Apartment Vacancies at 12-Year Lows

The Denver Business Journal reporting apartment vacancies at a 12-year low confirming the trend with single family home low vacancies and higher rents. Denver-area apartment vacancies hit 12-year low for Q4 .

Metro RE Investment Group & Property Management

Rents up in Denver metro area, climbing fastest in Jeffco and the Boulder/Broomfield area

The latest report from Colorado Department of Housing.

 

Westminster Marched on Adding to 105 Acre Redevelopment Site

The Westminster Economic Development Authority (WEDA) is purchasing Sears in the former Westminster Mall  Per the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. The acquisition would add 7.8 acres to the currently purchased urban redevelopment site. WEDA purchased the most of the 105-acre site last summer. The vision for the new urban center is a mix of retail, office and residential. The Sears building will be demolished this summer. Read the full story Westminster reaches agreement on acquisition of Sears.

Metro RE Investment Group & Property Management

Case Study – Analyzing an Investment Opportunity

The purpose of this case study is to illustrate the steps involved in analyzing a residential investment opportunity. It may not cover all aspects of the investment analysis but it is very comprehensive. Where applicable, there are links to more explanation of the topics throughout this post.

The objective is to show how one, systematically and objectively, can quantify the before-tax and after-tax cash flows, the proceed from the sale, the taxes due on sale, and the performance of the investment taking into account the income, financing, operating expenses, and his/her tax brackets.

Here is another buzz word: this analysis provides a Financial Management Rate of Return (FMRR) compared to the Internal Rate of Return (IRR). In FMRR, the income from the investment is taken out, re-invested in another instrument (no longer internally reinvested).

There are a number of worksheets in the spreadsheet used to provide the analysis. They are, for most parts, self explanatory. I will touch on the highlights. The images of the worksheets are posted below. Please feel free to contact me (hossein@MetroREIG.com) for a PDF version or access to the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet allows one to evaluate the What-If scenarios by changing the variables highlighted in yellow.

And, finally, my disclaimer: The spreadsheet has been evolved over the years. Although extreme care has been taken and believe accurate, I cannot guarantee that. The spreadsheet is only for evaluating an investment opportunity. Please consult with your tax/finance professional.

The first worksheet, below, is the data on the investor and the property. A couple in their 28% tax bracket are purchasing a townhouse for $65,000. The current market value is $80,000. The townhouse needs about $5,000 worth of repairs. It will be financed for 30 years at 5%. They want to sell the townhouse after 15 years, as they are planning to use the funds for their newly born son’s college expenses.

• The value of the property is broken in Land and Improvement for deprecation purpose.
• The appreciation rate is the average over the holding period.
• Holding period is the number of years one holds on to a property.
• It is assuming the disposition of the property is a sale (as opposed to 1031 exchange, charitable trust, etc)
• Reinvestment rate is the rate the income (if any) from the property is invested elsewhere.
• The tax brackets are the investor’s federal and state tax rates used in determining the cash-flows and taxes due at sale.
•  The Depreciation Recapture (Cost Recovery) rate is the tax rate on the amount depreciated when the property is sold.
• Capital Gain rate is the tax rate on the gains when sold.
• The example assumes the property is financed for 30 years. The investor is selling in the 15^th year.
• How long at This Property is for when turning a residence to a rental. Not use in this example.

The operating expenses are on annual bases. They are typical for a townhouse similar to this example. The management fee assumes a leasing fee and the monthly management fees since allowing for one month of vacancy.

The Investment Overview summarizes some of the facts from the 1^st spreadsheet.

• The debt service (the loan) values are shown for the 15 years the property is held. The loan is amortized over 30 years.
• Gross income is as if no vacancy.
• Investor’s tax rate is the sum of the federal and state rates (33%)
• The re-investment rate was assumed to be 2%. That is the rate the income (if any) would be invested elsewhere. 33% of it is taxed leaving the 1.34% after-tax Rate of Return.

The Center of the universe is the NOI (net operating income). Most figures are driven from NOI.

