The Importance of Selecting the Right Sponsor Partner
In today’s market, the work put in upfront to evaluate sponsors is a critical component in mitigating risk. We emphasize partnering with seasoned, institutional real estate sponsors with proven track records. However, the term “institutional” is often overused, especially in real estate crowdfunding. True institutional quality goes beyond scale and involves a comprehensive evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative factors.
Vetting sponsors is more art than science, requiring a thorough process to source and evaluate potential partners. Essential questions include: What does the sponsor’s current portfolio look like? Does it align with their current investment strategy? What is their historical track record, particularly in relation to their initial projections? Who are the key principals, and what is their experience? How well do they manage debt and equity relationships? Have they navigated through a downturn? How has their strategy evolved since the rate tightening cycle began?
This comprehensive sponsor vetting is crucial because partnering with the right sponsors is one of the most effective ways to create a competitive advantage as an investor. Conversely, poor sponsor selection can lead to an array of issues. In other words, avoiding bad relationships is just as important as finding the right ones.
Analyzing Sponsor Performance
While past performance does not guarantee future success, it provides valuable insights into a sponsor’s ability to execute. Throughout the process of evaluating a sponsor’s performance, we delve deep into case studies, examining past models and comparing projected versus actual outcomes. This process helps us better understand whether a sponsor genuinely understands the factors driving their projects’ success or failure. This is especially important when evaluating performance over the last decade (specifically assets sold between 2015 and 2022), characterized by cap rate compression and widespread asset appreciation.
A Strategic Approach to Asset Class Selection
Evaluating whether a real estate deal is worth pursuing involves analyzing a myriad of factors, especially when the information is based on forward-looking projections – this is how real estate investment opportunities are typically marketed. Our approach includes a deep dive into the details of the deal while keeping an eye on broader macroeconomic trends. With respect to our multifamily acquisition strategy, these trends include employment and wage growth in densely populated areas with strong transportation infrastructure and broader population shifts, such as migration patterns. These macro trends often indicate where we can expect population and job growth, translating into rent growth, higher occupancy rates, and asset appreciation. With respect to senior housing, which is primarily a need-based asset class, our focus is on senior population demographics and local market supply & demand dynamics.
Focusing on Multifamily and Senior Housing
Understanding macro trends has led us to adopt a “need-based” investment strategy focused on asset classes with inherent demand. Multifamily and senior housing are prime examples of this approach. These asset classes are driven by demographic and economic forces that create consistent demand—people need places to live, and an aging population requires specialized housing in the form of assisted living and memory care facilities. These trends point toward increased demand for multifamily and senior housing assets, making them attractive investment options.
In the senior housing sector, the aging population and increasing life expectancy suggest that the market will be undersupplied in the long run. However, many sponsors are focusing on ground-up development, overlooking acquisition opportunities. We see potential in partnering with institutional buyers to acquire assets from smaller “mom-and-pop” operators who may lack the expertise or resources to optimize their senior living facilities. This strategy allows our sponsor partner to create value immediately upon acquisition by leveraging the resources of a more established operator and benefiting from the economies of scale that come with owning a larger portfolio of senior housing assets. The impact of rising facility expenses following COVID-19 has led to an even greater opportunity to acquire senior housing assets both at an attractive basis and with an ability to meaningfully improve net operating income.
Prioritizing Cash-Flowing Deals
Across all asset classes, our strategy prioritizes deals that are already cash flowing. Rather than pursuing ground-up developments, which carry higher risks, we focus on operational properties that can benefit from institutional-grade management to unlock additional value. This approach helps us achieve reliable returns while minimizing risk exposure. That’s not to say there isn’t a place for development deals in an investor’s real estate portfolio – we just prefer cash flowing assets that produce passive income in the current environment.
Conclusion
Real estate investing, like any form of investing, carries inherent risks. However, savvy investors know that success lies in managing risk on a relative basis. Smart real estate investing starts with rigorous sponsor vetting, thorough underwriting, and careful deal evaluation. By focusing on execution and aligning with the right partners, investors can increase the relative value of each dollar invested.