Experienced real estate investors know to keep an eye on replacement cost when considering rehab deals. The idea is to try to ensure your property will have a cost advantage vs. its neighbors. The thought process is pretty simple: When considering doing a project, you want to look at what it would cost a competitor … Continue reading “How increasing replacement costs imply a widening investment moat”
Category: Real Estate Math
The numbers are out of whack
Our business model allows us to generate yields which are consistently 200 basis points in excess of “market”. In other words, if any random ding dong can buy a 4% cap, then we can reliably create a 6% by doing what we do. But, right now, a 6% isn’t that great. Why? Well, interest rates … Continue reading “The numbers are out of whack”
Why the Fed’s growth forecast matters
If you follow macro-economic news, today was a big day. In addition to raising short-term interest rates, the Federal Reserve bumped up its estimate for economic growth in 2018, from 2.1% to 2.5%. The question for LA landlords is whether this increased growth rate will result in additional jobs / wage growth. Why should landlords … Continue reading “Why the Fed’s growth forecast matters”
The math behind what we do
At this point in the cycle, when we consider a new deal, we spend a lot of time thinking about leverage. Mainly, we’re looking at how our pro forma unlevered yield (eg the cap rate we’re trying to hit post renovation) compares to the projected interest rate on the refinance we’ll do at that point. … Continue reading “The math behind what we do”
Fixing the small lot ordinance
Was listening to a podcaster bemoan the failure of the Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance to deliver affordable housing in LA. There’s a lot of noise around this issue, because the homes that have been built under the ordinance have ended up being pretty expensive. Have two, distinct points to make about this issue: It is … Continue reading “Fixing the small lot ordinance”
Another successful Adaptive deal
We just closed on the refinancing of an 11 unit apartment building. We bought the building two years ago for $2.65MM, then spent another $900k renovating it, bringing the total investment to ~$3.55MM. Our net loan proceeds on the refi are $3.54MM and we’ve accumulated ~$250k in cash from operations since lease-up. So, today we’re … Continue reading “Another successful Adaptive deal”
The forecast on our latest deal
As the economy has continued to improve, both nationally and here in LA, it has become harder and harder to find deals worth doing. That said, it’s definitely not impossible. Today, we are closing on a deal with the following characteristics: Currently a vacant triplex Paying $220 / sq ft Suitable for conversion into a … Continue reading “The forecast on our latest deal”
Some mildly annoying numbers
Just finishing a 4plex in a really cool, up-and-coming neighborhood that we renovated on behalf of an outside investor. Was reviewing the original pro forma and revising in light of what I believe the rents will be… and got an annoying surprise. Based on the original pro forma, this was not a deal that we … Continue reading “Some mildly annoying numbers”
A minor epiphany about valuations for larger buildings
Just had a minor epiphany while walking over to the office from breakfast that I thought I’d share with you. It’s kind of embarrassing, in a “slap-myself-in-the-head-for-not-recognizing-this-earlier” kind of way, but I’m all about honesty on this blog, so here goes… Regular readers know I spend a lot of time thinking about the components of value. … Continue reading “A minor epiphany about valuations for larger buildings”
Silver Lake rents and operating margins
Spent some time this morning looking at rents in Silver Lake. When we started in this business back in 2008, a really nice 1 bed in Silver Lake was around $1500. Today, a similar apartment goes for $2200-2300. That’s an increase of ~50% in eight years… or around 5-5.5% / year (inclusive of compounding). But that’s … Continue reading “Silver Lake rents and operating margins”