The Real Estate Espresso Podcast

Chris Lento is based in Boston, and his firm is investing in multi-family assets in the Southeast. On today's show we are looking at his assessment of the market conditions. You can connect with Chris at his firm EM Capital Group at emcapitalgroup.com --------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On today’s show we are talking about invasive species of plants that can play a role in your due diligence when purchasing property.  The first one I’m going to cover today is Wild Parsnip. Wild Parsnip is an invasive plant native to Europe and Asia.  Like giant hogweed and other members of the carrot family, it produces sap containing chemicals that can cause human skin to react to sunlight, resulting in intense burns, rashes or blisters. The second invasive species is one that has also been around for a long time. But I was only introduced to it this past weekend. My wife and I were traveling on the Labor Day  weekend on Long Island and it was everywhere. The banks of most rivers and canals were covered in it. The plant is Japanese Knotweed. Its stalks can grow up to 3 feet in a week. It is invasive and it is relentless. Both plants can take years to eradicate from your property. **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On today’s show we are seeing another central bank drop their benchmark lending rate. The Bank of Canada dropped its benchmark interest rate for the third time in a row, leaving the rate at 4.25%. This is in stark contrast to the US Fed Funds rate which remains at 5.25%-5.5%. Each country seems to behave like they are economic islands. But we have a globally interconnected economy and no country is an island unto itself.  We are not insulated from what is happening in Europe, or in China. We have a globally synchronized economic cycle that is being influenced by factors that are well outside the control of central bankers. Nevertheless ew have central bankers acting as if they can pull one lever with the left hand and slow down the economy, and gently pull another monetary policy lever with the right hand and accelerate the economy.  There is no question that we are seeing sustained economic slowdown in the US, in Europe, in Canada.  This is one of those good news bad news stories. Central bankers don’t aggressively lower rates unless they see a problem in the economy. Lowering rates is good news for borrowers, but it is really a reflection of bad news, This time it is being coupled with a good news narrative. We should be wary of the story that says this time is different.  ----------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On today’s show we are taking a closer look at a new and emerging trend in building construction. This is a newer segment which fills a gap in the definition of building types. At one end of the spectrum for senior housing you have a simple market rate apartment which offers no services and will usually include basic amenities. As adults age, they might progress through various offerings starting with independent living, assisted living, memory care and then skilled nursing. Each of these product offerings are distinct in the market and have pretty well accepted definitions of which services are included at each level of care.  There is a new report out from the National Investment Center for senior Housing and Care which focuses on the Active Adult Segment. We are very interested in this segment because it fills a sizeable gap between the market rate apartment and the independent living product.  -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On Thursday evening I passed by New York’s leaning tower. We’ve all heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The modern day equivalent of that is the Millennium Tower in San Francisco. That building is leaning nearly 60cm, a little over 2 feet. Several attempts have been made to stabilize the Millennium Tower by underpinning the foundation and have actually destabilized the building even further.  New York’s leaning tower is right on the East River and I was speaking on a yacht full of investors while taking a tour of NY Harbor. I got a close up first hand view of the building. We passed my so many iconic landmarks from the water including Rikers Island, Ellis Island, Lady Liberty, the Battery, the new Freedom Tower. I was even able to get a photograph of one of my mother’s buildings from the water. She was an architect in Manhattan at one of New York’s premiere architecture firms.  The building in question has been fully erected, all 60 stories of poured concrete. It's all happening over at One Seaport or 161 Maiden Lane: 60 storeys of prime real estate on Manhattan’s East River waterfront. At first glance it may look like any other construction project downtown. But look a lot closer, and you’ll find it’s actually leaning 8 centimetres, or three inches, to the north. The North side of the building consists of a sheer wall made of solid concrete. It’s an incredibly narrow building. From the water it seems pencil thin.  Manhattan island is ideal for building tall buildings. Most of it sits on solid bedrock which is made mostly of slate. But a building which is directly on the East River will have brackish salt water do contend with at the foundation level which will make the soil underneath the tower more fluid.  --------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

This question also comes from Chris who is asking a follow-on question from last week’s question on apartment turnover. Last week Chris was asking about how long to budget for making a unit rent ready. So here is his question. “If the average  apartment turn requiring cleaning and “light repair” is around $2,000 shouldn’t the tenant security deposit collected at lease signing be no less than this?  Or am I thinking about this wrong and one has nothing to do with the other?  I’m simply approaching this with a mindset that you want to try and avoid being in the red for apartment turns coming out out of your pocket.” ---------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Nate Silver's The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—But Some Don’t is a fascinating exploration of the art and science of prediction. In a world flooded with data and overwhelmed by uncertainty, Silver’s work sheds light on why so many forecasts go wrong and how we can improve our ability to make accurate predictions. -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Mark Livingston is based in Houston Texas. On today's show we are talking about storage in Houston and a collaboration between Mark and our development firm Y Street Capital. We will be hosting a webinar this coming Wednesday at 6PM CDT, 7PM EDT to share more details about this upcoming project. To register for the webinar, visit https://event.webinarjam.com/register/34/ooq9xuwg ------------ **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Today’s episode is another AMA episode. Today’s question comes from Chris who asks: What is an acceptable apartment-turn timeframe (how many days should it take to fix and be ready for next tenant) and how much should those make-ready costs look like between tenants? ----------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

At Y Street Capital we bring in young professionals from time to time to work as interns on a part time basis to learn more about real estate investing and development. These unpaid internship positions foster a win-win relationship that can often accelerate the learning for a young adult. At Y Street Capital we are looking for a research assistant to work for a few hours a week on special projects. Some of that work will also include the background research that could ultimately result in episodes of the podcast. If you have a few hours a week to spare and are a candidate, or perhaps you have a young adult in your life with a high level of curiosity. Send an email to podcast@victorjm.com and put the word research in the subject line.  -------------- On today’s show we are looking at how to create leasing incentives that preserve the value of your building.  Most building valuations are based on the income method which involves taking the gross rent, minus the operating expenses to get the net operating income. You then divide that amount by the market capitalization rate to get the value.  Let’s say that you want to offer a bunch of incentives for new tenants to move into your building. You could offer a discount on rent which would result in a reduction in rent and therefore a reduction in the value of your building. If you offer the tenant something that costs you money to provide, then your expenses increase and you have the same effect of lowering the value of your building.  In a brand new building you will want to pre-lease as much of the building as possible. Many developers I know have 30% pre-leasing as a target to achieve by the time the building is ready to open. But in order to achieve that, tenants need to plan on moving when the building is completed, not necessarily in 30 days or 60 days when it might be otherwise convenient for them. It’s a longer sales cycle.  From an accounting standpoint, investments in the building assets are associate with the balance sheet and not the income statement. For example the materials that go into the building like paint and gypsum board and bricks are all part of the capital improvements. A capital investment is amortized over the depreciated life of the asset. Some startup costs can be capitalized. For example if you have marketing expenses that are associated with the initial lease-up of the building, it would be legitimate to capitalize those costs instead of expensing them since they are a one-time cost and not a recurring cost.  So let’s imagine that you offer a free large format television as part of a move-in special. The cost of that TV can be capitalized. While it appears as an incentive to the tenant, it doesn’t get treated as an operating expense to the business and therefore the cost of the TV doesn’t reduce the value of the building when looking at multiples of net income.  ----------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)