the use and the size of their physical offices, a strong majority (74%) see their in-person office space as vital to conducting successful business. The nationwide survey of more than 3,000 office space decisions-makers and influencers gauged tenant sentiments relating to COVID-19, including its impact on their business and their attitude towards the physical work environment and office space decisions going forward. It was conducted in September and October of 2020 in conjunction with Brightline Strategies, with a grant from Yardi. The study’s key findings include: 65% of commercial office decision-makers continue to see significant value in on-site business operations, particularly as it relates to collaboration, coaching and culture. The economic headwinds on office tenants are far reaching, with 33% of respondents saying they have experienced at least a 25% revenue decline since the onset of the pandemic. While a strong majority see office space as vital, 61% of respondents across all tenant sizes report they will reassess space needs. 78% approve of the response their current property owner/operator has implemented during COVID-19. 47% of all tenants say their landlord’s coronavirus response exclusively has made them more likely to renew. 77% are confident they understand how to reduce and manage risk in their physical office. At the outset of the survey, 55% of respondents said they plan to renew their leases, unsurprisingly lower than the Brightline Strategies six-year national index of 78%. However, renewal likelihood increases 11 points — rising to 66% — if properties implement operational changes including new services, features and physical spaces in response to the pandemic. This uptick indicates a true inflection point, showing that a change in operations helps assure and retain tenants. Maximization of fresh air is the “most important” measure for properties to adopt, according to tenants. Additionally, more than 40% of respondents indicated that they would pay supplementary fees for disinfecting stations and twice-daily full office disinfecting. The collective sentiment toward amenities is changing too. There is less focus on traditional built-ins, like onsite gyms and cafes. Almost half say they are seeing more value in personal relationships with their property management company/teams. “Our collective charge was to help owners and operators better understand, mitigate and proactively address emerging industry trends, shifts in workplace priorities and tenant preferences resulting from COVID-19, as well as changes in market attitudes towards the physical work environment and their impacts on office space decisions going forward,” said Robert Teel, vice president of global solutions, at Yardi. Although COVID-19 continues to be a disruptive force for the office sector and its tenants, the value of the office as a key ingredient of business success remains strong. “We have seen a steady and significant rebound in the perceived value and utility of physical office environments since the onset of the pandemic, with nearly 75% of all tenant decision-makers across the country affirming that in-person offices are operationally vital to their businesses, long-term growth and sustainability,” said Henry H. Chamberlain, APR, FASAE, CAE, president and COO of BOMA International. “As our ‘new normal’ emerges, we will become increasingly focused on the form and function of office environments in a post-pandemic world.” Explore more survey data in the BOMA International COVID-19 Commercial Real Estate Impact Study executive summary, including renewal forecasts and space reduction estimates by renewal horizon. Read the press...
Flexibility Holds Key...
For future of CRE
COVID-19 has had a jarring impact on commercial real estate in the form of health risks, stunted growth prospects, permit and construction delays, reduced income for property owners and the acceleration of e-commerce at the expense of physical stores, among other disruptions. The pandemic precipitated what global management consultant firm McKinsey & Company calls “an unprecedented crisis for the real estate industry.” What will the CRE landscape look like when the pandemic fades? For one thing, new building codes designed to limit the risk of future pandemics could affect standards for HVAC, square footage per person and amount of enclosed space. Office building tenants will almost certainly be driven “to look beyond their traditional building preferences. In this new environment, tenants will gravitate towards the properties that best solve for flexibility, adaptability, and well-being,” according to Erin Saven and Evan Danchenka of Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm. Maria Sicola, a founding partner of real estate planning services provider CityStream Solutions and sales and training consultant Integrity Data Solutions, believes tenants will likely make their space “more personalized and less communal – we will likely not return to all-private offices and fancy conference rooms. But all space – personal and meeting — will need to be viewed with more breathing room.” And, of course, cleanliness will command more attention than ever. Commercial Property Executive predicts that “some products and techniques that have been used in medical office buildings and in hospitals are going to be brought to the office sector,” such as microbe-resistant door handles and elevator buttons and sanitation with ultraviolet light. Amenities as differentiators Building owners and developers, for their part, would be well advised to explore “new real estate design strategies that can differentiate them from the competition and...
Did COVID-19 Spark
A Renewables Renaissance?
Some industries, such as technology and online media, are doing well amid COVID-19, even as the pandemic cuts a swath through virtually every public health, political, social and economic structure. Other segments of the economy, such as travel and hospitality, face a perilous future. And what about the vital energy sector? Before the pandemic hit, energy demand was projected to grow 12% between 2019 and 2030, as developing nations broadened their power generation capacities. But COVID-19 “has brought the generation of energy from fossil fuels to breaking point,” says the World Economic Forum, with global energy demand declining by 5% in 2020. Despite a larger population and world economy, demand in 2050 will be about the same as it is today, according to risk management and quality assurance experts DNV GL, due partly to the effects of COVID-19. “The scale of the fall in demand, the speed of change, and how widespread it has been have generated a radical shift that seems to be more than a temporary short-term drop in demand for fossil fuels, at least in the power sector,” Nelson Mojarro, a World Economic Forum advisor, said in June. That development has opened the door for renewable energy generation to play an even more prominent role on the world energy scene. Renewables, including solar, whose cost has fallen by 82% over a decade, are the lowest-cost source of new power generation, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. That trend is expected to hold over the foreseeable future. And COVID-19, Mojarro says, “has had a game-changing effect in accelerating the clean energy transition in the power sector.” Within 10 weeks of the start of widespread lockdowns, according to data compiled by the International Energy Agency, the U.S. increased its renewable energy consumption...
