How Coronavirus (COVID-19) Could Affect Commercial Real Estate Transactions

The long-term effects of the coronavirus on the economy remain unknown, but we can predict some acute short-term effects on the commercial real estate market in general, and in particular on contractual relationships in this arena. There are many different implications of the force majeure concept described above for the commercial real estate world, but here we will describe just a few of them. The coronavirus outbreak has already had an impact on the supply chain for various materials required for construction. Similarly, government restrictions, such as curfews or lockdowns, could interfere with the ability of contractors to have the labor needed for construction, and there may also be delays in the issuance of construction approvals and permits.  Suspension of or delays in the ability of contractors to complete construction could be covered by force majeure provisions in construction agreements.

Spotlight

Bilfinger GVA

GVA Grimley Ltd, trading as Bilfinger GVA, is one of the largest commercial property advisers operating throughout the UK and Ireland. We provide multi-disciplinary commercial property advice and services to clients in the public and private sectors. Bilfinger GVA operates through a number of trading divisions (Planning, Development & Regeneration, Building, Project Management & Consultancy, Valuation Services, Capital Markets, Agency and Business Rates) and has an established presence throughout the UK with our regional network of 11 UK offices in each core city plus an Irish Office, located in Dublin. Our award-winning teams of commercial property advisers understand the importance of property to business and are here to help.

OTHER ARTICLES
Real Estate Technology, Asset Management

Down Payment Assistance and How It Empowers Home Buyers

Article | May 30, 2023

According to a recent Bankrate survey of prospective buyers, the down payment was unanimously considered the biggest hurdle to buying a home. Saving for a down payment has hampered the home-buying journey for approximately 36% of those polled, in addition to the economic slowdown. The good news is that there are many down payment assistance programs that empower home buyers and mitigate the financial burdens they face on their way to becoming a home owner. Many home buyers are not aware of these programs. Those who do know, have several misconceptions. The key is to understand the options and how down payment assistance programs operate. Who Qualifies for a Down Payment Assistance Program? One of the misconceptions that many have is that down payment assistance is only offered to first-time home buyers. Although, modern first-time buyers have multiple options at their disposal, many programs also cater to repeat buyers. In fact, according to the Homeownership Program Index, about 38% of down payment assistance programs in the Q1 of 2022 weren’t availed by first-time home buyers. This implies that repeat buyers can access as many as one third of homebuyer assistance programs even if they have bought a home before. In addition, repeat buyers can take advantage of first-time homebuyer assistance programs depending on the definition set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which states that an individual can qualify as a first time home buyer if they: haven’t owned a primary residence in three years are a single parent who has owned a home only with a former spouse Location and Profession-based Eligibility for Down Payment Assistance Programs Over and above the multiple options available to first-time and repeat home buyers, individuals in a specific location or profession could also be eligible for down payment assistance. The National Realtors Association says that a number of local and non-profits provide down payment grants and loans that are aimed at area borrowers or those with a specific borrower requirement. Plus, individuals who work as teachers, doctors, nurses, and veterans can avail of the assistance programs offered by local, state, and federal lenders based on their profession. To Summarize Buying a home doesn’t have to be a financial burden. There are many down payment assistance solutions available today to empower prospective buyers fulfill their dream of becoming a home owner. Connecting with a local real estate, and using buyer proptech could help to find trusted lenders and a range of assistance programs.

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Real Estate Technology

A California Perspective: Real Estate Principals Navigate the Current Lending Market

Article | July 12, 2022

Early in 2020, the market was extremely liquid for real estate investors and operating companies. Interest rates were relatively low, asset values were high, unemployment was low, and there was little inflation—overall, the market was performing well. And then the lending market began to change in March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of defensive draws by companies to preserve their liquidity has been unprecedented, and the number of loans has drastically increased. Other forms of capital have slowed due to the inability to forecast risk. It’s a challenging time for real estate companies to stay abreast of market trends, as well as quantify the current and anticipated business impacts in this dynamic environment. With data constantly changing, how are real estate companies navigating this seemingly open-ended period of uncertainty? On April 17, EisnerAmper hosted a “Real Estate Principals Virtual Roundtable” with the Bay Area Council, Kennedy Wilson, and Wells Fargo. This online event provided a forum for industry leaders to share their experiences regarding the current lending market and to hear first-hand from their peers regarding how they’re navigating the current environment. Here are some key takeaways from that discussion.

