Industrial assets of all kinds are turning investors’ heads. And it isn’t just the typical e-commerce-related assets, like warehouses and distribution centers, that are attracting attention. Manufacturing and other more traditional industrial uses are also popular among investors—and e-commerce is giving these assets a boost as well.
“As an asset class, whether e-commerce or traditional warehouses, industrial buildings are certainly on everyone’s radar now,” says Warren Snowdon, managing directors and principal at Foundry Commercial and a Real Estate Forum 2020 Industrial Influencer, tells GlobeSt.com. “We are working with several distribution customers that may not typically have been considered e-commerce, but—because of the products they warehouse—are now merging into the e-commerce stream. If we agree that B2B and B2C will continue to purchase products online as part of our ‘new normal,’ then every building—whether manufacturing, warehousing, or distribution—will effectively be touched by the online purchase of goods and services.”
A recent CBRE survey found that supply chain restructuring and the pandemic will generate demand for 400 million or 500 million square feet of industrial space in the US. This trend could continue as more businesses that are currently brick-and-mortar enter the online space. “The key will be adoption of businesses to the online world within their facilities,” says Snowdon. “At Foundry Commercial, we’ve started operating even more consultatively with our clients than ever before, working closely with them to dig deeper into tenant financials and specifically their historical, current, and future online sales numbers, so we can best advise whether their plans should shift amidst a continued push to execute business online.”
During the pandemic, early indications also show that the industrial market has been resilient. So far, rents and pricing have remained stable as demand has grown. “It’s still a bit early to comment with any degree of certainty on the sale side without tangible sale data post-COVID-19, but the fundamentals of well-located, modern real estate have not changed,” says Snowdon. “Good real estate is still good real estate. Foundry is seeing a renewed attention to include industrial assets in investor’s portfolios, which we believe will continue to keep cap rates low for quality industrial assets. Identifying replacement industrial assets has not become any easier, so it’s yet to be seen if the volume of investment sales will change. We generally believe it will remain stable.”
For new construction product, owners may drive lease-up with concessions. “Landlords who delivered late into this cycle will take an aggressive approach to reach occupancy,” says Snowdon. “Granting any concessions up-front indicates they are focused on a long-term vision; however, without a decrease in construction pricing, spreads will be compressed in the short run.”