EG Like Sunday Morning: Let’s talk about IPSX (plus WeWork and Birmingham)
Sep 10, 2023
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Tim Burke discusses the failed real estate stock exchange IPSX. Chanté Bohitige explores WeWork's lease negotiations. Akanksha Soni shares reactions to Birmingham City Council's news.
IPSX, a real estate focused stock exchange, failed due to primarily targeting institutional investors instead of retail investors and lacking depth and liquidity in the market.
WeWork is renegotiating its leases worldwide to fix its high-cost lease portfolios and establish a sustainable operating model, determining which locations underperform and need improvement.
Deep dives
The rise and fall of IPSX: a failed attempt to democratize real estate investment
IPSX, a new stock exchange that aimed to democratize real estate investment, ultimately failed after five years despite initial support from big names in the industry. The exchange sought to offer an alternative way for retail investors to invest in real estate by allowing building owners to list specific assets as individual REITs on the IPSX platform. However, the IPOs that took place primarily targeted institutional investors rather than retail investors. Additionally, the market lacked depth and liquidity, creating doubts about the sustainability of the venture. The exchange's financials revealed that its revenue was significantly lower than its expenses, rendering it financially unsustainable. As a result, the company announced its wind-down, with the possibility of being acquired by another party. The future of the three listed REITs on IPSX remains uncertain.
WeWork's lease renegotiation and the challenges it faces
WeWork has embarked on the task of renegotiating almost all of its leases worldwide. After a period of unsustainable hypergrowth, the company aims to fix its inflexible and high-cost lease portfolios by exiting locations deemed unfit. WeWork intends to remain in the majority of its buildings and markets, subject to landlords' willingness to renegotiate terms. The company acknowledges that the current lease prices are still too high and not in line with market conditions. The renegotiation process will determine which locations underperform and which leases can be improved. The outcome will shape WeWork's future and its ability to establish a sustainable operating model.
Birmingham City Council's bankruptcy and its impact on real estate projects
Birmingham City Council recently declared bankruptcy, raising concerns about the future of ongoing regeneration projects in the city. With Birmingham City Council often acting as a joint venture partner in these projects, there is uncertainty about the impact on developments, such as the Smithfields scheme. However, similar experiences in other cities, such as Croydon, have shown that municipalities can navigate bankruptcy and continue operations. Birmingham hopes to secure assistance from the central government to address its financial challenges. Observers are eager to see the implications for ongoing real estate deals and the city's overall development plans.
In the latest weekly round-up, Jess Harrold is joined by Tim Burke, Chanté Bohitige and Akanksha Soni to discuss the latest news.
With the announcement that the real estate focused stock exchange IPSX is being wound down, Burke outlines how the ambitious plan was supposed to work and what went wrong.
Bohitige tackles WeWork as it begins the mammoth task of renegotiating its leases around the world.
Soni was in place in Birmingham to assess reactions to the news that its City Council is facing bankruptcy, and shares what she learned from her EG Interview with Pocket Living chief exec Marc Vlessing.
And, with Burke and Bohitige together on the podcast, that means two brand new jams added to the EGLSM Certified Bangers playlist - why not give it a listen on your Sunday afternoon at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pBand693O5IhhaScVM6uZ
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