NOI = Gross and other Incomes – Vacancies – Operating Expenses.

Note: only op expenses, interests not included here. The interest is accounted for in CFBT.

Cash Flow Before Tax (CFBT) is the NOI less Debt Service. The Debt Service includes Principal and Interest. CFBT is projected over the holding period.

Cash Flow After Tax (CFAT) is calculated by

• Subtracting from the NOI the annual interest payment and the depreciation.
• Then, multiplying the results by the investor’s tax rate. That is the tax liability or savings
• Add or subtract that amount from/to CFBT to arrive at CFAT.

The Value of the property is compounded over the holding period at the assumed appreciation rate. See Time Value of Money.

The Adjusted Basis is used to calculate the total gains from the sale of the property. The gains are taxed at 2 levels. The Cost Recovery (Depreciation) portion is taxed at 25%. The remainder of the gains is taxed at the long term capital gain rate.

The After Tax Proceeds from the Sale, then, is the sale price less cost of the sale, the mortgage balance, and the taxes due.

The Total Future Wealth is the total of all period’s cash flows compounded at the investor’s after tax-ROR over the remaining years PLUS the After Tax Processed from Sale.

For example, the first year income is compounded over 15 years, 2^nd year over 14 year, and so on.

Then taking the Total Future Wealth and discounting it over the holding period results in your after tax yield on the investment.

** Note: If CFAT is positive, the amount accumulated will also be positive and represents the amount that annual cash flows would earn if invested in a relatively safe and liquid type investment during the holding period. If CFAT is negative, the amount accumulated will also be negative, and represents the after-tax lost opportunity cost of using Investment Capital to meet the annual deficit for the duration of the holding period.

Metro RE Investment Group & Property Management, a Metro Brokers® Company, is a full service brokerage firm with a specialty in Residential Property Management serving Denver Metro and Boulder County for 10 years.

Government Set to Sell foreclosures in Bulk

“The Obama administration, in conjunction with federal regulators and led by the overseer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is very close to announcing a pilot program to sell government-owned foreclosures in bulk to investors as rentals, according to administration officials.”

See report Government Set to Sell foreclosures in Bulk

Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP)

HARP 2.0: What it is; What it isn’t

Declining Supply of Homes

Supply of homes and condos priced $250,000-and-lower stands at only 3.69 months reports Inside Real Estate News.

Pertaining Laws

Law & Regulations investors and managers should know:

Risk-Based Pricing & Credit Score Disclosure

HB10-1278 HOA Registration

LBP Compliance Guide

LBP Pamphlet

Renovate Rights Pamphlet

HB09-1276Delayed Foreclosure

HB10-1249Expedited Sale

Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure

HB08-1356 Warranty of  Habitability

HB09-1091- Carbon Monoxide Law

 

Existing-Homes Sales Graphs

 

 

For additional information or questions please contact  Metro RE Investment Group.

August Denver Home Price-Index vs. S&P Case-Shiller Indices

Standard & Poor Case-Shiller home price indices track home prices in 20 major cities. It is divided in a 10-city and a 20-city composite indices. The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are calculated monthly using a three-month moving average.

This post compares the residential housing markets of Denver with the 2 composite indices.

The data is from Standard & Poor’s Case Shiller study released on October 25th. There is a two month lag.

The first chart below depicts the Denver home price index is unchanged June-July and slightly improved in August at 126.47. The Denver home prices did not rise at the dizzying rate of the 10 and 20-city composite indices and the correction has been relatively mild as well. The index peak was at August of 2006 at 140.28.

The second chart is the graph of year over year percentage changes showing improvements over the August of 2010. Although still negative, the prices are improving compared to the same period last year.

Finally, the last chart is a 6-month trend. It compares the current index with the average of the previous 6 months.

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The 10-city composite index includes Boston, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington, D.C.

The 20-city composite index adds Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and Tampa.

The counties included in Denver-Aurora Metro area are Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson, and Park.

Source: S&P Case-Shiller – Analysis & Graphs: Hossein Tolooee, Metro RE Investment Group

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