Opposite Outlooks
For Industrial and Office sectors
It’s a tale of two outlooks for the industrial and office real estate sectors, reported the experts from Yardi Matrix and CommercialEdge in a commercial real estate webinar presented on Nov. 11. As the end of 2020 nears, each market has a different trajectory. For owners and investors in the office sector, the full impact of the pandemic and its impact on the way employees work, especially in the knowledge and technology sectors, has yet to be unveiled. Major office properties tend to operate on long leases, so while rent remittance has been generally solid this year, as leases come to term in 2021 things could change. The big question, said Yardi Matrix vice president Jeff Adler, is what use of office space looks like in the future. One thing 2020 has taught us is that it likely doesn’t look like the old model of spending five days a week in a cubicle. “There is a re-evaluation of ‘what is the purpose of space?’ Was the purpose of that space that people got things done there? Or was it a culture purpose? If it was simply to do a task, it’s become clear that task can likely be done at home. How space is used, why space exists and why you need it in the first place is going to be reimagined,” Adler said. “What kind of office footprint do you actually need to achieve the business goals that you have?” The answers to those questions will determine the floorplans and lease terms of offices post-pandemic. Also at play: where they’re located (public transit use is still dramatically decreased) and how many workers will come to the office on any given day. Right now, going back to a 5-day office work week seems highly...
Office Re-entry
Updates from Service Providers
The topic of safely re-entering the workplace has now been top of mind for over half a year. While some businesses are still closed and employees are working remotely, there are a growing number of offices who have decided to open their doors following local safety guidelines. On a recent BOMA webinar, a group of service providers ranging from software vendors to elevator engineers to wholesale suppliers discussed best practices for ensuring employee health and safety while successfully reopening their physical spaces. Brian Sutherland, Yardi industry principal, detailed some trends that Yardi has seen based off research from CommercialEdge: Office vacancy is currently at 10-15%. Since April, subleasing is up 35% as tenants try to either downsize or upsize for distancing purposes. New construction is down 40% from the previous year among office assets. Office demand is changing: f leasing terms, private office demand and suburban models are all growing. Rent is being paid, but physical occupancy is at risk: landlords are considering whether long-term leases are sustainable or whether tenants will not need the space they’re paying for. Only about 12% of New York City workers are back in office, as of latest estimates. There are specific questions to analyze when considering a move back into the office. Employees who want to confidently re-enter the workspace are asking how to accurately report health status updates and how to stay connected with colleagues. Office managers, on the other hand, are tasked with ensuring a safe and orderly re-entry while assessing how to limit available workspace to promote health and safety and follow guidelines. Landlords want to encourage tenants to return to the office, but they first need to understand their tenants’ use and occupancy of the space. In order to help answer some of...
Arcadia
Expands with Yardi IM
Arcadia Management Group has expanded its use of the Yardi product line with Yardi Investment Manager. Arcadia will continue to grow its service offerings to be a one-stop shop for investment and property management operations. Investment Manager will take the investment side of Arcadia’s business model to the next level for third-party clients as well as investors and strategic partners. The accessible online portal provides a secure way for investors to retrieve investment and portfolio metrics and related documents anywhere, from any device. Arcadia will be able to automate the subscription agreement process and easily view and track all key fundraising milestones. “Investment Manager provides internal stakeholders with an intuitive, easy to understand view into our most complex deals and joint ventures. The user-friendly online portal gives our investors and external partners timely access to data they need, which allows us to further expand our fund management offerings,” said Gary Shaw, president of Arcadia. With Investment Manager, Arcadia continues to increase efficiency by leveraging industry-leading technology. It will provide a platform for internal collaboration and investor transparency. This will allow Shaw and his team to expand and improve client relationships and service. “We are very excited that Arcadia has chosen Yardi to expand their investment management services, and we look forward to further empowering Arcadia’s growth and success,” said Robert Teel, senior vice president of global solutions for Yardi. Download a brochure to learn more about Yardi Investment Manager. About Arcadia Established in 1986, Arcadia Management Group is based in Phoenix, Arizona and manages over 40 million square feet of commercial real estate across the United States. Arcadia’s business model is unique in that the company’s core business is third-party property management services. This management-centric approach, without internal brokerage or leasing, makes Arcadia attractive...
