|

PIMCO U.S. Commercial
Real Estate Project
̱ ε - м
June
2010
By John Murray, Commercial Real Estate Portfolio
Manager and the PIMCO CRE/CMBS Team
(www.pimco.com)
|
ؼ:
ݵ
1Ʈ Ѵ ݵμ ä Ǵ fixed income
fund Դϴ.
ε
ľϴµ мڷῡ Ը δ ̶ 帱
ְڽϴ.
2005
ǽߴ ý м Ʈ ϰ
غϴµ ߿ ־ ø
Ÿ ÿ ݵ ս ʾҴ ϰ
ִ ִ ݵ Ŵ̶ ְڽϴ.
ϳ,
̹ ε Ʈ 츮 ִ
İ ǵƺ ִ Ⱑ Ǿ ϴ
ٷ ҽϴ.
丶 |
In 2005, PIMCOs Investment Committee
dispatched the firms mortgage team to the top 20
U.S. housing markets in a boots on the ground effort
to assess the leverage-fueled housing boom. The
Housing Project was born and it led to our forecast
for an unprecedented decline in residential home
prices. What we learned was critical to PIMCOs
navigation of the credit crisis on behalf of our
clients.
2005,
ȸ
̱
ִ
ø
20
÷
ļϿ
ú
¸
ִ.
ź
Housing
Project
м
츮Է
Ͽ
ýü
ֵ
־.
װͿ
츮
͵
츮
Ͽ
ſ
¸
ij
ֵ
ִµ
߿
־.
The commercial real estate market
shares most of the sins of its residential cousin –
extremely weak loan underwriting, excessive leverage
and the absence of risk management from both banks
and rating agencies. So PIMCO undertook the
Commercial Real Estate Project to understand local
real estate dynamics on the front lines in ways not
revealed in the published data, to better understand
how the current cycle is different from previous
cycles and to inform asset selection in local
markets.
ε
嵵
ý
߾
–
־
,
,
ſ
ũ
ŴƮ
̾.
츮
̹
Commercial Real Estate Project
ε
ٰ
ִ
嵥Ÿ
ؼ
ִ
Ŭ
90
ħü
Ŭ
ٸ
ϰ
忡
ڻ
ؾ
ϴ
˾ƺ
ߴ.
Recognizing that commercial real
estate (CRE) property-level fundamentals continue to
decline and capital markets are changing rapidly,
PIMCO portfolio managers and analysts fanned out
across 10 cities to conduct on the ground research.
Our teams met with over 100 industry
representatives, including local investment sales
advisors, leasing brokers, CRE lenders, special
servicers, real estate developers and property
owners across the largest commercial sectors –
office, industrial, retail, hotel and multifamily.
Through these meetings, we developed a real-time
view of local conditions and insights into key
assets.
ε(CRE)
ݴٸ
ȭ
ں
ݵ
ٴں
縦
ϱ
10
÷
ĵǾ.
100
Ѵ
ε
ڵ
µ
ý忡
ϴ
Ǹ
,
Ŀ,
ε
,
ȸ,
,
ǽ,
δƮ, ,
ȣ,
Ʈ
ֵ
Եȴ.
츮
ý
Ȳ
ֿ
ڻ
ǽ÷
鿩
־.
We believe that the CRE market faces
significant uncertainty around valuations that will
affect the prospects for recovery. Investors
therefore should proceed with caution when examining
the complex opportunities that are surfacing.
Considering the complexities introduced by capital
markets since the last CRE crisis, any approaches to
analyzing and investing in this market will need to
depart significantly from those of previous cycles.
츮
CRE
ġ
ſ
Ȯ
Ȳ̸,
üȸ
ġ
ĥ
ϴ´.
ڰ鿡Դ
ڱȸ
ö
ǰ
ȴ.
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
(¦̴
͵
ƴϴ)
Capital has returned to CRE and high levels of
bidding activity in certain sectors have made many
observers and participants optimistic. Transactions
have generally been limited and capital flows have
been concentrated in trophy properties and in
properties where below-market Agency financing is
available. This has provided a false sense of
clarity on the real level of property values. A
significant volume of weaker and distressed assets
has yet to be liquidated and this foreshadows
further pressure on values. Against this
backdrop, we caution against the presumptions that a
rapid broad-based recovery is underway.
ڱ
CRE
ٽ
Եǰ
ִ.
о߿
ֱ
ټ
ڵ
ڵ
̴.
ŷ
̰
ڱ
Ϻ
ǹ ġġ
ÿ
ڰ
Ǿ
ִ.
ǹġ
㱸
ϰ
ִ.
ֻ
ƴϰų
ſ
ִ
鿡
ڵ
Ÿ
ʰ
ִ.
,
츮
ݿ
ȸ
ǰ
ִٴ
߸
ϰ
Ѵ.
Capital is Back
(ڱ
ƿ´)
Accommodative
monetary policy and increasing levels of liquidity
have ushered in the return of both equity and debt
capital to the commercial real estate sector. Not
surprisingly, capital has returned to the most
liquid sectors of CRE first – public equities
through Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and
commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS). REITs
were successful in raising over $24 billion of
equity and issuing $10 billion of debt in 2009. As
shown in the chart following, from the first quarter
of 2009 to the first quarter of 2010, the inflow of
capital into REITs and CMBS drove REIT prices up
over 96% and tightened super senior CMBS tranche
spreads (the most senior class of CMBS) by nearly
70%.