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Real Estate Technology

Why the Growing Number of Homes for Sale Is Good for Your Move Up

Article | July 25, 2022

Are you thinking about selling your current home? If so, the biggest question on your mind may be: if I sell now, where will I go? If this resonates with you, there’s something you should know. The number of homes coming onto the market is increasing and that could make it easier for you to move up this summer. While this news has clear benefits for buyers who are craving more options for their home search, what does that mean for current homeowners like you? It gives you two distinct opportunities in today’s housing market. Opportunity 1: Take Advantage of More Options for Your Move Up If your current house no longer meets your needs or lacks the space and features you want, this gives you even more opportunity to sell and move up into the home of your dreams. As more options come to market, you’ll have more to choose from when you search for your next home. Partnering with a local real estate professional can help make sure you see these listings as soon as they come onto the market. And when you do find the one, that professional can advise you on how to write a winning offer to seal the deal. Opportunity 2: Sell Before You Have More Competition Just know that, in order to make sure your house shines above the rest, it may make sense to put your home up for sale before your neighbors do the same, creating more competition in your area. The increase in the number of homes being listed for sale is expected to continue, and a recent study from realtor.com says two-thirds of homeowners looking to sell say they’ll do so by August. A real estate professional can advise you on what you need to tackle to get your house ready to list so they can put that for sale sign up in your yard sooner rather than later. That’s because the process of getting a home ready to sell isn’t taking as long as you may think. As a result, you can capitalize on today’s sellers’ market and get ahead of the competition. Bottom Line If you’re a current homeowner looking to sell, let’s connect to begin the process. You have a unique opportunity to benefit from the additional homes being listed today and sell before your house has more competition.

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Real Estate Advice

Why You Need an Expert To Determine the Right Price for Your House

Article | June 6, 2022

If your lifestyle has changed recently and you’re ready to make a move, taking advantage of today’s sellers’ market might be just the answer for your summer plans. With homes continuing to get multiple offers, this could be your moment to get the contract you’re looking for on your house if you’re ready to sell. And here’s the thing – you need an expert on your side to ensure you make all the right moves when you do, especially when it comes to pricing your house. Even in this competitive market, you can’t stick just any price tag on your home and get the deal you want. A key piece of the puzzle is setting the right asking price so you can help buyers notice your home (and get excited about it) from the very first time they view the listing. That’s where a real estate professional comes in. Why Pricing Your House Right Is Important The price you set for your house sends a message to potential buyers. Price it too low and you might raise questions about your home’s condition or lead buyers to assume something is wrong with the property. Not to mention, if you undervalue your house, you could leave money on the table which decreases your future buying power. On the other hand, price it too high, and you run the risk of deterring buyers. When that happens, you may have to do a price drop to try to re-ignite interest in your house when it sits on the market for a while. But be aware that a price drop can be seen as a red flag for some buyers who will wonder why the price was reduced and what that means about the home. In other words, think of pricing your home as a target. Your goal is to aim directly for the center – not too high, not too low, but right at market value. Pricing your house fairly based on market conditions increases the chance you’ll have more buyers who are interested in purchasing it. That makes it more likely you’ll see multiple offers, too. And if a bidding war happens, you’ll likely get an even higher final sale price. Plus, when homes are priced right, they tend to sell quickly. Lean on a Professional’s Expertise There are several factors that go into pricing your house, and balancing them is the key. That’s why it’s important to lean on an expert real estate advisor when you’re ready to move. A local real estate advisor is knowledgeable about: The value of homes in your neighborhood The current demand for houses in today’s market The condition of your house and how it affects the value A real estate professional will balance these factors to make sure the price of your house makes the best first impression and gives you the greatest return on your investment in the end. Bottom Line If you’re thinking about selling, pricing your house appropriately is key. Let’s connect to make sure your house is priced right for the local market, for your home’s condition, and to stand out from the competition.

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Spotlight

Bilfinger GVA

GVA Grimley Ltd, trading as Bilfinger GVA, is one of the largest commercial property advisers operating throughout the UK and Ireland. We provide multi-disciplinary commercial property advice and services to clients in the public and private sectors. Bilfinger GVA operates through a number of trading divisions (Planning, Development & Regeneration, Building, Project Management & Consultancy, Valuation Services, Capital Markets, Agency and Business Rates) and has an established presence throughout the UK with our regional network of 11 UK offices in each core city plus an Irish Office, located in Dublin. Our award-winning teams of commercial property advisers understand the importance of property to business and are here to help.