Office Update
From CommercialEdge
With office listing rates falling, vacancies increasing and new development slowing, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. office market is showing clearly after several months’ delay. The latest data, collected in the National Office Report from CommercialEdge powered by Yardi, shows that the national average full-service equivalent listing rate fell 25 cents in September from the previous month, to $38.07. This was a 0.5% decrease from the same period last year. The national vacancy rate increased 30 basis points month-over-month to 13.6%. “Listing rates have remained relatively sticky during the pandemic, with rates not decreasing concurrent with falling demand,” states the report. “The long-term nature of office leases coupled with a lack of potential tenants gives owners no incentive to dramatically lower rates at the current time.” Meanwhile, the amount of new office stock under construction has fallen steadily throughout the year. Only 24 of the top 75 markets analyzed have more square feet under construction than at the start of 2020. “As it becomes increasingly clear that things will not return to normal until a vaccine is made widely available, developers have not been replacing completed properties with new construction,” states the report. Gain all the insight in the October National Office Report from the research experts at CommercialEdge. CommercialEdge provides extensive property data that includes transaction, ownership and debt information, offering nationwide coverage across all commercial real estate asset types. Use the platform to uncover vital market data and get insights with the latest lease and sale listings. Want more key takeaways? Join the Office National Outlook webinar set for Wednesday, Nov. 11. Yardi Matrix vice president Jeff Adler and team will lead an informative presentation of the current trends and what to expect...
YASC Global
Fall 2020 event recap
October 20-22, Yardi provided three days of education, training, inspiration and support to clients during the YASC Global conference. The expansion of the online event to attendees worldwide, building on a U.S.-focused event held in May, was well received. Over 20,000 attendees, representing more than 2,500 companies from 58 countries, took 45,000 courses over 72 hours. The event was hosted on the Yardi Aspire learning platform. Anant Yardi, founder and president of Yardi, delivered an introduction to the event and remarked on the rapid adaptations real estate professionals have made worldwide. “Last year we had six different conferences: Washington, D.C., San Diego, London, Dubai, Singapore and Sydney. They were festive occasions where we had the opportunity to meet and greet you. Today, things have changed,” Mr. Yardi said. “We now work from home. We no longer meet face to face, but through digital media. And as all of this is going on, we yearn for those good old days. I don’t know about you, but it sure is nice to meet face to face. And we look forward to the day when we can do that.” But to help deal with the “new normal” that the real estate industry now faces, Yardi has continued to expand its product suites to assist with remote business management, data transparency, social distancing, working from home and much more. These features augment the business and accounting features that have made Yardi the go-to technology provider for real estate over the last 40 years. Product spotlights During YASC Spotlight sessions, clients heard from Yardi executives about the development and progress of product suites, including Affordable Housing, Commercial, Investment Management, Multifamily, Senior Living, and Public Housing. There were also regional updates for international clients from Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Europe and the Middle East. “Through a single connected solution, we remain focused on providing a set of products and services that have a real impact on your property operations and property performance. These products help to create transparency and efficiencies in the interest of reducing risk, reducing expenses, increasing revenues and increasing property values,“ said John Pendergast, senior vice president at Yardi. Products highlighted for multifamily operators were RENTCafé Reach search marketing; Marketing IQ, a new marketing analytics product; RENTCafé Self-Guided Tours, which allows socially distanced property tours; RENTCafé Chat IQ, an automated marketing assistant using AI and machine learning; Maintenance IQ; Asset IQ; and the Procure to Pay suite. “There have been some dramatic changes. Remote working, asset distress, residents and tenants’ ability to pay rent, and a real focus on data have been part of our conversations with clients both big and small, operational or institutional ownership. The challenges are common across the different platforms and client perspectives,” shared Richard Malpica, vice president and general manager, Eastern region for Yardi, in the investment management spotlight. While different commercial real estate sectors have been affected uniquely, data visibility and the ability to access operational data have been especially important to investors and operators alike. The Investment Management product suite provides tools to deliver data transparency, risk exposure analysis and real time reporting that investors are seeking now. “Though we have incredible optimism about the next 18 months, it is important that we acknowledge the hardship that many of you have faced in a personal and professional manner,” said Rob Teel, senior vice president at Yardi, in the commercial product spotlight. “I want to assure you that Yardi has passionately contributed philanthropically and to professional trade organizations to help with a global rebound from this crisis.” Commercial clients learned about the latest updates to the Yardi Commercial Suite, including Yardi Elevate, which sits on top of Yardi Voyager and provides operational tools to drive performance and gain operational visibility. Leasing, forecasting, deals, retail tenants and construction projects all have specialized management modules and reporting oversight within Yardi Elevate. Its real time informational visibility has been especially beneficial...
