In some ways, triple net properties are as much fixed-income investments as they are real estate vehicles. Offering little to no management responsibility and long-term fixed incomes with the potential for gradual increases, they act like bonds. However, underlying their financial structures, they are still real estate and carry the same eventual risks and challenges.
Here are some of the pros and cons of triple net lease properties.:
Pro: Stable Income Con: Limited Upside Triple net leases are usually structured with a flat rent or with fixed increases. When you buy a $2,000,000 property at a 7.5 percent cap, you know that you can count on $150,000 per year for the life of the lease. Many triple-net properties also have rent increases of 1 to 3 percent per year built-in. They provide some growth, but don't necessarily keep up with inflation. However, this is no different from buying a corporate, Treasury or municipal bond with a fixed rate of return.
Pro: Long-Term 100% Occupancy Con: Risk of 100% Vacancy Most triple net properties come on the market with a lease of at least 10 years, with some having initial terms as long as 25 years. This gives you a long time during which you don't have to worry about partial or full vacancy. The drawback is that when the lease does expire, it's an all-or-nothing proposition. The same occurs in the event of a tenant default, although careful due diligence before purchase can reduce the risk of this occurring.
Pro: Attractive Cap Rates
Con: High Price Relative to Underlying Value
Single tenant properties typically trade at attractive cap rates that are hundreds of basis points above comparable non-real estate investments. They're also frequently priced lower than more traditional investment real estate alternatives on a cap rate basis. A large portion of their value comes from their income stream, though, meaning that they could lose value when vacant or as their remaining lease term decreases.
Pro: No Management Con: CapEx at Rollover True triple net properties are structured so that the owner has no responsibilities whatsoever during the lease period, while others transfer some capital expenditures to the owner. In either case, the ownership experience is very different from traditional real estate. However, when the lease rolls over, owners have to get involved in the re-leasing process and in any necessary capital expenditures to prepare for a new tenant.
What do you see as the benefits and risk?
Contact Thomas Morgan, CCIM Triple Net NNN Broker at 1-866-539-1777