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Want to Lease a Prime Location? It Might Be Best to Buy The Business First

Many of my retail clients, especially restaurants and other food types of users, want to lease a great location with lots of visibility and quality foot traffic.  The main problem is that most of these prime locations are already leased.

So, what if your broker found you a prime location where the business owner might be willing to sell at a very inexpensive price?  Many businesses will accept an unsolicited offer to buy them out inexpensively because they simply aren’t doing that well, are tired of the hours, want to retire, are ready to try something else and for many other reasons.   If you bought the business, you would then have the option to either assume the existing lease or, at times, the landlord will agree on entering a new lease with you instead if he likes your business and/or financial strength better than the existing tenant.

As both a business and commercial real estate broker, I have been successful in doing the above for my clients.  For as little as $20,000, I have been able to secure many prime locations for my clients to lease.  (The price varies for many reasons, such as the worth of the existing improvements in the space, inventory, existing lease terms, perceived value by seller, etc.)

There aren’t many brokers that successfully perform both business sales/buying and commercial real estate leasing/buying/selling like I do, and the combination serves my clients well.  Unless they are very experienced at both, you should never let your leasing broker also represent you on your business sale or your business broker represent you for your lease. They might be good at their main expertise, but won’t be good at the part they don’t do much of; and it won’t end well for you if you do.

If you want to find out more about how to lease a prime location, buy/sell a business or commercial real estate, please contact me at 805-217-0791 or david@djmcre.com or visit our business brokering page.

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Retail Spaces Offer a Fix to the Medical Space Shortage in Southern California

Recently, I wrote about the shortage of medical space and an increase in retail vacancies in Southern California right now. My suggestion was to have medical tenants lease space in retail centers as compared to an office or medical building that they traditionally leased space in. This may seem like an unusual suggestion to solve the problem, but recent news suggests that this issue is beginning to grow.

According to CoStar Group, the gaining US population is expected to drive demand for medical space with more than 200 million square feet of medical office space needed in the next decade:

Driven by an aging U.S. population, within 10 years the amount of medical office space needed is projected to be 16 percent more than today, based on current trends. That’s greater than the combined medical office space in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas–Fort Worth, the nation’s four largest medical office markets. This undeniable demographic trend in the U.S. is both a headwind for traditional office demand and an incredible tailwind for medical office demand in the coming years.

So, what are medical tenants to do with this shortage? Lease space in retail centers.  When you lease in a quality retail center, your business has good parking, signage, and retail visibility from shoppers at the retail center.  The main criteria for any business is usually the bottom line so, if being in a retail center increases your net income, wouldn’t you want to be there?  This is rule #1.

Retail space in southern California is undergoing a change.  The smaller to medium sized retail centers in particular are starting to become more restaurant/food and service focused as opposed to other types of retail uses.  Customers at retail centers want to enjoy their experience and be able to do as much as they can at one location.  So, with the foregoing in mind, wouldn’t many medical tenants fit in with this new retail trend of a retail landlord leasing to service providers like doctors and providing a better experience for the retail customer?  I think so.

Read more on this fix for Medical Space Shortage & Retail Vacancies in Southern California.

David Massie specializes in buying, selling and leasing office, medical/dental, retail and industrial buildings -especially off market ones that are hard to find in Southern California that only his clients are made aware of first.  Contact David now if you have interest in finding one for you:  david@djmcre.com or 805-217-0791.

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DJMCRE Closes Escrow in 30 Days on a Medical/Dental Property in Oxnard at Premium Price

David Massie of DJM Commercial Real Estate recently closed escrow on a medical/dental property in Oxnard, CA at 1600 W Gonzales Rd. This was a building in need of work that David was able to sell at a premium price for the seller he represented. In addition, the escrow was only 30 days compared to the normal 4 months or more. This is a prime example of why a seller or buyer should hire an experienced broker like David to successfully sell or buy a commercial building.

Remember, because of David’s experience directing some of the largest real estate companies in the US, he can help both tenants and landlords with any of their commercial real estate needs for any type of commercial real estate for leasing, buying, selling and acting as a legal expert witness.

So, why should a seller hire a broker and pay him a commission when a seller can do it on their own?

  • Simply put, the seller will not be able to get the maximum price that a good broker can. Many brokers have clients waiting in the wings to buy a property and these clients will pay top dollar if they are allowed to make the offer first.  Also, the price a broker is able to sell a property for more than pays for their commission.
  • Sellers don’t have the same marketing ability as a broker. The world has become international and your reach has to be international.  The dollars are flowing into the US from other countries right now and international buyers are willing to pay more many times.  Brokers also know what is needed in terms of a marketing package to interest buyers. It’s complicated, expensive, and time consuming to put this package together properly.
  • The timing of when to put the property up for sale is critical. When is the market peaking?  Is there a lot of competition on the market for sale now?  Good brokers will usually know what is for sale on the market as well as off market, but sellers won’t.
  • The repairs that you need to make to the property before you put it on the market are also important. Some are worth making and some aren’t.  A good broker usually knows what to recommend.
  • What should the asking price of the property for sale be? What if there are no comparable prices for the sales price because the sales price is higher and the property won’t appraise for the sales price and therefore might not sell for this price and waste everyone’s time?
  • There are many other factors in selling a commercial real estate property; but, in our opinion, it starts first and foremost with the right broker. Doing it on your own is always a mistake.  If you don’t hire the right broker or if you do it yourself, it will cost you.  We have seen it many times.