New ENERGY STAR report
Renewable Energy Usage Up
An ongoing series of research reports from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) details information from the hundreds of thousands of buildings who use ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager to track energy usage. The latest report focuses on renewable energy and trends in energy metering and efficiency tracking. Onsite renewable energy systems The report studies data from over 260,000 properties, determining that less than 1% (2,447 properties) are currently generating onsite renewable energy. However, even with this low total, the use of onsite renewables has increased ten-fold in the last decade. Among the most common property types who do generate renewable energy are retail stores, K-12 schools and offices. Schools and worship facilities account for the largest number as a percentage of their total properties, still only representing 2.4% each. By comparison, only half a percent of multifamily housing properties have implemented renewable systems. Where are these systems most commonly found? According to the study, California leads the way by a wide margin with nearly 1,000 properties. That number represents more than the next 10 highest states combined. Because the source energy conversion factor is lower for onsite renewable energy, these properties have higher ENERGY STAR scores by a significant margin compared to all properties (74 to 59). Data also shows that 55% of these buildings meet less than a quarter of their electrical consumption from onsite renewables. Metering challenges and considerations There are three primary types of meters that customers use, determined by local utility company standards and building electrical systems. The report dives into the types of meters, what information they do or do not provide and how this impacts energy benchmarking and efficiency goals. Net meters spin forward or backward showing net consumption of power, but do not tell you what was imported or exported. Bi-directional meters tell you how much energy was imported and how much renewable energy was exported. The least common, dual meters have two devices, one to measure import and another for export. The main billing issue, as described in the study, is that only reporting net consumption makes it challenging to benchmark energy performance. To assess this accurately, you need all energy use, regardless of source. Portfolio Manager accurately incorporates onsite renewables into efficiency calculations. Developers may be willing to retrofit older meters with newer versions in order to capture renewable energy generated onsite exported back to the grid and the amount of grid energy sent to the building. The report goes into further detail about renewable energy certificates, inaccurate billing and metering practices, and thoroughly explains the flow chart connecting energy, meter and property. While the total number of buildings reporting onsite renewable energy continues to grow, it still represents a fraction of total properties. Data will become more available to customers as more meters support accurate measurement of onsite renewable energy. Until then, it’s hard to paint a detailed picture of efficiency and even harder to invest in a mix of strategies to achieve great energy use...
Realcomm | IBcon
Yardi Sponsors Hybrid Event
Yardi is proud to be the Diamond Plus Elite Sponsor of the first Realcomm | IBcon hybrid conference. Due to the unique and challenging circumstances this year, the event will begin October 26 in a virtual setting with in-person sessions starting October 28 at the Marriott Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo. This premier event hosts hundreds of commercial and corporate real estate executives to discuss technology, automation and innovation. As part of the event, Yardi will have numerous speaking opportunities: Monday, October 26 Senior director Arjun Rao will host a CEO/COO roundtable discussion titled “The Future of Office Leasing: Challenges and Opportunities Explored,” focusing on leasing, demand for space in urban and suburban markets, as well as key factors for restructuring leases. A CIO roundtable focused on the outlook for private equity and the impact of technology on big spend will be hosted by Rob Teel, senior vice president of global solutions. Teel will also participate in a Realcomm LIVE interview to discuss current trends in the real estate industry. Founder and president Anant Yardi will join global thought leaders sharing their visions for the future of real estate technology, the economy and the workplace experience beyond the pandemic. Tuesday, October 27 Anant Yardi will join a panel titled “Industry Leaders Weigh in on Surviving and Thriving in Uncertain Times” to discuss how the real estate industry is trying to define the new normal. Wednesday, October 28 Brian Sutherland, industry principal for commercial, will also take part in a Realcomm LIVE interview session to discuss Yardi’s position in commercial real estate during the pandemic. Check out the full conference agenda, which will be updated continuously as more speakers and sessions are added. Visit Realcomm for more information or to register for the...
Advanced Wireless
In-Building Strategies
Wireless technology is an intrinsic part of everyday life. Whether it’s for mobile work, communication, entertainment or staying informed, the ability to have wireless connectivity anywhere we go is critical. The landscape of wireless is changing. It is faster and more widely available now than it ever has been in the past. Let’s explore how the new normal in wireless is shaping the commercial real estate industry for landlords and tenants. One of the ways in which connectivity has affected consumers is the time they spend in an establishment. A shopping mall for example, will see their crowds linger if they have better service inside the building or stores. Sporting venues throughout the world are spending millions of dollars on infrastructure enhancements to be able to give fans the ability to keep up with other games in real-time, a reason many fans cite as a motive to stay home and watch multiple games simultaneously. Brian Schwartz, vice president of IT at Macerich, said on a recent Realcomm webinar that there are several ways to enhance connectivity. Improving Wi-Fi, distributed antenna systems (DAS), CBRS and newer tech like LPWAN and expanding use of sensors, will all play a role for the connected customer. LPWAN is key for transmitting significant amounts of data over long distances and was created for machine learning and IoT interconnectivity. They are able to support a large number of devices at ultra-low power. It has become an expectation that venues provide Wi-Fi connectivity. It should be readily accessible and free to use, which means it doesn’t generate revenue, but it could be a source of gathering analytics. Property managers should require users or guests to sign in using an email or phone number, opt into a newsletter or some sort of...
