Blackstone Makes Foray Into Houses

Net Lease Market News Blackstone Group LP (BX), the biggest buyer of U.S. commercial real estate since prices bottomed, is jumping into residential property as housing recovers. The private-equity firm has spent more than $250 million this year buying foreclosed single-family houses with the intention of renting them out, said two people with knowledge of the effort. The goal is to acquire enough assets to potentially take public as a real estate investment trust, or sell to another company or even to tenants, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. The venture marks Blackstone’s first major foray into the U.S. residential market. The company was the top buyer of commercial real estate in 2010 and 2011, spending about $16.7 billion, according to Real Capital Analytics Inc. in New York. Deals included the $9 billion purchase of more than 500 shopping centers from Centro Properties Group and industrial properties valued at $1 billion from Prologis. U.S. commercial-property prices have gained about 26 percent from a post-crash low in January 2010, according to an index compiled by Moody’s Investors Service and Real Capital. In the housing market, price declines are easing. The S&P/Case-Shiller index of values in 20 U.S. cities fell 1.9 percent in April from a year earlier, the slowest pace since 2010. While mortgage rates are at record lows, rental demand has climbed because many Americans can’t buy homes because of insufficient income or bad credit, or because they prefer the flexibility of renting. Monthly apartment rents in the U.S. have jumped almost 6 percent since the end of 2009, to an average $1,018 in the first quarter, according to Reis Inc.

Net Lease Market Report

Net Lease Market News The most aggressive cap rates Jonathan Hipp, CEO of Calkain, says he has seen has been in the mid 4s for “McDonald’s-type credit.” Expect compression to continue, he tells GlobeSt.com. “Given where Treasuries are headed, people are looking for yield. Also, there is so much buyer interest in this product now we have gotten to the point where we almost don’t need new buyers. What we would like to have is more products.” Not that the demand-supply imbalance will give investors pause, Hipp adds. “With everything going on, from the uncertain employment picture to the European debt crisis, at end of day people are still cautious on the economy. With the right combination of credit, location and length of lease it is a great time to be a seller in the net lease market.” Or even a buyer, he says—but with a caveat. In this environment, current buyers should beware that an eventual exit strategy could happen in a period of higher interest rates and a diminishing flight to quality. www.calkain.com

Harbor Group Sells New York Office Building for $270m

Harbor Group bought the property in January 2010 from JP Morgan Chase for $107 million. Habor Group International LLC has sold an office building at 4 New York Plaza in Lower Manhattan for $270 million to a joint venture of HSBC Alternative Investments Limited and Edge Fund Advisors. Harbor Group bought the property in January 2010 from JP Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) for $107 million in a 15-year sale and lease-back deal for 75% of the property. The 1.1 million square foot building is located at the corner of Water Street and Broad Street http://www.globes.co.

Net Lease Market Continued to Gain Momentum

The U.S. retail investment sales market staged a strong performance last year as property sales rose 32 percent from 2010 to nearly $61 billion. Prices for power centers and neighborhood centers increased 9.1 and 7.2 percent, to $148 and $135 per square foot, respectively. While the highly coveted single-tenant net-lease investment sector continued to gain momentum, shopping centers and other multi-tenant properties captured nearly 68 percent of total sales, for which cap rates compressed by 40 basis points. Gateway investment markets New York, Northern New Jersey, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., South Florida and Boston dominated this investment activity. New York City.

Net-Lease Sale in Las Vegas Hits $1,736 PSF Mark

Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services Inc. has closed a record-breaking sale on the Las Vegas Strip for a 16,016-square foot Walgreens drugstore. While the sales price of $27.8 million may not be the largest transaction by dollar amount, it breaks down to $1,736 per square foot, making this the most valuable single-tenant drugstore ever to trade in the United States.

DineEquity, Inc. Announces Solid First Quarter 2012 Results

DineEquity, Inc. DIN +9.47% , the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar and IHOP Restaurants, reported financial results for the first quarter of 2012. "We are pleased with our first quarter performance. At DineEquity, we continue to work closely with IHOP and Applebee's on their respective brand-building strategies to innovate the menu, drive operational performance, and provide value for our guests," said Julia A. Stewart, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DineEquity. "Our business fundamentals remain healthy and our unique, highly franchised business model is generating strong free cash flow and enabling debt reduction, which are key measures of our success." First Quarter 2012 Financial Highlights -- Total debt was reduced by $85.9 million in the first quarter of 2012 as a result of net cash proceeds and financing obligation reductions from the refranchise and sale of Applebee's company-operated restaurants and free cash flow. The Company reduced Term Loan balances by $69.0 million, Senior Notes by $4.5 million, and financing and capital lease obligations by $12.4 million.

Cole Real Estate Investments Crosses Milestone of $10 Billion Total Assets Under Management

Cole Real Estate Investments (Cole) announced its commercial real estate portfolio has surpassed the $10 billion mark in total assets under management, further establishing the company as a national leader in retail, office and industrial real estate investments. With nearly 350 employees across the country, Cole continues its mission to provide access to high-quality commercial real estate.