If you want to learn more about leasing, buying and/or selling any and all types of commercial spaces in California or if you have questions about any subject related to commercial real estate, please contact David Massie of DJM Commercial Real Estate at david@djmcre.com or 805-217-0791.

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Most Important Factors to Consider When Buying Commercial Real Estate

If you’re like most commercial real estate (CRE) investors, you probably receive deal packages from brokers with CRE properties (defined here generally as multi-family, office, retail and industrial) for sale. Often, these packages contain executive summaries that position the deals as excellent investment opportunities. This should come as no surprise, as the job of the real estate broker is to present their property in the best light.

In many cases, sellers exaggerate the potential opportunity and don’t usually reveal the bad stuff. Instead, they’re just giving you the good points of their property. The due diligence is up to you, the investor, to determine whether what they’re telling you is accurate. The key, of course, is to know how to perform the due diligence so you have a true and accurate reading on what’s being offered. It’s important to understand the key metrics to always look for in any real estate investment and I am always surprised at the most obvious metrics that I see the majority of investors miss.

When you look at the potential of a CRE property, you’re really looking at how much income or profit it is generating for its owners. What should you be evaluating to determine that? Start with all the basic purchase information. This includes the price and any additional costs involved in renovating or repairs that need to be done.

You should also look at factors that might make you pass on the deal like: the condition of the area in general, crime, surrounding job market, property and other governmental taxes (Example:  High business tax is a big one in the City of Los Angeles that can cause a tenant not want to lease in this city) and the age of the property. These are often deal-breakers if they reveal too much potential risk.

The loan is another key metric: What type of loan will you have to finance the property? This will spell out the loan totals, down payment, interest rate, closing costs and other fees. Make sure you are comfortable with the loan structure (fixed versus floating rate, long-term versus short-term, etc.). You should also receive a detailed expense report on the property including: property taxes, insurance, maintenance costs, property management costs and others.

To buy a property correctly, I always recommend you have proper representation.  This first and foremost means using an experienced CRE broker and a good CRE attorney.  Most CRE brokers can refer you to a good CRE attorney because they have to use them all the time.  But a good CRE broker can also usually find better properties that are better values. They can also negotiate better than you can and your broker is paid by the seller. So really, it’s a no brainer to use a good CRE broker.

If you have any further questions about buying CRE or just want to make sure you do it right, contact David Massie at david@djmcre.com or 805-217-0791 or look us up at www.djmcre.com.

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West Coast Real Estate, Will it Continue to Boom or Will it Bust?

History would say that West Coast commercial real estate market success should be ending very soon. Kevin Shannon, co-head of U.S. Capital Markets for Newmark Knight Frank, has a different opinion:

If there is a downturn, Shannon does not expect it to be as “dramatic” as it was a decade ago. “When the game ends, it will be a short spring training, and we’ll be back playing ball again,” Shannon added. […] “If you look at the engines of real estate on the West Coast: If you build it, they will come,” he said. As long as things continue to go well, Shannon said he thinks next June would mark the longest recovery in history. […] The West Coast commercial real estate market is faring well, and the good news does not appear to be ending very soon, according to some of Los Angeles’ top commercial real estate experts.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the view posed here. This broker from CBRE thinks that the buying and selling market for commercial real estate (CRE) is in the 7th inning, but I think it’s in the 12th inning.  If you want to learn more about buying or selling CRE at the right time and why brokers like this think it’s always a good time to buy or sell CRE (why not, they make a commission whether you the buyer or seller lose money or not) contact David Massie at david@djmcre.com for more details.  I have successfully bought and sold properties ranging in size from about 1,000 sf to millions of square feet and ranging in price from about $100,000 to $100 million.

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Exclusive Unlisted Off-Market Commercial Property for Sale in Conejo Valley

David Massie of DJM Commercial Real Estate has an exclusive unlisted off market income property for sale in Conejo Valley in Rock River Plaza that is an amazing opportunity. The address is: 28118 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301.

Property details for this sale listing: 

  • 100% occupied with quality long term leases and credit tenants in place
  • 2018 net income projected to be about $248,000
  • About 13,000 RSF
  • Owner only occupies a 600 sf space and can stay and lease out or move out
  • One tenant’s lease expires in Feb. 2019 of about 3,500 RSf – owner can move into this space or can move into owner’s unit mentioned above. Another option is to keep the tenant in place.  All other leases expire in 2020 and 2021
  • The property is about 15 years old.  Very quality “A” type build
  • There is enough parking at between 4-5 per 1,000 to do some medical/dental uses
  • Exterior building with signage potential has good exposure
  • 28118 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
The current owners are asking for about a 5% cap, which is about $5 million, but they are also open to reasonable offers. This is an incredible opportunity to move quickly on as it’s currently unlisted and off-market for the time being!
If you have someone interested in buying this off market listing, or if you have any additional questions, please contact David Massie at david@djmcre.com or call him at 805-217-0791.