Tech’s Role
In the new workplace
Many jurisdictions are now allowing for reopening, requiring managers and landlords to balance the value of workers returning to the office with the need to keep them safe. There are tech advancements that will facilitate offices reopening, such as touchless door access, Bluetooth tracking, parking vacancy sensors, temperature readings and countless others. But the reality of this situation is that these enhancements were not created for a post-COVID world. We had the ability to leverage these tech drivers before, as Brandon Van Orden, senior vice president and CIO at Cousins Properties, explained. However, it has become a necessity for companies to use them more frequently now, some experts suggest. What about those who make a personal decision to stay remote? Some workers may have comorbidities making them especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Some may be unable to arrange childcare while schools remain virtual. Regardless of the reason, many workers may not be ready mentally or physically to re-enter the workplace, and businesses must weigh the human elements of this just as much as the tech components of reopening. In-office Value There is one big question that nobody can yet answer: how long will capacity restrictions be in place? Because this is an indefinite timeline, it is much harder to determine in-office schedules. Some offices are moving to a hybrid work environment, which many experts believe is the future of work. It could mean that workers alternate days or weeks in office or it could mean that each day has multiple shifts, but the benefits of being in a work setting are numerous. The initial wave of work from home success was tangible. Employers were generally pleased at the rapid adaptation to a WFH model and employees showed they can produce at a high rate when...
Compass Commercial
CRE firm is new Yardi client
Bend, Oregon is well-known for its gorgeous mountains, forests and rivers, well-balanced and high quality of life, and prospering remote work culture (even prior to COVID-19). So, it’s no surprise that despite the pandemic, real estate is continuing to thrive in Central Oregon. Nearby cities Redmond (home to the Bend/Redmond regional airport), Sisters (a charming tourist destination) and Prineville (hometown of Les Schwab tires and now the location of a major Facebook data center) are seeing a boost as well. The team at Compass Commercial Real Estate Services, a new Yardi CRE client, knows that firsthand. They have been providing asset management, construction, brokerage and leasing services since 1996. Currently, their management portfolio includes 700,000 square feet of office assets, 500,000 square feet of retail, and 500,000 square feet of industrial. “We originally started out managing single individual assets, and as Bend grew, we began moving into the next generation of institutional buyers and local owners with portfolios,” said Jackie Niebling, Vice President of Asset and Property Management and a principal broker for Compass Commercial. “Bend has become a hotbed for individuals seeking work-life harmony. We’re seeing a great deal of activity from outside investors wanting to invest in Bend so that they can relocate here and enjoy our lifestyle,” Niebling summarized. A privately held company, Compass Commercial is not only the largest CRE provider in the region but also a leading authority on regional real estate activity. They even publish a quarterly guide to local rent and transaction activity aptly titled “Compass Points,” which offers a comprehensive snapshot of CRE trends. The most recent edition focused in on the impacts of the pandemic on Central Oregon real estate. And apart from smaller office leases, things appear to be holding up well. Retail and...
End of Urbanization?
New attention for suburbs
For years, 24-hour and 18-hour cities, and the live-work-play concept, have been mantras in commercial real estate. Suddenly, however, cities are facing a pandemic-driven exodus. Is this a temporary blip or the start of a long-term trend? COVID-19’s impact has been particularly deep in major metropolitan areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco office space, which have also seen sharp drops in apartment occupancy rates and rents as the city centers are largely shut down and residents shelter elsewhere. In Manhattan, for example, office buildings that were closed for months remain mostly empty upon re-opening, as employers avoid putting workers at risk and people avoid public spaces. Midtown streets that are typically teeming with tourists are nearly empty as Broadway and other entertainment venues remain shut. New York City’s story is being played out in city centers across the country. Not only do urban areas temporarily lack the jobs and cultural institutions that drew people there, but the crowds and closeness are suddenly an element to be feared rather than fascinate. Few if any saw this coming, as growth has coalesced in cities in recent years. The United Nations has forecast that 75 percent of the global population would live in cities by 2050, doubling their size, and the U.S. seemed to be headed in that direction. A recent study of the largest 30 U.S. metros by the George Washington University School of Business and Smart Growth America in conjunction with Yardi Matrix found that walkable neighborhoods encompassing office, housing, retail and entertainment grew faster and produced higher absorption and rent growth over the last decade than counterparts without that combination. During that time, 70 percent of the jobs created were in the top 50 U.S. metros. Corporations have been...
Smart Glass
COVID-19 Protection
Smart glass technology allows for the control of light by switching from clear to shaded or completely opaque, depending on how strong the incoming light is and how dark you want to make the room. In other words, it alters the amount of light transmitted through typically transparent materials. The same technology found in smart glasses can be integrated into windows, partitions or other transparent surfaces and can be used in multiple sectors such as architecture, interior design, auto, offices, retail windows and consumer electronics. A smart glass, also called light control glass, switchable glass or privacy glass, can be of two types: active, when changeability requires an electrical charge, and passive, when it doesn’t require that. There are a few types of active switchable glass technologies and common applications: Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal glass (PDLC)—seen in privacy partitions in various industries Suspended Particle Device glass (SPD)—windows that tint to shade Electrochromic Device glass (ECD)—coated windows that slowly tint for shading Passive smart glass technologies include: Photochromic glass—eyeglasses with coatings that automatically tint in sunlight Thermochromic glass—coated windows that change in response to temperature How Does it Work? Smart glass managed through electricity allows users to control various forms of light by switching from opaque to transparent, allowing for dynamic light control. PDLC is most commonly used for indoor applications. The technology can be optimized to maintain its properties outdoors as well. The technology behind this type of active smart glass contains liquid crystals, a material that shares characteristics of both liquid and solid compounds, which are dispersed into a polymer. PDLC switches glass from dimmable degrees of opaque to clear in milliseconds. If you want privacy, projection and whiteboard use, PDLC is ideal when it’s opaque. The film limits visible light, but doesn’t...