Related News

Real Estate Investment, Asset Management

Juniper Square and Pereview Team up to Deliver Asset and Portfolio Insights for Private Real Estate Partners

PRnewswire | July 24, 2023

Juniper Square, the leading provider of partnership enablement for the private funds industry, today announced an exclusive partnership with Pereview, the only Life of The Asset® software platform supporting both equity and debt for real estate investments. By connecting Pereview's in-depth asset data to Juniper Square, joint clients can seamlessly share both asset-level and portfolio insights to improve fundraising efficiency and provide LPs with greater transparency. "Juniper Square and Pereview's combined offering provides a best-of-breed solution for fundraising and investor relations teams within leading GP organizations," says Matt Lawson, CMO at Juniper Square. "Until now, these groups have had to compile data from countless different sources just to get a comprehensive and clear picture of their investments. Our partnership with Pereview will change the status quo, allowing GPs to get a comprehensive and clear picture of their CRE assets and deliver it seamlessly to LPs through Juniper Square's partnership enablement platform." As a slower adopter of digital technologies, the commercial real estate industry has finally reached a tipping point. With Juniper Square's roots in investment management and Pereview's expertise in providing detailed reporting across the entire investment lifecycle from acquisition to disposition, these complementary strengths address the ever-growing need for timely, in-depth reporting. All data in the capital stack, from the investor to the fund to the investment to the portfolio to the asset to the property to the lease will be readily available for mutual clients. "Our partnership with Juniper Square provides a best-of-breed, full-stack solution for the marketplace with a custom integration built exclusively for our current and future mutual clients," said Daryl Pitts, senior vice president of global sales for Pereview. "Where Juniper Square is strong in the processes around raising the fund and investor relations, Pereview provides complementary strengths in comprehensive, globally compliant data aggregation and reporting to equip asset, portfolio, and fund management professionals with the 360 view they need to make data-driven decisions." "The combination of Pereview and Juniper Square provides complete coverage for all of our needs," said Dalfen Chief Investment Officer Max Gagliardi. "From the start of fundraising to investor reporting, from portfolio analysis to strategy at the asset level, all the way down to industry exposure and lease clauses—all of our data, across the entire investment lifecycle is supported. We now spend more time doing deeper investment analysis allowing us to drive value creation across our portfolio versus spending time updating many Excel files to answer the same set of questions over and over again. Pereview and Juniper Square have been a game changer for us. We've been able to support the growth of our platform and materially increase portfolio analytics capacity without having to grow the team significantly." In addition to Dalfen, existing mutual customers between Juniper Square and Pereview include PCCP, Ryan Companies, Rockwood Capital, Singerman Real Estate, and many more. About Juniper Square Juniper Square is the leader in partnership enablement for the private funds industry, offering a universal system for GPs and their LPs to seamlessly connect and communicate across every stage of their partnerships. Juniper Square empowers investment managers to accelerate fundraising, scale operations efficiently, and improve investor satisfaction. More than 1,800 GPs rely on Juniper Square to manage more than 32,000 investment entities that span over 500,000 LPs and $700 billion in investor equity. About Pereview Pereview is the leading provider of asset management software and portfolio analytics to the global real estate industry. Agnostic to OP platforms and preferred by LP's, GP's, Institutional Investors, Owners and Managers, Pereview is built by real estate professionals for real estate professionals. By aggregating, integrating and interpreting your internal and external disparate data into the industry's only all-in-one platform, Pereview provides actionable insights into every step of the investment lifecycle. Drive NOI, break down silos and make stronger, more accurate decisions based on your accurate and governed data. With all of your transactions, asset, and portfolio management data in one place across both equity and debt investments, a Pereview client has full visibility into The Life of The Asset®. With both out of the box and customization options, we help clients make more trusted decisions and Do More With Your Data®.