ȭå
ȭ
ڱݽ
CRE
о
ֽİ
äڰ鿡
־.
ڱ
REITs
MBS
äǽ̾.
2009
ص,
REITs
24
ֽİ
ÿ
10
ä
ߴ.
Ʒ
Ʈ
ֵ
2009
1б
2010
1б
REITs
CMBS
REITs
96%
پ
ֿ켱
Ʈ
CMBS
ͷ ()
70%
.

On the debt side, insurance companies
are actively looking to finance quality properties,
former Wall Street investment conduit groups are
re-forming and several private debt vehicles are
raising capital.
̵忡
ȸ
ǹ
ãµ
Ȱ
̰
Ʈ
߰
ǰ
ְ
缳 (̺)
ڱ
ڱ
ִ.
Transaction activity has resumed in earnest for
relatively liquid assets such as stable, trophy
properties in major markets. Investors and lenders
have aggressively returned to major markets,
including Manhattan and Washington, D.C., where
demand from foreign capital has led to recent office
trades that have been completed at capitalization
rates (annual net operating income divided by
property value, or in other words, the current yield
at which a property trades) and per-square-foot
values close to the peak prices seen in 2006 and
2007.
ŷȰ
뵵ÿ
ġ
̸
ǹ
߽
Ȱǰ
ִ.
ڰ
ź̳
D.C.
ִ.
ܱں
ֱ
ͷ ݿ
Cap Rate
ϰ
ǹμ
2006-2007
ְü
¸Դ
ؿ
ŷǾ.
Buyer demand has also returned for multifamily
properties financeable through Fannie Mae and
Freddie Macs longstanding lending programs. While
loan terms have become significantly more
conservative in CRE over the past two years, Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac continue to offer financing
terms reminiscent of those offered in 2007. This
attractive financing has led to transactions pricing
at 2005-2007 levels in the 5% to 6% cap rate range.
ϸ̿
ִ
ټ
ÿ
䵵
ƿԴ.
2̿
ٷο
Ͽ
2007
ڸ
ϰ
ִ.
ϰ
ִ
Ƕ
Cap Rate 5%-6%,
ŷݵ 2005-2007
ؿ
ӹ
ִ
̴.
Values Bottom, But Recovery Will Be Slow (ġ
ٴ
ȸ
̴)
In response to the recent
surge in bidding levels for lower-risk trophy CRE
assets, both equity and debt capital have begun to
migrate along the risk curve in search of yield.
Indeed, well capitalized REITs are once again
looking to acquire assets and several private equity
funds are actively searching for new acquisitions,
even in challenged markets.
赵
ְ
ڻ꿡
ż䰡
ϸ鼭
Ƽ
ڱ
ٱ
ִ.
ڱݷ
REIT
ٽñ
ڻ
õϰ
̺
Ƽ
ݵ鵵
2
ÿ
ο
õ
Ȱ
ϰ
ִ.
Today, buyer yield requirements imply that CRE asset
values have generally declined 35% to 45% from their
peak levels in 2007 - a marked improvement over
early 2009, when buyer yield requirements spiked to
levels that implied a value decline of over 50% from
2007. We caution against the presumption, however,
that this implied improvement in CRE asset
values portends a rapid recovery in actual CRE asset
prices. Instead, as over $500 billion of
over-leveraged CRE properties slowly reach the
market through lender dispositions or
restructurings, we expect general CRE asset prices
to remain 30% to 40% below 2007 peak pricing levels
for three to five years.
ó,
ڵ
䱸ϴ
ͷ
ε
ü
2007
ְġ
35%-45%
ȴ.
װ
2009
ʹݿ
ȸ̶
ִ.
50%
϶
䱸߾.
ٰ
ؼ
ü
ȸϰ
ִٰ
ġ
ñ.
500
ε
ְ
װ͵
Ź
忡
̴.
츮
ε
ü
3
5Ⱓ
2007
ü
30%-40%
ӵ
ϰ
ִ.
The point here is that transaction activity in
trophy properties and Agency-debt eligible
multifamily properties should not be considered a
leading indicator of a broad-based recovery in CRE
asset values. Recent transactions imply a rapid
recovery to 2007 pricing levels; however, these
asset classes face risk of future value declines. In
the case of the aforementioned Washington, D.C.,
office properties, for example, PIMCO met with
several local investors who were perplexed by the
extent of non-U.S. capital funneling into their
market. This reliance on non-U.S. capital for rapid
appreciation highlights the potential for exogenous
factors to drive CRE values at the local level. For
multifamily properties, a small change in loan terms
would have an immediate effect on multifamily asset
prices given the significant reliance on Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac for financing.
⼭
Ǿ
Ʈ
ְ
ְ
鿡
ε
ü
ȸ
ؼ
ȵȴٴ
̴.
ֱ
ü
ݵ
2007
ϴ
ó
ڻ
Ŀ
ٽ
϶
ɼ
Ѵ.
D.C.
ǹ
,
ڴ
ܱں
Ը
ȥϴ
.
ܱ
ں
ŷ
ϴ
ȸ
ü
ִٴ
ǹ̸
ϰ
ִ.
Ʈ
̼
̿
ȭ
ִµ
ڰ
ϰ
ִ
Ͽ
ڻȲ
ݺ
ū
Ұ
ִ.