Improving Energy Efficiency
For Class B and C
Class A commercial buildings get all the fanfare. They have the nicest amenities, the best views and, of course, the highest rent. But let’s not overlook the value that class B and C spaces bring to communities and business owners. Often located in suburban areas or lacking glamour that high rises provide, these buildings still possess many advantages and simply don’t get the same type of recognition. A recent ENERGY STAR® report stated that 94% of all U.S. commercial buildings were properties under 50,000 square feet. Because class B and C buildings significantly outnumber class A, they can lead the way in contributing to a cleaner environment, improved leasing practices and cost savings techniques. At the recent 2020 Virtual BOMA Conference, Marta Schantz, senior vice president of Urban Land Institute (ULI), explained three major challenges for class B and C owners in regard to energy efficiency: Information constraints – Stakeholders are so consumed with day to day operations that energy efficiency gets put on the backburner. Lean on your property manager for data and best practices and educate yourself about building benchmarks to understand what’s working or not. Resource constraints – These buildings don’t have the budget or staff size of class As, so they often lack someone specifically assigned to energy projects, or a third party hired to oversee this aspect of the portfolio. Funding constraints – B and C class buildings typically don’t have capital planning funds to invest in larger retrofits with up-front costs. Owners also may not be able to take on long-term debt. How can a building owner overcome some of these challenges? Primarily, there are financing options available so that B and C owners can reach long term savings goals: cost recovery in terms of lease forms, utility on-bill financing, commercial property assessed clean energy financing (C-PACE), among others. As Schantz explained, an HVAC retrofit alone may not provide the necessary ROI, but bundled with LED installation or sensor installation, it can provide long-term savings with a relatively short-term payback process. As explained in a 2020 BOMA report, class B and C properties could save 15% on energy costs with basic low- to no-cost initiatives, or even up to 35% with the larger investments detailed above. BOMA’s research has found that sustainability initiatives can reduce operating expenses for class B and C buildings between $0.26 and $0.61 per square foot and increase the net operating income for these properties between 2.4% and 5.6% per year. What are some of the simplest energy solutions to implement? According to Joey Cathcart, associate at the Rocky Mountain Institute, here are some of the best low-cost, quick payback measures for energy savings across property type: LED lighting: LEDs use significantly less energy and last much longer than incandescent lighting. Controls/Sensors: Install LED’s in high-use areas and controls or sensors in low-use areas like closets and restrooms. Programmable thermostats: Simply program your temperature setting in times of low or no occupancy. Energy audits: Establish a baseline and identify where improvements can be made. Local authorities often provide grants for these projects. Window filming or shading: Reduce demands on HVAC and reduce solar radiation with tinting or shading. Lease provisions and green leases help increase investor, owner and tenant interest. “They help to overcome split incentives, improve transparency and indicate a commitment to sustainability,” Cathcart said. He detailed three low cost components to drive the highest lease impact: Integrate new building expectations by implementing low or no cost strategies into standard operating procedures. Integrate language into leasing that includes periodic energy audits. Tenants see this as a commitment to sustainability. Document operating best practices to optimize performance in common areas and tenant spaces. “The best time to integrate provisions is either during tenant renewal or at the beginning of a new tenant lease,” Cathcart explained. Eugenia Gregorio, founder and principal at Gregorio Sustainability, presented a case study of The Tower Companies...
Back to the Office
Legal Considerations
One of the most significant factors hindering a smooth return to work has been the legal uncertainties surrounding COVID-19. The main concern is the lack of uniformity in the laws between jurisdictions, and the tightening and loosening of restrictions as cases rise or fall. Therefore, employees, tenants and landlords all need to understand what can and cannot be enforced. Contract clauses, deferrals and concession negotiations have been ongoing since March, and the ramifications of these changes will carry on for months to come. Compliance for reopening If a manager cannot ensure the safety and wellbeing of workers, then an office simply cannot reopen. On a recent Realcomm webinar, Evandro Gigante, partner at Proskauer law firm, explained that compliance for reopening varies by jurisdiction, but New York, where their main office is located, has a thorough set of rules laid out for businesses to reopen. “There is a very robust set of guidelines that include, among other things, the development of a comprehensive health and safety plan which requires a close look at screening, testing, contact tracing, signage and social distancing procedures to be put into action,” he said. The guidelines require a written document detailing expectations for landlords and employers. Administering questionnaires regarding self-health is going to be a key, and there will be many questions about the legality or requirements involved with temperature taking. “Under Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, you can diagnostically test your employees,” Gigante explained. “But the EEOC has not sanctioned antibody testing for the purpose of making employment decisions.” You can legally collect medical information on individuals, according to the EEOC, including their temperature or their symptoms, as long as you maintain it confidentially and separately from personal files. But here is where different jurisdictions and different guidelines...
Sublease Space to Spare?