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Real Estate Technology, Real Estate Investment

MRI Software Acquires PropTech Services Leader Loci Solutions

PRNasia | July 17, 2023

MRI Software has acquired Loci Solutions Group Pty Limited, an Australian property technology consulting and outsourced managed services company serving commercial, industrial, and retail property markets across Asia Pacific. Loci Solutions is well-known as an MRI Certified Partner specialising in the implementation of property management systems (PMS) for property developers, managers, and owners/investors. It also provides value-add outsourced accounting and lease administration services, as well as concierge support. David Bowie, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for MRI Software in Asia Pacific, said, "I'm excited to officially welcome Nikki, Gwen, and the rest of the Loci team to MRI. This acquisition strengthens our MRI @Work™ capabilities and enables us to scale and better support our commercial clients in their business growth. We're particularly excited to add Loci's outsourced lease administration services to our portfolio, helping clients automate manual tasks, reduce costs, and accelerate time to value." "Loci has been one of our key partners for over 15 years, serving as our primary implementation partner for Property Management X (PMX) in APAC for most of this time. As we integrate Loci's capabilities into our solution suite, our clients will have a more consistent experience and further benefit from our combined PropTech expertise," he said. Loci co-founder to lead MRI @Work Professional Services and Support Loci CEO and co-founder, Nikki Steadman, will lead the APAC MRI @Work Professional Services and Support team, which supports some of Australia's largest and most complex commercial real estate portfolios. Speaking in her new capacity as Head of MRI Professional Services and Support for MRI @Work, Asia Pacific, Ms. Steadman says, "We've felt like an extension of the MRI family for the last 15 years, and it's an honour to be formalising our relationship. Creating a united team like this allows an even more integrated approach for our commercial clients. I am really excited about the depth and breadth of service and product we're able to offer together. It's my privilege to now lead the unified team as we work from beginning to end in a client's journey and success." Mr. Bowie says, "Rest assured, MRI remains committed to our core value of providing clients the ability to choose the service providers that best meet their business needs. We look forward to continuing to grow and enable our managed services and consulting partner ecosystem to meet client demands and deliver world class services with a sole focus of client success." The financial terms of the deal are confidential. About MRI Software MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI's open and connected, AI-first platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than six million users worldwide. Through innovative solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to realise their vision of building thriving communities and stronger businesses. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com/au.

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Market Outlook, Real Estate Investment

Workspace Property Trust Successfully Modifies and Extends $1.3 Billion CMBS Facility in Challenging Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets

Businesswire | July 06, 2023

Workspace Property Trust (Workspace), the preeminent US suburban commercial office property owner and partner for the Fortune 1000, announced today that it successfully modified and extended its approximately $1.3 billion CMBS facility, securing a two-year extension for loans supported by its nearly 10 million square foot portfolio of 146 suburban office and light industrial, R&D and flex industrial properties in 14 major metropolitan markets across the US. In additional to this portfolio, Workspace owns an additional nine million Class A square feet of commercial office portfolio across 59 properties in the US. The successful refinancing of this Workspace’s Class A portfolio is a major accomplishment in one of the most difficult commercial real estate and capital market environments in decades and reflects the strength, experience and operating performance of the Workspace management team. Iron Hound Management Company LLC served as financial advisor to Workspace. Workspace Strengthens Its Balance Sheet To Invest in Growth “We are thrilled to have successfully modified and extended our $1.3 billion CMBS facility with a two-year extension and significant equity participation,” said Thomas A. Rizk, co-founder and CEO of Workspace. “Getting this deal done in what many have described as the most challenging real estate market in decades was no small feat and is testament to the underlying strength of our portfolio, the resilience of the suburban office sector, the promise of our pipeline and the capabilities of Workspace’s vertically integrated national platform. With the strengthening of our balance sheet, we are now in the enviable position of driving growth by investing in our leasing operations and deploying state-of-the-market enhancements in key market locations as we double down on the opportunities in the suburbs. We appreciate the support of our lenders, partners and investors and are focused on the tremendous opportunities in front of us.” Workspace owns and operates suburban office buildings in 14 of the top 20 US metropolitan areas, including Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Charlotte, Tampa, Phoenix, Silicon Valley, South Florida, Houston, Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago and St. Louis. Approximately 40% of the Fortune 500 have headquarters in Workspace markets and nearly seven million square feet of the Workspace portfolio is leased by companies included in the Fortune 1000. Workspace Suburban Markets Outperform Central Business Districts In addition to the financing news, Workspace also released the findings of a recently conducted analysis of national real estate data that highlight the meaningful outperformance of suburban commercial office markets over downtown commercial office locations. The data set, compiled for Workspace by CBRE Strategic Investment Consulting, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investments, underscores the strength, vitality and energy of suburban office markets as employers across the country reinvent how and where people work today. At the national level—and in key markets driving US economic growth— suburban office submarkets have outperformed central business district submarkets during each of the past three economic downturns, with smaller declines in rent growth and absorption rates and much steadier vacancy rates. This pattern has been particularly pronounced since the onset of COVID-19 and is leading to a fundamental reset in how corporate America is thinking about where and how their people should work. Based on the CBRE data, this resiliency is largely expected to persist through the current cycle, as many suburban locations continue to benefit from a rising number of occupiers and employees prioritizing the value of working closer to home. “Workspace Property Trust is differentiated by our proven core strategy – to provide innovative and responsive real estate solutions to the Fortune 1000 in fast-growing, highly desirable suburban commercial markets across the country,” said Roger W. Thomas, co-founder, President and COO of Workspace. “In the last year, we transformed our business by doubling our footprint to more than 19 million square feet of commercial and light industrial assets in some of the most vibrant markets in the US, offering our customers lifestyle oriented, community-based working environments that are fundamental requisites for corporations today. The CBRE data we are highlighting today is a clear and resounding affirmation that today’s most progressive companies – large and small – are investing in suburban markets, reversing decades of legacy thinking.” Mr. Rizk further stated, “New patterns of work and new demands by our tenants and their employees directly translate into the need for new long-term real estate innovation. We know the biggest single issue for our tenant partners is reducing the commuting time for their employees, allowing them to spend more time with their families. Our commitment to service and convenience and relentlessly focusing on delivering on our promise of “Work. Life. Balanced.” has solidified our partnerships with a number of Fortune 1000 organizations as they double down on their suburban footprints, investing significant dollars and resources in the lives of their team members. When Roger and I started Workspace, suburban office was a contrarian bet. The CBRE data validates what we’ve been experiencing on the ground over the last few years coming out of the pandemic: suburban office is benefitting from a foundational demographic shift to suburban submarkets in gateway metropolitan areas across the country where the quality of the work experience is the defining factor in leasing decisions.” Suburban Markets Outperformance: National and Local Metrics Nationally, suburban commercial office outperformed central business district commercial office in several key metrics, including vacancy, net absorption and rent growth. In 2022: By year-end, the national vacancy rate for suburban office was 17.2% vs. 17.6% for central business districts, the first time the suburban rate has been tighter since 1989. On net, the amount of suburban office space absorbed by occupiers in 2022 was equivalent to 0.3% of total suburban inventory. Meanwhile, downtown space was put back on the market (negative net absorption) at an amount equivalent to 0.2% of downtown inventory. Year-over-year rent growth in the suburbs was a full percentage point higher than in central business districts -- 1.6% vs. 0.6%. Additionally, when ranking U.S. suburban office markets across a variety of performance metrics, every Workspace market was represented within the top 15 for at least one metric, with several markets ranking in the top 15 multiple times. For example, over the past two years (Q4 2020 – Q4 2022): Fort Lauderdale and Miami tied for the sixth-highest increase in post-pandemic rent growth among all suburban office markets, with asking rent increases of 1.7% in both markets. Charlotte and Phoenix tied as the 11th highest in rent growth, with increases of 0.8% in both markets. San Jose ranked second for the most square feet of suburban office space absorbed and seventh for absorption as a share of total inventory. Other Workspace markets appearing in the top 15 for one or both of these absorption metrics were Chicago, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Based on forecasts for the next two years (Q4 2022 – Q4 2024): Workspace markets represented five out of the top eight suburban markets with the strongest near-term rent growth projections. These markets include Milwaukee, Phoenix, Houston, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Dallas was the third-highest ranking market for the expected gap between the suburban and central business district vacancy rate – 22.4% in the Dallas suburbs vs 27.1% in the Dallas CBD. Other Workspace markets in the top 15 across this metric include Seattle, Houston, Kansas City, St. Louis, Fort Lauderdale and Minneapolis. About Workspace Property Trust Workspace Property Trust is a privately held, vertically integrated, full-service commercial real estate company specializing in the ownership, management, leasing and development of office and light industrial, R&D and flex space across the US. Founded in 2015, as combined Workspace owns and operates approximately 19 million square feet of suburban office and light industrial, R&D, Flex (IRDF) properties in markets across the country, including 14 of the top 20 US metropolitan areas. For more information on Workspace, please visit www.workspaceproperty.com

