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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.

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 ͵ 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 ý ߾ ־ , , ׸ ſ򰡱 ũ ŴƮ ̾. ̹ Commercial Real Estate Project ε ٰ ִ 嵥Ÿ ؼ ִ Ŭ 90 ħü Ŭ ٸ ϰ 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 ϱ 10 ÷ ĵǾ. 100 Ѵ ε ڵ µ ׵ ý忡 ϴ Ǹ , Ŀ, ε , ȸ, ߻, ׸ ǽ, δƮ, , ȣ, Ʈ ֵ Եȴ. ׵ ý Ȳ ֿ ڻ ǽ÷ ־.

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.
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 ϰ ִ. ֻ ƴϰų ſ ִ ڵ Ÿ ʰ ִ. ׷ , 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%
.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9129/chart1.gif

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 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.
ְ 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 ̴. ε ü 3 5 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.
Ǿ Ʈ ְ ְ 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% ߱ ̴
.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9141/bottom.gif

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 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 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 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 ä (subordinate bondholders) loan workout α ִ. ׵ кٴ ڱⰣ ȣϴ ݸ鿡 ƮƮ ݻȯ شȭ ų ִ. ׷ Ǹ äڵ ڱ Ǵ ԵǴ 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 Ǹ鼭 ڻ ġ ü ѽŲ. ǻ 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.
𷹹 Ǽ ȭϴ ٶ ĸƮ 1995ķ , ǾԴ Ʈ 10 ä ͷ ÷ 2.65%  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 5%ؿ ϰ δ. ĸƮ 15⵿ ȴٸ 8% ų ִ. ׷ , (ܱ ) ִ ε default(ä) ܱ̳ ذ ִϴ ĸƮ ¸ ۿ ġ ȸ Ű ̴
.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9142/higher.gif

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 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 ̾ ȸ ñ⸦ ¿ϱ⵵ Ѵ. Ϻ ׵ νڻ ǥ Խų ־ ε ġ 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.
̱ Ϻ ã ̱ Ϻ Ҿ 10 ޾߸ ϰ ߴ å ϴ ٷ ִ. ÿ Ϻ νڻ꿡 սó Ǵ å ֱ ̱ΰ ȭŲ å ã ִ. Ŀ Ʈ ÿ ټ νڻ սó ʰ ڻ갡ġ ʾƵ Ǵ ãư ִ ̶ ְ Ǿ. , зǼ Ŀ鿡 ġ ηθ ϵ ߴٴ 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 ӵ ׾. ̱ ׶ νڻ ó ǽߴϴ ̱ ε ȸ V-shape̶
.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9140/V.gif

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 Ƽ ϴ ε ׸ Ȯ . ̱ ο ȭ, GDP , Ǿ, ɼ, ü Һ񰨼ҿ ֹ ε ̴. ׷ ֿε Žð ĵ Ӵ, Ƿ, ׸ ġ ؿ ε ȸÿ ϴµ ߿ ̴.  

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 ִ
.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9133/chart5.gif

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. 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 Ǵ Ӵ غ å ̱ ̴. ׷ ǽ ǹ ε巯 Ÿ. о Cash Flow GDP Ӱ 2 Ծ
.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9134/chart6.gif

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 ̹ ׷ 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 ׵ ġ ߿ ְ ˾ Ӵ 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 ޶ ε ȴ.   Ǿ ε 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 ̴
.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9136/chart7.gif

A Rising Tide Will Not Lift All Boats ( 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 ̴. ͺ ټ Ǯ ȣ 濵ڵ 2008-2009⵿ 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 ִ.

http://www.pimco.com/NR/rdonlyres/89B25173-601F-478A-B9A3-5F1874F2A80F/9138/chart8.gif

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:
׷ 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 ڱ ε ׼ 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 ٰν ų ϰ ̴. ε ںȭ (recapitalization  – ο ڱְ κ ݻ谨 ޴ ) ڰ鿡 ڰ ̽ ڼ ִ. ׿Ͱ ŷ̸ ׼ ڱ äڿ ־߸ 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 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 ° ִ Ǹ ڱȸ ֱ ̴. ѵ ŷ Ȳ м ε ġ ո ־ ִ 𷹹 Ŭ ¹ٶ ĵ ȸ ۿ . ڸ Ѵٸ Ʒõ Ź Žð ϴ ƾ ̴
.


by John Murray, Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Manager and the PIMCO CRE/CMBS Team

 


Summary of Pimco's
Key Findings:

ֿ

1. Capital is clearly returning to commercial real estate, helping to stem the value decline in the sector.    But optimism should be tempered, because national price indices are misleading when transactions are limited and fail to reflect the significant uncertainty around property valuations.
1.
ڱ ε ƿν ü϶ µ ְ ִ ϴ ģ ؾ Ѵ. װ ϰ ֱ ̴. ŷ Ź Ǿ ְ ü ȮǼ ݿ ϰ ִ.

2. Changes in the structure of capital markets – notably the proliferation of complex securitizations since the last CRE crisis in the early 1990s – will lengthen the deleveraging process and suppress a recovery.   The impaired ability to transfer CRE risk out of the banking system relative to previous cycles makes a stable, let alone a V-shaped, recovery unlikely. Instead, many CRE assets likely will not return to 2007 prices until the end of this decade.
2.
ں ȭ – 1990 ʹ ε ħüĿ ȭ 𷹹 ȸ Ű ִ. ӵ νڻ ŷ ̾Ƴ ִ ɷ V-shape ȸ Ŀ ȸ ϰ ִ. ټ ε ڻ 10 2007 ȸ ̴.

3. Macroeconomic headwinds such as limited GDP growth in the U.S., elevated unemployment, potential re-regulation and a secular increase in the savings rate will force the market to re-evaluate the assumptions it has used to price CRE. These trends severely affect the outlook for rents, vacancies and capitalization rates, highlighting the downside risks that remain in CRE.
3. GDP Žð ¹ٶ Ǿ װ, ε ġ Ű ִ. ̷ ߼ Ӵ Ƿ, LƮ ֿ ε ̷ Ӱϴ δ ҷ Ű ִ.



=============

"ݳ⸻ ̱ ε
"

ݳ⳻ ȸ Ұ



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