Commercial Vacancy High in Major Metros
Commercial real estate has encountered a space problem: there is too much of it. Unused, unwanted square footage is having a ripple effect throughout the industry, stalling new deals and prompting tenants to get creative with their leases. Which markets have the most excess space? Tech markets such as San Francisco and Boston are among the cities with the most space to spare. The report suggests that tech companies often lease more space than they need. If they are hit with a sudden need to expand, the resources are readily available. Conversely, they are apt to offload unneeded space during economic downturns such as this one. Markets with a broader range of employment sectors recorded more modest increases in available space. Dallas-Fort Worth, Manhattan, and Washington, D.C. are among the top markets with a moderate increase in excess space scattered across its large providers of health care, tech and energy services. “We believe that the second quarter was the low point for the market with office leasing activity down by more than 40 percent from a year earlier – and that we’ll begin to see a gradual recovery,” says Ian Anderson, CBRE’s Americas Head of Office Research in an interview with World Property Journal. Huston was the only market with negative space to lease between March and June 2020. The city recorded a -2% change for a total of 5.2 million sq. ft. How is the excess space impacting the commercial market? Though the national vacancy rate increased 10 basis points to 13.2%, listing rates remain comparable to figures recorded at this point last year. Average full-service equivalent listing rates only fell by 0.7% to $38.15 per square foot in May. Analysts suggest that the demand for new office space has declined to such a point that traditional price reductions would not produce the desired effect. Additionally, multi-year office leases make substantial price decreases unfeasible. It also seems that many office owners are still optimistic for a V-shaped recovery, counting on pre-COVID-19 levels by Q4. While listing rates seem stable, the excess office space has had a notable effect on future demand. Per the Yardi Matrix Office National Report, the second quarter recorded only $4.4 billion in transactions compared to $12.7 billion at this point last year. Buildings near completion are still slated for delivery. New supply, however, is being added at a pace slower than seen at this point in 2019. The total amount of planned office space decreased by 8.5%. Due to the current downturn, analysts expect deliveries to continue at a slower pace than last year. Get the complete Yardi Matrix Office National Report Subletting office space provides some relief to lessors The recession, high vacancies rates and low demand have left tens of millions of square feet on the negotiation tables. To add to the excess, the average company requires about 20% less space now than it did pre-COVID 19. The market has plenty of space to spare, and tenants are seeking creative ways to make the most of unused square footage. Per a recent report by global property consultant CBRE, the 10 largest U.S. office markets experienced a 12% increase in space offered for sublease. Since March, the major markets offered 6.1 million additional square feet of space to bring the current total to 59 million. Lessors seek to sublet to recuperate costs on unused space. Per Tenant CS, which offers conflict-free tenant representation services, tenants can expect to recover less than 50% of their rent obligation. During the current economic downturn, that cushion may be the difference between making rent or not. Nearly half of commercial retails rents were not paid in April and May, for example. Figures are better for office tenants. Currently, REIT-owned office buildings report that they are collecting about 90% of rents from tenants. The concern, however, is that employers will embrace remote work for good. Some will make...
Digital Transformation...
CRE and COVID-19
The state of commercial real estate has been significantly changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry has seen a steep rise in the need for tech platforms to drive revenue and facilitate remote work to keep offices safe and productivity high. Spending on advanced technology According to CBRE research presented by Stuart Appley on a recent Realcomm webinar, 57% of companies were increasing spending on digital transformation prior to COVID. Moving forward, 70% of executives say digital transformation spending is likely to accelerate. A deeper dive into the numbers shows that increased spending is driven largely by business growth opportunities (51%) and increased competitive pressure (41%). The focus of the spending is primarily on modernizing customer touchpoints and enabling infrastructure, 54% and 45% respectively. In other words, operators are spending on tech that allows them to grow their business and to keep up with the competition, specifically by creating or implementing new systems to eliminate physical touchpoints. Health and wellness standards will need to be consistently monitored in order for offices to return to normal business. Appley, managing director for CBRE described some of the digital advances that companies are examining and implementing: Drones to perform building inspections Machine learning Robotic process automation Virtual reality training and virtual space planning Blockchain to digitize assets A poll in the Realcomm webinar, showed that 85% of attendees believe the rate of tech adoption will increase due to the effects of the pandemic on businesses. Innovative projects and IT strategy Executive decisions on IT should address several key metrics: increase asset value, reduce expenses, increase tenant retention and drive revenue. “If you build your IT strategy around these points, you will be successful,” said Brian Sutherland, industry principal at Yardi. Moving payments online is something that has...
Lease Performance Now...