,
Ͽ
ȭǰų
ٷ
װ̴.
Misleading Indices
(
)
National price indices such as the Moodys
Commercial Property Price Index (CPPI) can provide
misleading indications of a recovery in CRE asset
price levels. Since November 2009, the index has
rebounded 3%.
ǹ
ε
ε
ü
ȸϰ
ִ
ó
ϰ
ִ
ϰ
ִ.
2009
11
3%
ߴ.
While it is natural to draw comparisons between the
CPPI and the S&P/Case-Shiller index used to gauge
residential home prices, we caution that indexes
such as the CPPI are relatively meaningless in
todays limited transaction environment – commercial
real estate transaction volume fell nearly 90% from
2007 to 2009.
ֱó
ŷ
̰
ִ
ε
ü
ǹ̰
.
2009
ε
ŷ
2007
90%
߱
̴.

Our ride along meetings highlight
another limitation of the CPPI. Based on repeat
transactions, the index excludes the truly
distressed or overpriced properties acquired in the
past few years that have yet to trade, and is
instead skewed by the high proportion of trophy
asset and Agency-financed multifamily transactions.
In fact, for every broker story regarding a bidding
frenzy for a trophy asset or multifamily property,
our team heard of multiple instances of owners
embroiled in workouts on properties they believe to
be worth less than 50% of peak valuations. When
these distressed properties finally do trade, they
will have a disproportionate effect on the CPPI. For
example, the CPPI index price change in March 2010
was based on only $1.7 billion of transactions. By
contrast, a single deal, the highly publicized
Stuyvesant Town property in Manhattan, sold for $5.4
billion in 2006. If this property were to liquidate
today (the property is currently in default), many
estimate that it would sell for 60% less than its
2006 purchase price.
Ҵ
ִ.
װ
ý
ŷ
ϵ
ŷ
ŷ
꿡
ʴ´ٴ
̸
ŷ
Ҵ
ְ
ǹ
ŷ
ʹ
ݿȴٴ
̴.
ݰ£
ߴ
Ŀ
̿
δ
Źֵ
Ʈ
ġ
2007
ְġ
50%
ȵȴٰ
Ѵٴ
̴.
2010
3
Ұ
1.7
ŷ
̾.
ݸ鿡
2006
ԵǾ
ź
Ʃ̺Ʈ
Ÿ
ϳ
5.4.
ü
60%
ϰ
ִ.
The Long, Long Road to Recovery
(⳪
ȸⰣ)
The
development of increasingly complex capital
structures since the 1990s without accompanying
policies to efficiently resolve conflicts implies
that the deleveraging process will take far longer
to play out in this cycle. In addition, as regional
banks are forced to recognize losses on their
construction loan portfolios, eventual dispositions
will do little to speed a recovery or clarify
property values. The drawn out resolution process
for both complex securitization structures and
regional loan portfolios makes the prospects for a
quick, V-shaped recovery unlikely. Instead, many
assets may not return to their peak 2007 values
until the 2020s.
90
ߵǾ
ں
ȿ
ذå
ξ
ɸ
̴.
Ҿ
ұԸ
Ʈ
սó
ް
ִ
̶
ǹ
ŰѴϴ
ε
ȸⰣ
̳
ǹ
ġ
ʴ´.
äDZ
ڻŰⰣ
νڻ
V-
ȸ
븦
Ѵ.
ټ
ڻ
ġ
2007
ã
ؼ
2020
.
Deleveraging: A Messy Unwind (:
Ų
Ÿ
Ǫ
Ͱ
óа)
The often byzantine debt and equity structures that
evolved over the last decade will take significantly
longer to unwind than the distressed CRE inventory
of the 1990s, because securitization has changed the
primary holders of CRE risk. This prolonged
deleveraging process is expected to result in a
sustained period of limited price transparency and
risk aversion.
10⵿
ƾó
ä
Ƽ
ȭ
ٽ
Ǯ
͵
ȭ
״.
װ
90
ε
ȭ
Ϻ
Ⱓ
䱸Ѵ
–
ֳĸ
CMBS
ֱڸ
ٲұ
̴.
ȭǾ
(ġ)
ȸǿ
Ѱ踦
ʷ
ȴ.
In the last major crisis, CRE was relatively
isolated from the broader economy. The rally and
subsequent fall was spurred by tax-driven
oversupply. Furthermore, CRE capital structures were
straightforward, consisting of senior lenders
(savings and loans, thrifts and banks) and private
borrowers. Considering the relative isolation of CRE
risk holders, the FDIC was able to contain the
fallout. The FDIC spearheaded the rapid transfer of
CRE risks through the creation of the Resolution
Trust Corporation (RTC), which used tools such as
bulk sales, equity partnerships with a private
sector partner and, ultimately, securitization to
restructure and sell risk.
ε
־.
о
°
ȭ
̾.
Ҿ
ڱݱ
߾.
Savings & Loan, Thrift,
ֿ
̺
äڵ̾
̾.
FDIC
RTC
ε
ũ
´µ
װ͵
ũ
,
̺
Ϳ
Ƽ
Ʈʽ,
ñδ
ȭ
δ
Ⱦ
ġµ
̾.