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Real Estate Investment, Asset Management

Juniper Square and Pereview Team up to Deliver Asset and Portfolio Insights for Private Real Estate Partners

PRnewswire | July 24, 2023

Juniper Square, the leading provider of partnership enablement for the private funds industry, today announced an exclusive partnership with Pereview, the only Life of The Asset® software platform supporting both equity and debt for real estate investments. By connecting Pereview's in-depth asset data to Juniper Square, joint clients can seamlessly share both asset-level and portfolio insights to improve fundraising efficiency and provide LPs with greater transparency. "Juniper Square and Pereview's combined offering provides a best-of-breed solution for fundraising and investor relations teams within leading GP organizations," says Matt Lawson, CMO at Juniper Square. "Until now, these groups have had to compile data from countless different sources just to get a comprehensive and clear picture of their investments. Our partnership with Pereview will change the status quo, allowing GPs to get a comprehensive and clear picture of their CRE assets and deliver it seamlessly to LPs through Juniper Square's partnership enablement platform." As a slower adopter of digital technologies, the commercial real estate industry has finally reached a tipping point. With Juniper Square's roots in investment management and Pereview's expertise in providing detailed reporting across the entire investment lifecycle from acquisition to disposition, these complementary strengths address the ever-growing need for timely, in-depth reporting. All data in the capital stack, from the investor to the fund to the investment to the portfolio to the asset to the property to the lease will be readily available for mutual clients. "Our partnership with Juniper Square provides a best-of-breed, full-stack solution for the marketplace with a custom integration built exclusively for our current and future mutual clients," said Daryl Pitts, senior vice president of global sales for Pereview. "Where Juniper Square is strong in the processes around raising the fund and investor relations, Pereview provides complementary strengths in comprehensive, globally compliant data aggregation and reporting to equip asset, portfolio, and fund management professionals with the 360 view they need to make data-driven decisions." "The combination of Pereview and Juniper Square provides complete coverage for all of our needs," said Dalfen Chief Investment Officer Max Gagliardi. "From the start of fundraising to investor reporting, from portfolio analysis to strategy at the asset level, all the way down to industry exposure and lease clauses—all of our data, across the entire investment lifecycle is supported. We now spend more time doing deeper investment analysis allowing us to drive value creation across our portfolio versus spending time updating many Excel files to answer the same set of questions over and over again. Pereview and Juniper Square have been a game changer for us. We've been able to support the growth of our platform and materially increase portfolio analytics capacity without having to grow the team significantly." In addition to Dalfen, existing mutual customers between Juniper Square and Pereview include PCCP, Ryan Companies, Rockwood Capital, Singerman Real Estate, and many more. About Juniper Square Juniper Square is the leader in partnership enablement for the private funds industry, offering a universal system for GPs and their LPs to seamlessly connect and communicate across every stage of their partnerships. Juniper Square empowers investment managers to accelerate fundraising, scale operations efficiently, and improve investor satisfaction. More than 1,800 GPs rely on Juniper Square to manage more than 32,000 investment entities that span over 500,000 LPs and $700 billion in investor equity. About Pereview Pereview is the leading provider of asset management software and portfolio analytics to the global real estate industry. Agnostic to OP platforms and preferred by LP's, GP's, Institutional Investors, Owners and Managers, Pereview is built by real estate professionals for real estate professionals. By aggregating, integrating and interpreting your internal and external disparate data into the industry's only all-in-one platform, Pereview provides actionable insights into every step of the investment lifecycle. Drive NOI, break down silos and make stronger, more accurate decisions based on your accurate and governed data. With all of your transactions, asset, and portfolio management data in one place across both equity and debt investments, a Pereview client has full visibility into The Life of The Asset®. With both out of the box and customization options, we help clients make more trusted decisions and Do More With Your Data®.

