The Pros and Cons of Triple Net Properties

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?

Buy a NNN Property

Contact Thomas Morgan, CCIM Triple Net NNN Broker at 1-866-539-1777

NNN Properties and Your Future

NNN properties are a popular avenue for commercial real estate investment. These are typically single-tenant retail properties where the tenant is responsible for paying real estate taxes, providing their own property insurance and taking care of all property maintenance. Tenants take care of these expenses in addition to other monthly costs such as rent and utility payments. Part-time investors can find NNN properties to be an appealing real estate investment option. It offers a guaranteed stream of income from a real estate investment while also absolving the investor of carrying out many day-to-day management responsibilities for the property.

Other advantages NNN properties offer are significant. An investor can lock in a long-term lease with a tenant who sets up shop in NNN properties. They can enjoy tax benefits that come from investing in commercial or residential real estate. Finally, successful NNN properties can act as a gateway for securing additional financing to use on other investments.

There are risks in leasing out triple net properties to the wrong tenant. An investor needs to know how to identify a good tenant versus a bad tenant. Assessing the worthiness of any tenant requires an investor to examine a company's business model and the state of its finances. Signing up a tenant in haste can result in disaster for any investor.

A company's credit rating offers an indicator of risk for default. While no investments outside of a federal bond offer a zero percent default rate, a tenant possessing an investment grade credit rating presents less of a risk for NNN properties.

Leasing NNN properties to a company essentially provides them capital. An investor needs to know if their tenant can guarantee long-term success with that capital. Investors should examine multiple criteria when choosing tenants for their triple net properties. They should examine a company's debt to equity ratio, operating margins, the number of stores it operates, the outlook for that industry and how the company is managed.

Investors in NNN properties should also take into account other factors. A successful investment can hinge on everything from location and building size to economic conditions for a particular industry. Triple net properties work best for a smart investor who buys in the right location and selects a low-risk tenant.

Knowing local market conditions is essential for any serious investor. It is important to pay attention to everything from the employment rate to median income in a community before selecting a property. A bad investment can leave an investor with an empty building that is essentially a money pit.

In the end, NNN properties are a great passive income investment that produce low risk yields of 7% or more with little investor oversight and involvement. Contact Thomas to find out more about NNN properties or to buy/sell a NNN property: 1-866-539-1777 or e-mail.

Who is your tenant? S&P Tenant Credit Ratings

When purchasing a single tenant net leased investment, tenant quality and the financial ability of the tenant to perform is of utmost importance. In essence you are buying the income stream and the bundle of rights subject to the leasehold.  What helps you evaluate the tenant as an investment grade tenant? How do you know you will get you monthly rent check for 10, 12, 15 or 20 years?  One way is to have the "market" rate the risk for you.

Here is the  S & P breakdown of credit ratings, to help you assess your risk.  Investment grade tenants are rated BBB- or better.

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

from S&P Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations:

Likelihood of payment—capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; Nature of and provisions of the obligation; Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

AAA An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CCC An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

C A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'C' rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A 'C' also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.

D An obligation rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Plus (+) or minus (-) The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

NR This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

Buy an Investment Grade Tenant Property

JUST CLOSED: TMO has $3M+ week

It was a good week at TMO Inc! TMO sold two investment properties to two separate real estate investors: $2,455,000 net leased TSC in Arkansas

and

$655,000 single family investment house in Willits/El Jebel, Colorado

Both investors purchased for the low risk cashflows and passive income that investment real estate provides. For more information on these sales or to set-up a free no obligation real estate investment consultation with TMO please email or call 1.866.539.1777

Or visit these helpful pages:

Basalt Real Estate

Willits and El Jebel Real Estate

Net Leased Property

NNN Properties

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JUST CLOSED: $2.6M Trailer Park in Colorado

I was going to create my own press release but the Steamboat Springs newspaper beat me to it (see below).  TMO represented the buyer KTH Enterprises LLC who purchased the trailer park as a long term income producing investment.  The park produces an annual yield of about 8.5%.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

Five months after it was listed for sale for $3.2 million, the Sleepy Bear Mobile Home Park on Steamboat Springs’ far west side has sold to a Carbondale couple for $2.6 million. Cheri Chartier, a representative of buyers Tom and Karen Hill, said their intent is to continue operating Sleepy Bear as a mobile home park.

The 6.6-acre, 54-lot park is immediately west of Ski Town Campground and directly across from what would have been the primary entrance to the Steamboat 700 development had Steamboat voters not rejected it in March 2010.

via Steamboat Today: Sleepy Bear Mobile Home Park sells for $2.6 million.

Will you outlive your money?

What do you fear most? Death or outliving your money? As one of their daily snapshots this week, USA Today published the results of a survey by Allianz Life Insurance Co asking 44-75 year olds "What do you fear more?  Death or outliving my money?

And the results are in….

61% - Outliving my money

39% - Death

Death may be frightening, but to a majority of older Americans, the possibility of outliving their savings is even worse.

Maybe it's me, but that seems crazy:  Fear running out of money more than death? To believe that you need what you don’t have is a definition of insanity.

My grandpa used to always say "it's just money, you can always make more" ….but he developed pancreatic cancer as a result of stress from a large business transaction gone south. So, maybe the survey is right. But fear is subjective and we are all entitled to our opinions.

I would rather plan.  As the saying goes, if there is a monster chasing you in your dream, stop, turn around and ask it "what do you want?".  Facing fears is the best way to eliminate them. In this case retirement fears.

Fear of running out of money is #1 in Sydney Lagier's  Three Retirement Fears to Conquer.  Regular savings combined with investments into secure low risk investments will help conquer this fear and alleviate worry.  It is better to plan and prepare rather than regret and repair.

Objective Retirement Planning: use a retirement calculator.  The purpose of every retirement calculator is to tell you one or both of these two pieces of information:

1. how much you need to save (usually per month) to be able to retire or
2. how big of a nest egg you must have in order to retire

So.... How much income do you need in retirement? Try this retirement income calculator

Also, try these other retirement calculators which include calculators to figure out Retirement Income, Retirement Planning, Fixed Annuities, Immediate Annuities, Long-Term Care and Social Security Benefits.

Here are Four Steps to a Healthy and Prosperous Retirement

1. Develop sources of reliable, lifetime retirement income
2. Manage your living expenses
3. Protect against things going wrong
4. Plan for a good life.

At the end of the day, happiness is cheaper in retirement especially when you have planned and have passive income from various investments. The majority of retirees surveyed by Ameriprise Financial say that after a few years of retirement, money worries fade into the background as long as you have planned.