Flash forward: the evolution of CMBS, large loan
syndications, mezzanine debt vehicles,
collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and private
equity funds has greatly added to the complexity of
the capital landscape. As such, the risk holders on
a property today frequently include hundreds of
direct and indirect owners across the capital
structure, often with conflicting interests. In
CMBS, for example, subordinate bond classes have
approval rights regarding loan workouts that lead to
a preference to extend loans rather than initiate
foreclosure proceedings. Conflict arises when a
foreclosure would maximize recovery to the trust but
would wipe out the subordinate bondholders
principal.
ֱ
ƿ
:
CMBS
ȭ,
ŵ̼,
ڴ
ũ,
ڻ㺸
(CDOs),
̺
ݵ
ڱݽȯ
̹ϰ
.
ȯ濡
ִ
Ȳ
ε
ڶ
,
ʵ
ε
Ѵ.
CMBS
쿣
켱
ä
(subordinate bondholders)
loan workout
α
ִ.
кٴ
ڱⰣ
ȣϴ
ݸ鿡
ƮƮ
ݻȯ
شȭ
ų
ִ.
Ǹ
켱
äڵ
ڱ
Ǵ
ԵǴ
浹
ȴ.
All of this will serve to limit the speed and
effectiveness of previous deleveraging strategies,
dragging the unwinding process out for years and
limiting visibility on the level of a bottom in
property values. Indeed, many of the CRE law firms
that we met with said their loan restructuring
assignments have become significantly more
complicated than previous cycles due to the higher
number of participants within a propertys capital
structure.
ӵ
ȿ
ϽŰ
νڻ
Űó
Ⱓ
Ǹ鼭
ڻ
ġ
ü
ѽŲ.
ǻ
츮
ټ
CRE
ߵ
̹
ξ
ϴٰ
ߴ.
װ
ֵ
ڰ
̴.
Higher Cap Rates Here For the Long
Term (
ȸ
䱸Ǵ
ĸ
Ʈ)
We expect that the spread between cap rates and
10-year Treasuries will remain above its average of
265 basis points seen since 1995, as the litigious
deleveraging process leads to a sustained period of
risk aversion in the sector.
赵
Ǽ
Ⱓ
ȭϴ
ٶ
ĸƮ
1995ķ
,
ǾԴ
Ʈ 10⸸
ä
ͷ
÷
2.65%
䱸
ȴ.
As shown in the accompanying chart, the 10-year
forward curve implies that 10-year Treasuries will
approach 5% over the next several years. If cap rate
spreads remain above their average, the market can
expect long term cap rates near or above 8%. In this
case, even if properties with floating rate debt can
successfully avoid defaults in the short term,
rising longer term rates will create a floor for cap
rates and limit recoveries.
Ʒ
Ʈ
ֵ
10⸸
ä
ͷ
Ⱓ
5%ؿ
ϰ
δ.
ĸƮ
15⵿
ȴٸ
8%
ų
ִ.
,
(ܱ
)
ִ
ε
default(ä)
ܱ̳
ذ
ִϴ
ᱹ
ĸƮ
¸
ۿ
ġ
ȸ
Ű
̴.

Small Loan Dispositions Offer Little
Clarity (Ȯ
ذå)
While evolving U.S. guidelines and a low fed funds
rate allow banks to employ a pretend and extend
strategy for the resolution of troubled commercial
loans, large volumes of construction loans are
expected to force a day of reckoning for many
regional banks. Banks cannot keep listing
construction loans as performing when the reserves
they must carry against them are depleted and
borrowers refuse to contribute new capital.
Similarly, CMBS special servicers will likely sell
portfolios of small non-performing CMBS loans, as
these loans are not profitable for the servicer to
resolve.
ħ
ȭ
ݸå
Ͽ
ƿ
νڻ
ְ
Ը
ڵ
̷
ȴ.
ڸ
ڻ
ο
÷Դ
ఢ
Ұ
Ȳ
Ҵ.
Interest reserve
ڱ
ٴ
äڵ
ο
ڱ
ִ.
,
CMBS
ڿ
ߴϰ
ó
Ȯ
.
ֳĸ
Ʈ
ϴ
ϱ
̴.
Loan portfolio dispositions will likely lead to an
increase in transaction volume relative to 2009;
however, portfolio sales of small, non-performing
loans give little clarity to values overall. For
example, in an FDIC sale that took place in early
2010, only 41.5% of a $1 billion portfolio consisted
of loans backed by traditional commercial real
estate properties. The rest of the loans were backed
by assets such as land, car washes, churches and
funeral homes – not exactly a useful comparable for
assessing the value of office buildings.
νڻ
Ű
2009
ڻŷ
ų
̴.
Ը
ν
ڻ
Ű
ε
ü
ݿ
Ȯ
Ѵ.
2010
ʹݿ
FDIC
ó
10
Ʈ
ε
κ
Ұ
41.5%
ʾҴ.
,
ī,
ȸ,
ǻ
Ȩ
ڻ̾
Űü
εü
ݿߴٰ
ٴ
̴.
A Brief Comparison to Japan (Ϻ
)
The broader success of transferring CRE risk out of
the banking system will also drive the timing of
recovery. Consider Japan, where zombie banks –
financial institutions that continue to operate
despite severely impaired balance sheets – held on
to underwater loans for years because they were not
forced to mark to market. This led to a sustained
period of limited price discovery and a prolonged
downturn where values did not bottom for more than
10 years after the decline began.
ε
νڻ
౸
̾
ȸ
ñ⸦
¿ϱ
Ѵ.