CRE and COVID-19
It’s hard to imagine entering August with the COVID-19 pandemic still causing mass disruption throughout the commercial real estate industry. While there are varying degrees of guidelines and protocols for reopening buildings, the general consensus is that a large percentage of tenants needed help to navigate these times. Whether it was in the form of rent concessions, deferrals or any other tactic to prevent going under, tenants are reaching out to property managers more than ever. As part of Yardi’s Innovator Sponsorship of the July CRETech virtual conference, Brian Sutherland, commercial industry principal, had a chance to host a discussion with Paul Gaines, managing director of asset management for Accesso Partners. Accesso, based out of Hallandale, Florida, manages a portfolio of over $3.3B in assets across 21 cities in 8 states. Managing Deferral Requests Gaines explained they initially had 150 tenants across the portfolio who requested rent relief. Accesso then requested three things: 1) Ask the tenant to look thoroughly at their insurance coverage for any pertinent information. 2) Ask the tenant to apply for government assistance. 3) Ask the tenant to send complete financial documentation to Accesso so they could work on a plan together. Gaines revealed that his company had been able to reach agreements with 35 tenants on lease amendments or deferrals, without granting any abatements. While it’s a difficult time for all, it is important to realize the difference between those who truly need assistance and those who simply aren’t able to use their office space but are continuing business operations successfully. Thanks to quick and concise decision making within the executive team at Accesso and consistent communication with tenants, Gaines said they have seen 96-97% timely collection across the portfolio since work from home orders were enacted. The senior...
5G Technology
Impact on CRE
What do we know about 5G connectivity at this stage in its development? First, we know it’s nowhere near the capacity it will have in the coming years. Second, we know that it will provide an incredible speed increase over 4G (potentially 100x faster downloads). Third, we can safely presume it will have a significant impact on commercial real estate. In a recent session at the 2020 Virtual BOMA Conference, Yardi solutions consultant David Franklin explained how 5G is already beginning to transform the industry and reshape communication standards. A world of new possibilities “The change to 5G will be as significant as the change from analog to digital,” Franklin said. While timing is still unpredictable, 5G will become ubiquitous. Existing cell towers may not have to be replaced and, while there will be millions of new towers that pop up, 5G connectivity will be available everywhere. This is due to the fact connection points will become easily installed anywhere from light poles to bus stops. The world of 5G connectivity will enable new apps and facilitate robotics and other AI and IoT enhancements. While 4G brought the capacity to video conference and download and upload at new speeds, 5G is going to top that by “connecting massive amounts of devices with very low latency,” Franklin explained. The progress made by 5G will empower a huge number of low-cost devices with low energy consumption related to IoT. The Internet of Things is already comprised of an extensive list of interconnected devices, but with 5G becoming more prevalent, this will enable more data collection, deeper data analysis, faster communication and, of course, new devices and tasks. Real estate operation already relies on IoT-related components such as thermostats, security cameras, lighting controls and energy conservation systems....
Safe Workplaces
Tech to help during COVID-19
We are nearly four months into the COVID-19 pandemic and businesses have had to adjust their daily operations to reopen for staff and guests. Every aspect of sanitation, proper distancing, touchpoints and other routine business functions are now altered to improve the safety and peace of mind of workers returning to the office. Coworking industry case studies On a recent Realcomm webinar, Yardi vice president of coworking, Dale Hersowitz, said that some aspects of technology already being implemented prior to the pandemic are now even more useful to help maintain productivity and safety. For example, in the coworking industry, fully transactional websites and apps for meeting room bookings, desk reservations and virtual space tours help facilitate a completely distanced and safe experience. Staples, whose brand is most associated with office supplies, started a coworking brand in 2019 called Staples Studio. They repositioned part of their stores into shared workspaces and on their website they list everything from meeting room space to private offices, making it quick and easy for a prospect to become a member and complete transactions. This shift to a mobile experience has begun to replace the in-person meeting with a front desk associate or community manager and it now grows to more prominence during COVID. “One of the keys is to use apps that will not only show you the product but the availability of the product,” Hersowitz said. In coworking, member retention is always a driving factor with a high turnover rate month-to-month. One of the main ways to increase retention while members are still largely not entering your space is to use apps that allow for as much community interaction as possible. Launch Workplaces, a Maryland-based coworking space with six locations, is using a member portal to drive community,...
ICSC Webinar
CRE Adapts to Changing Times
In an ICSC webinar held in late June, Brian Sutherland, Yardi industry principal, moderated a panel discussion about how current economic and social challenges are forcing commercial operators to adapt to a changing market. They discussed the importance of AR management and evaluating tenant risk to accurately project future revenue and overcome the effects of the pandemic. Panel of experts: Gary Shaw – President, Arcadia Management Christine Mastandrea – EVP, Whitestone REIT Sutherland: On the Yardi side, in mid-March, we shifted 7,000 employees to work from home basically overnight. Can you talk about how you transitioned early in the response to the pandemic? Mastandrea: Within a very short timeframe we moved into a radical simplification mode. We expanded our meeting times to include more team members to be involved for consistency of communication all the way to the front-line ranks. We organized our team around four functions: client engagement, vendor management, stress testing and inner workforce. We moved our workforce offsite and we’ve gone from Zoom meeting to Zoom meeting. Client engagement is where we spent most of our time and we oriented about 80% of our workforce toward client engagement. We made sure we had our “four As”: alignment, assignment, accountability and then autonomy. We funneled all requests through one person in our legal department and made sure we had this process smoothed out over time. One major key was daily posting of cash collection and making sure everyone has an understanding of where we are and where we’re missing collection. We stopped mass emailing and instead got in contact on the phone with everyone we could, to understand who’s open and who isn’t, who is considered essential business and started discussing [Paycheck Protection Program] (PPP) funding. Shaw: We moved everything to the...
