Why Are Sale-Leasebacks Trending?

As the local industrial real estate market continues to march along in what feels like zero percent vacancy, it’s actually 1.5% to 3.0% depending on which report you read and to what size range that report is geared, we are beginning to see a trend among owner-occupied buildings. Something we haven’t seen since mid-2000s, can anyone guess?

Sale-leasebacks.

If you have owned a building for 15 years, or have purchased in the last 5 years, you likely have a substantial amount of equity in your building. A tool to access that equity, short of selling the building and moving to another location – which can be costly and time consuming – is a sale-leaseback. You sell the building to an investor and remain in place as a tenant. The equity that was tied up in your building can now be used to grow your business, have a cash reserve for a rainy day, or buy a bigger boat than your neighbors.

Here’s the process:
• Step 1: Ask us what the current market monthly NNN lease rate is on your building
• Step 2: Multiple the NNN lease rate by 12 months for your annualized income
• Step 3: Divide by 5.5% (Current Cap Rates)

Example:
A 20,000-square-foot building that rents for $.80 NNN

20,000 sf x $.80 psf nnn = $16,000/mn x 12 months = $192,000 annualized income. Divide $192,000 by .055 (5.5% cap rate) = $3,490,909.00 ($175 psf)

The primary reason the sale-leaseback process now works is driven by two factors:
1. Low interest rates (search for higher returns than you would get at the bank has driven cap rates down into the 5% range)
2. Increase in lease rates

If you would like to discuss sale-leasebacks in more detail or would like to know current lease rates, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would appreciate the opportunity help out.

9/1/2016Current RateChange Since 6/1/163 Yr. Treasury.91-15%5 Yr. Treasury1.18-15.2%7 Yr. Treasury1.44-13.8%10 Yr. Treasury1.57-15.2%

For more information about the Industrial Real Estate Market in the Orange County, Los Angeles County & Surrounding Areas, give us a call:

Joel Hutak
Principal
714-564-7169

Philip DeRousse
Associate
714-564-7141