Ϻ
츦
캸
νڻ
Ⱓ
ǥ
Խų
־
ε
ġ
Ⱓ
ѽװ
ü
϶
ȭ
δ
ε
ħü
10
Ѿ
̴.
We hope that the lessons learned from the Japan
crisis will help the U.S. avert some of the fiscal
and tax policies that led to Japans lost decade.
Parallels can certainly be drawn, though, between
Japans policies regarding bank recognition of CRE
loan losses and the U.S. governments recently
relaxed bank guidelines. As we learned through
meetings with CRE brokers and consultants, many
regional banks continue to find ways to avoid
marking loans to their current value. For example,
several brokers told our analysts of cases where a
bank loan officer would specifically direct a broker
to provide only a verbal opinion of value on a
property financed by the bank, presumably to avoid
any documentation that would force recognition of a
loss.
츮
̱
Ϻ
迡
ã
̱
Ϻ
Ҿ
10
縦
߸
ϰ
ߴ
å
ϴ
ٷ
ִ.
ÿ
Ϻ
νڻ꿡
սó
Ǵ
å
ֱ
̱ΰ
ȭŲ
å
ã
ִ.
츮
Ŀ
Ʈ
ÿ
ټ
νڻ
սó
ʰ
ڻ갡ġ
ʾƵ
Ǵ
ãư
ִ
̶
ְ
Ǿ.
,
зǼ
Ŀ鿡
ġ
ηθ
ϵ
ߴٴ
츮
м鿡
˷־.
װ
ġ
ϰ
Ǹ
λ
սó
DZ
̴.
The accompanying chart extrapolates and compares a
recovery that mirrors Japans CRE lost decade cycle
versus a recovery scenario based on the U.S.
recovery in the 1990s, where the FDIC forced a rapid
transfer of CRE risk through the Resolution Trust
Corporation. Interestingly, as veterans of the 1990s
will attest, even that recovery was far from
V-shaped in CRE.
Ʒ
Ʈ
Ϻ
Ҿ
10
ε
Ŭ
̱
1990
ȸ
̴.
̱
FDIC
ֵϿ
νڻ
RTC
౸
ӵ
.
̱
νڻ
ó
ǽߴϴ
̱
ε
ȸ
V-shape̶
Ⱑ
.

Avoiding the Pitfalls
(
ϱ
ؼ)
The credit crunch of 2007 and 2008 encompassed a
large set of problems – corporate, residential,
consumer lending and, of course, commercial real
estate. As a result, CRE will most likely not
benefit from the surge of economic growth that
typically follows a cyclical downturn. Instead,
the market – and indeed the broader economy – will
be exposed to a whole new set of obstacles to
recovery on the path to a New Normal: limited GDP
growth in the U.S., a stubbornly high unemployment
rate, potential re-regulation and a secular shift in
the savings rate that results in reduced
consumption. Accounting for and understanding the
effect these macroeconomic trends will have on
rents, vacancies and cap rates will be key to
avoiding the pitfalls to recovery in CRE, where many
assets will continue to decline in performance and
value over the next three to five years.
2007-2008
ſ
Ŀٶ
ߴ.
–
,
,
Һ
,
ε꿡
ſ̾.
ٴ
ġ
ٽ
弼
Ƽ
ϴ
ε
Ȯ
.
̱
ο
ȭ,
GDP
,
Ǿ,
ɼ,
ü
Һҿ
ֹ
ε
̴.
ֿε
Žð
ĵ
Ӵ,
Ƿ,
LƮ
ġ
ؿ
ε
ȸÿ
ϴµ
߿
谡
̴.
Rents Are Down More Than Reported(Ӵ
ִ)
Market reports on industry fundamentals such as
vacancy rates and rental rate changes are misleading
in a limited leasing environment. PIMCOs interviews
with leasing brokers and property owners across the
country paint a significantly more sobering picture
of the rental environment than market reports show.
ó
ӴȰ
ȯ濡
Ǿ
Ǵ
Ƿ
Ӵ
ȭ
ִ.
̺Ŀ
Ӵֵ
ͺ並
ڰ
˾Ƴ
Դ
ӴȲ
̸
̰
ִ.
Property and Portfolio Research (PPR) reported
meaningful declines in nationwide asking rents,
shown in the accompanying table. These clearly
illustrate a decline in performance across all real
estate sectors; however, these measures fail to
capture the extent of the concessions landlords are
offering to attract and retain tenants.
Ʒ
Ÿ
PPR
߰ϴ
ڸ
Ӵֵ
䱸ϴ
Ӵ
ε
о߿
϶
̰
ִ.
Ӵֵ
ڵ
̱
Ǵ
ڵ
ϱ
ϴ
μƼ
̿
ݿ
ϰ
ִ.

Effective office rents, (rents net of
concessions such as free rent and temporary rent
breaks) have dropped much further than asking rents.
According to Reis Inc., a commercial real estate
information provider, asking rents in the Manhattan
office market were down more than 20% at the end of
2009 from the peak in the fall of 2008. However, our
interviews with leasing brokers suggested that
effective rents in those same areas have declined by
as much as 40%. Not surprisingly, landlords are
hesitant to disclose concessions because doing so
could incentivize savvy tenants to negotiate better
terms. This makes accurately tracking effective
rents nearly impossible.
ǽ
ȿ
Ӵ,
Ӵ
μƼ긦
Ӵ
Asking Rent
ξ
īƮ
̰
ִ.