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Real Estate Technology, Real Estate Investment

MRI Software Acquires PropTech Services Leader Loci Solutions

PRNasia | July 17, 2023

MRI Software has acquired Loci Solutions Group Pty Limited, an Australian property technology consulting and outsourced managed services company serving commercial, industrial, and retail property markets across Asia Pacific. Loci Solutions is well-known as an MRI Certified Partner specialising in the implementation of property management systems (PMS) for property developers, managers, and owners/investors. It also provides value-add outsourced accounting and lease administration services, as well as concierge support. David Bowie, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for MRI Software in Asia Pacific, said, "I'm excited to officially welcome Nikki, Gwen, and the rest of the Loci team to MRI. This acquisition strengthens our MRI @Work™ capabilities and enables us to scale and better support our commercial clients in their business growth. We're particularly excited to add Loci's outsourced lease administration services to our portfolio, helping clients automate manual tasks, reduce costs, and accelerate time to value." "Loci has been one of our key partners for over 15 years, serving as our primary implementation partner for Property Management X (PMX) in APAC for most of this time. As we integrate Loci's capabilities into our solution suite, our clients will have a more consistent experience and further benefit from our combined PropTech expertise," he said. Loci co-founder to lead MRI @Work Professional Services and Support Loci CEO and co-founder, Nikki Steadman, will lead the APAC MRI @Work Professional Services and Support team, which supports some of Australia's largest and most complex commercial real estate portfolios. Speaking in her new capacity as Head of MRI Professional Services and Support for MRI @Work, Asia Pacific, Ms. Steadman says, "We've felt like an extension of the MRI family for the last 15 years, and it's an honour to be formalising our relationship. Creating a united team like this allows an even more integrated approach for our commercial clients. I am really excited about the depth and breadth of service and product we're able to offer together. It's my privilege to now lead the unified team as we work from beginning to end in a client's journey and success." Mr. Bowie says, "Rest assured, MRI remains committed to our core value of providing clients the ability to choose the service providers that best meet their business needs. We look forward to continuing to grow and enable our managed services and consulting partner ecosystem to meet client demands and deliver world class services with a sole focus of client success." The financial terms of the deal are confidential. About MRI Software MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI's open and connected, AI-first platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organisations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than six million users worldwide. Through innovative solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to realise their vision of building thriving communities and stronger businesses. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com/au.

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Market Outlook, Real Estate Investment

Workspace Property Trust Successfully Modifies and Extends $1.3 Billion CMBS Facility in Challenging Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets

Businesswire | July 06, 2023

Workspace Property Trust (Workspace), the preeminent US suburban commercial office property owner and partner for the Fortune 1000, announced today that it successfully modified and extended its approximately $1.3 billion CMBS facility, securing a two-year extension for loans supported by its nearly 10 million square foot portfolio of 146 suburban office and light industrial, R&D and flex industrial properties in 14 major metropolitan markets across the US. In additional to this portfolio, Workspace owns an additional nine million Class A square feet of commercial office portfolio across 59 properties in the US. The successful refinancing of this Workspace’s Class A portfolio is a major accomplishment in one of the most difficult commercial real estate and capital market environments in decades and reflects the strength, experience and operating performance of the Workspace management team. Iron Hound Management Company LLC served as financial advisor to Workspace. Workspace Strengthens Its Balance Sheet To Invest in Growth “We are thrilled to have successfully modified and extended our $1.3 billion CMBS facility with a two-year extension and significant equity participation,” said Thomas A. Rizk, co-founder and CEO of Workspace. “Getting this deal done in what many have described as the most challenging real estate market in decades was no small feat and is testament to the underlying strength of our portfolio, the resilience of the suburban office sector, the promise of our pipeline and the capabilities of Workspace’s vertically integrated national platform. With the strengthening of our balance sheet, we are now in the enviable position of driving growth by investing in our leasing operations and deploying state-of-the-market enhancements in key market locations as we double down on the opportunities in the suburbs. We appreciate the support of our lenders, partners and investors and are focused on the tremendous opportunities in front of us.” Workspace owns and operates suburban office buildings in 14 of the top 20 US metropolitan areas, including Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Charlotte, Tampa, Phoenix, Silicon Valley, South Florida, Houston, Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago and St. Louis. Approximately 40% of the Fortune 500 have headquarters in Workspace markets and nearly seven million square feet of the Workspace portfolio is leased by companies included in the Fortune 1000. Workspace Suburban Markets Outperform Central Business Districts In addition to the financing news, Workspace also released the findings of a recently conducted analysis of national real estate data that highlight the meaningful outperformance of suburban commercial office markets over downtown commercial office locations. The data set, compiled for Workspace by CBRE Strategic Investment Consulting, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investments, underscores the strength, vitality and energy of suburban office markets as employers across the country reinvent how and where people work today. At the national level—and in key markets driving US economic growth— suburban office submarkets have outperformed central business district submarkets during each of the past three economic downturns, with smaller declines in rent growth and absorption rates and much steadier vacancy rates. This pattern has been particularly pronounced since the onset of COVID-19 and is leading to a fundamental reset in how corporate America is thinking about where and how their people should work. Based on the CBRE data, this resiliency is largely expected to persist through the current cycle, as many suburban locations continue to benefit from a rising number of occupiers and employees prioritizing the value of working closer to home. “Workspace Property Trust is differentiated by our proven core strategy – to provide innovative and responsive real estate solutions to the Fortune 1000 in fast-growing, highly desirable suburban commercial markets across the country,” said Roger W. Thomas, co-founder, President and COO of Workspace. “In the last year, we transformed our business by doubling our footprint to more than 19 million square feet of commercial and light industrial assets in some of the most vibrant markets in the US, offering our customers lifestyle oriented, community-based working environments that are fundamental requisites for corporations today. The CBRE data we are highlighting today is a clear and resounding affirmation that today’s most progressive companies – large and small – are investing in suburban markets, reversing decades of legacy thinking.” Mr. Rizk further stated, “New patterns of work and new demands by our tenants and their employees directly translate into the need for new long-term real estate innovation. We know the biggest single issue for our tenant partners is reducing the commuting time for their employees, allowing them to spend more time with their families. Our commitment to service and convenience and relentlessly focusing on delivering on our promise of “Work. Life. Balanced.” has solidified our partnerships with a number of Fortune 1000 organizations as they double down on their suburban footprints, investing significant dollars and resources in the lives of their team members. When Roger and I started Workspace, suburban office was a contrarian bet. The CBRE data validates what we’ve been experiencing on the ground over the last few years coming out of the pandemic: suburban office is benefitting from a foundational demographic shift to suburban submarkets in gateway metropolitan areas across the country where the quality of the work experience is the defining factor in leasing decisions.” Suburban Markets Outperformance: National and Local Metrics Nationally, suburban commercial office outperformed central business district commercial office in several key metrics, including vacancy, net absorption and rent growth. In 2022: By year-end, the national vacancy rate for suburban office was 17.2% vs. 17.6% for central business districts, the first time the suburban rate has been tighter since 1989. On net, the amount of suburban office space absorbed by occupiers in 2022 was equivalent to 0.3% of total suburban inventory. Meanwhile, downtown space was put back on the market (negative net absorption) at an amount equivalent to 0.2% of downtown inventory. Year-over-year rent growth in the suburbs was a full percentage point higher than in central business districts -- 1.6% vs. 0.6%. Additionally, when ranking U.S. suburban office markets across a variety of performance metrics, every Workspace market was represented within the top 15 for at least one metric, with several markets ranking in the top 15 multiple times. For example, over the past two years (Q4 2020 – Q4 2022): Fort Lauderdale and Miami tied for the sixth-highest increase in post-pandemic rent growth among all suburban office markets, with asking rent increases of 1.7% in both markets. Charlotte and Phoenix tied as the 11th highest in rent growth, with increases of 0.8% in both markets. San Jose ranked second for the most square feet of suburban office space absorbed and seventh for absorption as a share of total inventory. Other Workspace markets appearing in the top 15 for one or both of these absorption metrics were Chicago, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Based on forecasts for the next two years (Q4 2022 – Q4 2024): Workspace markets represented five out of the top eight suburban markets with the strongest near-term rent growth projections. These markets include Milwaukee, Phoenix, Houston, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Dallas was the third-highest ranking market for the expected gap between the suburban and central business district vacancy rate – 22.4% in the Dallas suburbs vs 27.1% in the Dallas CBD. Other Workspace markets in the top 15 across this metric include Seattle, Houston, Kansas City, St. Louis, Fort Lauderdale and Minneapolis. About Workspace Property Trust Workspace Property Trust is a privately held, vertically integrated, full-service commercial real estate company specializing in the ownership, management, leasing and development of office and light industrial, R&D and flex space across the US. Founded in 2015, as combined Workspace owns and operates approximately 19 million square feet of suburban office and light industrial, R&D, Flex (IRDF) properties in markets across the country, including 14 of the top 20 US metropolitan areas. For more information on Workspace, please visit www.workspaceproperty.com

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