ź
Ӵġ
ȸ
Reis Inc.
ϴ
ڷῡ
2008
(Ӵ
)
2009
ź
ǽ
Ӵᰡ
20%
̻
϶ߴٰ
ߴ.
츮
ǽ
ͺ信
ȿ
Ӵ
40%
϶ߴ.
Ӵֵ
ڵ鿡
ϴ
μƼ꿡
ؼ
ϱ⸦
Ѵ.
Ǹ
ٸ
ڵ鿡Ե
ϰ
Ͱ
̴.
ȿ
ӴḦ
Ȯϰ
ϴ
Ұϴ.
With More Declines to Come (ӵǴ
϶)
Although nominal GDP growth turned positive during
the third and fourth quarters of 2009, property cash
flows are poised to decline for the next one to two
years as expiring leases reset at lower levels. This
lag effect is evident in the office and industrial
sectors, where the strongest historical correlation
between nominal GDP and cash flows occurs on a two
year lag.
2009
3, 4б
GDP
Ƽ
Cash Flow
϶
δ.
1-2
Ⱓ
Ⱑ
Ǵ
Ӵ
غ
å
̱
̴.
ǽ
ǹ
ε巯
Ÿ.
о
Cash Flow
GDP
Ӱ
2
Ծ.

In addition to the demonstrated lag
effect between GDP and CRE cash flows, severe real
estate value corrections can create other, less
obvious sources of rent pressure. For example,
sophisticated tenants have become increasingly
concerned about zombie buildings where the current
owner has negative equity and little incentive to
maintain a property. In fact, several leasing
brokers told us that, for the first time in their
careers, they are seeing tenants demanding detailed
financials on the landlord. Over-leveraged
properties financed with CMBS loans are particularly
vulnerable to being deemed as zombies, because
brokers representing large tenants are able to
access the specific financial information for these
assets. Thus, potential tenants will be able to
actively avoid these buildings, further pressuring
property values.
GDP
ε
Cash Flow
ñ
ܿ
ε갡ġ϶
ϵ
κп
Ӵ
й
Ÿ.
,
İ
ڵ
Ҿ
Ӵְ
ϴ
(ִ)
ȴ.
Ӵ
Ŀ
ó
ڵ
ε
¿
䱸ϴ
Ǿٰ
Ѵ.
CMBS
ڸ
ִ
Ǿ
Ȯ
.
ֳĸ
ڵ
뺯ϴ
Ŀ
̹
鿡
λ̵
ֱ
̴.
ĺڵ
Ϸ
̰
Ǹ
ü
϶ϰ
ȴ.
Should foreclosures accelerate and more landlords
give back the keys on underwater properties, the
lower cost basis for buyers of these distressed
properties would reduce the rent required to
generate desirable returns. These basis resets would
have a marked effect on local area rents, requiring
special attention to potential property value shocks
and a detailed knowledge of equity positions in
nearby properties.
ȭǸ
ݿ
ʵ
ӴḦ
ֱ
ֺ
ü
Ӵῡ
϶
й
ְ
ȴ.
ڰ鿡
ְ
ε
ġ
ũ
ֺ
Ƽ
Ȳ
ؼ
ο
ǰ
ȴ.
Interviews with retail property owners also
highlight the continued challenges landlords face.
Retail owners may have been able to prop up
occupancy levels by converting struggling tenants to
a percentage rent structure; however, performing
anchor tenants will eventually demand rent
reductions as well. Several retail owners that we
met with indicated that even performing anchors are
attempting to negotiate lower rent structures, as
these tenants recognize that they are often the key
to a propertys viability.
Ҹ
ֵ
ͺ並
ؼ
˰
ַ
,
ް
ִ
ڵ
ϱ
伾Ƽ
Ʈ
ٲٸ鼭
ϰ
Ʈ
ִ
ڵ
Ӵ
īƮ
䱸ϰ
ִٰ
Ѵ.
Ư
Ŀ
ڵ
簡
ġ
߿
ְ
˾
Ӵ
谨
䱸ϱ
Ѵٰ
Ѵ.
Elevated Vacancies Lean on Values (Ƿ
°
ġ)
Given the sharp drop in real estate values,
commercial real estate development (i.e., new
supply) is expected to remain limited for several
years. Long term changes in employment will result
in depressed demand as well, stifling absorption of
vacant supply. In markets such as Phoenix, finance-
and real estate-led growth in office employment will
remain muted for years, as many of these jobs were
ancillary to the construction industry. Thus,
secular changes in office-using employment will keep
vacancy rates above historical averages for several
years, even in a limited supply environment.
ε
ü
Ⱓ
ε
ȴ.
Ǿ
ε
並
ϽŰ
Ǿ
нų
̴.
Ƕнó
ε
ô
ǽ
̳
DZ
ɷ
̴.
ǽ
°
ȭ
ް
ִ
ȿ
ѵ
ȯ濡
̰
ȴϴ
Ƿ
պ
̴.
According to PPR, vacancy rates in the first quarter
of 2010 were almost 20% on a national level, the
highest level in 20 years and well above the average
15% rate seen over that same period. Even with
limited new supply, we expect vacancy rates to stay
consistently above trend, ultimately limiting office
rent growth over the secular horizon. As the
accompanying table highlights, rental growth
doesnt meaningfully increase until vacancies fall
well below the historical average.
PPR
,
2010
1б
Ƿ
20%
.
20⵿
ġ
15%
ؼ
̾.
Ѵ
ϴ
Ƿ
ε
ѵ
ġ
Ǵ
,
ǽ
Ӵо
мȴ.
Ʒ
Ʈ
Ÿ
Ƿ
ռغ
Ӵ뼺
ϱⰡ
̴.

A Rising Tide Will Not Lift All Boats
(
踦
ʴ´)
Long term changes in consumption and savings
patterns have specific implications for properties
tied to consumer spending, such as the luxury hotel
and upscale retail sectors. PIMCOs expectation for
a long-term increase in the savings rate suggests
the potential recovery for these asset classes will
be constrained as consumers reduce discretionary
spending habits.
Һ
ȣڰ
ġ
Ҹźо
ε꿡
ְԵȴ.
Һڵ
Һ
ȭϰ
ǰ
о
ε
ڻ
ȸ
ȴ.
Despite recently reported increases in hotel
revenues relative to the first quarter of 2009, many
luxury hotels may not see their room rates reach
2007 levels for several years and many full-service
hotels will struggle to maintain profitability in
low margin business lines such as spa and restaurant
services. To the extent hotel revenues decline
further, the negative effects on property net cash
flows will become increasingly amplified as fixed
costs consume a greater proportion of operating
expenses. Many of the full-service hotel operators
that we met with confirm that they have already
squeezed out most of the possible fixed cost
savings in 2008 and 2009, as certain costs such as
insurance and real estate taxes cannot be reduced
further.
ֱٿ
ǥȵ
ȣ
2009
1б
ϱ
ټ
ġ
ȣڵ
2007
Room Rate
ȸϴµ
ɸ
̸
ij
Ĵ
ϴ
Ǯ
ȣڵ鵵
ϴµ
ġ
ȴ.
ȣ
ϸ
Ҽ
Ŀ
̰
װƼ
Cash Flow
ġ
ġ
̴.
츮
ͺ
ټ
Ǯ
ȣ
濵ڵ
2008-2009⵿
꼼
ϰ
̹
Ȳ̶
Ѵ.
Certain retail properties could also struggle in the
New Normal. Many retail properties built in
anticipation of large housing developments will
simply suspend operations, because sustained
reductions in the home ownership rate mean that many
planned housing developments will not restart for
years.
Ư Ҹ ο ǥ ӿ ô ִ.
ټ Ҹ θ ֺ ô ο ΰ
ߵ ͵ ̹ ߴ ִ װ ü ҷ
Ͽ ̹ ȹ ð߸ 簡Ǵµ ɸ DZ ̴.
Luxury retail properties may also struggle in this
environment. Retail rents are often structured to
include a base rent and a percentage rent (overage)
that is tied to store sales. This direct link
between rental rates and store sales highlights the
sensitivity of luxury retail properties to both
short term drops in sales and long term reductions
in discretionary spending. The chart below
illustrates the challenges that luxury retailers
faced in 2009.
ġ Ҹ ε굵 ϰ ȴ.
Ҹ Ӵ ⺻ Ӵ ۼƼ ԵǾ
ִ.
Ӵ ġ Ҹ
ǹ ܱ ҺϿ ް ûϰ ִ.
Ʒ ǥ 2009
ġ Ҹžڵ Ÿ ִ.

Re-regulation: Another Risk (
:
ϳ
)
An increasingly uncertain regulatory environment may
also constrain the recovery of CRE values. Recently
proposed regulatory and accounting rule changes
(such as FAS 166 & 167, which impact the off-balance
sheet treatment for securitized assets) may reverse,
or at least limit the re-emergence of traditional
conduit lenders. Federal proposals to date have not
clearly addressed risk retention requirements for
CMBS issuers and the uncertainty around future
regulatory pressures may negatively affect the
economics of new securitization. Without further
clarity on these issues, limited securitization will
deprive CRE markets of an important source of
capital.
ȮǼ ε ȸ ɸ ǰ ִ.
ֱٿ ȸ (FAS 166 &
167 ȭ ڻ꿡 ȸ)
߰ ϰų ϰ ȴ.
ݱ ȵ ȵ CMBS
鿡 ʼ ǿ Ȯ
ʰ ȿ ȮǼ ο ȭ ѷ ư
ִ. ü ʴ
ȭ ȯ ε꿡 䱸Ǵ ں ٿ Ż ۿ .
Spotting the Opportunities
(ȸ
ãƳ)
As the deleveraging cycle unfolds, attractive
opportunities are likely to be available to
investment platforms with the flexibility to access
CRE opportunities across the capital landscape and
who can provide liquidity over the long term. The
slow recovery cycle, however, favors patient
investors who understand the relative value dynamics
of both capital structures and asset profiles.
Ŭ
ǥȭǸ鼭
ڱݵ
ڰ鿡
ȸ
ãƿ
ִ.
ٸ,
ȸ
Ŭ̱
ڱݱ
ڻϿ
ڰġ
̳
ƴ
ڼ
ȣǰ
ִ.
We conclude by looking at some of these
opportunities:
츮
ȸ
캸鼭
Ʈ
ġ
Ѵ:
FDIC Dispositions – Regional and
community banks are particularly sensitive to both
national and local economies and have been acutely
affected by the distress in residential and
commercial real estate markets. There were 140 bank
failures in 2009 and an additional 78 through May
2010, representing approximately $240 billion in
assets.
FDIC
Ź
–
Ĺ´Ƽ
Ư
ΰ
ִ.
ֱ
ħü
鿡
Ÿ
.
2009
ص
140
ݾҰ,
2010
ù
ټ
78
߰
Ǿ.
װ
240
ڻ
̴.
Troubled banks have suffered losses on their CRE
loan portfolios and eventually will be forced to
transfer these risks off their balance sheets either
through FDIC assisted transactions or voluntarily
ahead of receivership. Historically, intensive risk
transfer environments have provided opportunities
for investors to acquire distressed loan portfolios.
Recently, the FDIC has also indicated that it will
consider securitizations of bank CRE loan
portfolios.
ε
Ʈ
սǷ
Ÿ
ƿ
δ
FDIC
ְϴ
ڻ
Ű
Ǵ
Ű
ǽ
Դ.
ڻ
Űȯ
Ʈ
ڵ鿡
ȸ
־.
ֱٿ
FDIC
Ʈ
ȭ
Ѵٰ
.
While bank loan dispositions may offer compelling
opportunities to acquire loan pools at discounts, we
caution that these opportunities are complex. The
limited transaction time frames and
non-institutional nature of the underlying
collateral requires investors to have both the
experience and infrastructure to underwrite and
manage large pools of loans efficiently.
Ʈ
ΰ
ȸ
ֵ
ȸ
ƴ϶
ϰ
Ѵ.
ѵ
ŷ
Ⱓ
ڱ
ε
㺸
Ʈ
ȿ
ϱ
ؼ
м
䱸Ѵ.
Restructuring of Large CRE Loans –
Most of the private-equity-fueled mega deals of 2006
and 2007 are just beginning to unwind. As large CRE
loans mature, lender syndicates that own the debt
will look to exit or restructure. Property
recapitalizations, including loan restructurings
(where a new investor contributes capital in
exchange for a reduced senior loan principal balance
and a preferred equity position), can provide
investors with a lower cost basis and a share of the
upside returns. However, these types of
restructurings are complex transactions that will
require investors to have substantial capital to
participate in larger deals, as well as
relationships with both lenders and borrowers.
ε
– 2006-2007
̺
Ƽ
ʴ
ε
κ
μ
ŰǴ
ñ
.
ε
Ⱑ
ٰν
ų
ϰ
̴.
ε
ںȭ
(recapitalization –
ο
ڱְ
鼭
κ
ݻ谨
)
ڰ鿡
ڰ
̽
ڼ
ִ.
Ͱ
ŷ̸
ڱ
äڿ
踦
־߸
ū
ִٴ
ִ.
CMBS Opportunities – Many traditional
buyers of subordinate CMBS tranches, including
mortgage REITs and special servicer affiliates, have
disappeared, creating an opportunity for new
investors to acquire discounted subordinate
positions and potentially influence the outcomes of
CMBS-securitized loans. Also, constantly shifting
spreads among bond classes create arbitrage
opportunities for investors who understand the
relative risks between various bond classes and CMBS
deals.
CMBS
ȸ
–
CMBS
ڰ
κ
̱
ϴ
ڰ
īƮ
ް
ִ
ִ.
ä
Ŭ
̿
Ӿ
ȭϴ
˺Ʈ
ȸ
ϰ
ִ.
ڼ
ϴ
ڰ鿡
ؼ
̴.
Relative Value Opportunities – Capital
flows alone should not be a gauge of where
attractive investment opportunities lie. As
mentioned earlier, many owners in primary markets
are perplexed by the extent of non-U.S. capital
flowing into their markets. With this in mind, new
investors should not expect a continued rapid
appreciation in pricing for trophy assets in these
markets. Conversely, owners of grocery-anchored
retail assets in smaller markets express frustration
in securing financing today, despite strong tenant
profiles and positive demographics. As capital
returns to CRE, we expect this yield spread (as
reflected by cap rates) between trophy assets and
less liquid, quality assets in smaller markets to
eventually tighten.
ġ
ȸ
–
Ʈ
ʹݿ
ߵ
ڱ
üμ
ڼ
.
ο
ڰ
ְ
̶
ؼ
ȵȴ.
Ҹ
Ŀ
ΰ
ִ
θ
ڸ
ƳⰡ
.
źź
ڸ
ִµ
.
ε꿡
Ⱑ
Ǵ
ְ
Ʈ
θ
Ʈ
ϵ
(Cap Rate)
ȴ.
As with any market that is undergoing unprecedented
change, attractive opportunities will exist for the
prudent and disciplined investor. Though difficult
to measure in a limited transaction environment,
commercial real estate valuations have clearly
returned to more rational relationships with
property-level fundamentals. However, the
deleveraging cycle and structural headwinds will
result in a slow recovery with pockets of volatility
to be expected. Extreme discipline in assessing both
the asset level and macroeconomic risks will be
critical to making the right investment decisions.
ȭ
°
ִ
忡
Ǹ
ڱȸ
ֱ
̴.
ѵ
ŷ
Ȳ
м
ε
ġ
ո
־
ִ.
Ŭ
¹ٶ
ĵ
ȸ
ۿ
.
ڸ
Ѵٸ
Ʒõ
Ź
Žð
赵
ϴ
켱
ƾ
̴.
by John Murray, Commercial Real Estate Portfolio
Manager and the PIMCO CRE/CMBS Team

|