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EFTA DisclosureText extracted via OCR from the original document. May contain errors from the scanning process.
Marketing Material
Research Report
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook:
Mid-Year Review
September 2016
Please note certain information in this presentation constitutes forward -
looking statements. Due to various risks, uncertainties and
assumptions made in our analysis, actual events or results or the actual
performance of the markets covered by this presentation
report may differ materially from those described. The information herein
reflect our current views only, are subject to change, and
are not intended to be promissory or relied upon by the reader. There can be
no certainty that events will turn out as we have opined
herein. Certain Deutsche Asset Management investment strategies may not be
available in every region or country for legal or other
reasons, and information about these strategies is not directed to those
investors residing or located in any such region or country.
Confidential. For Qualified Investors. (Art. 10 Para. 3 of the Swiss Federal
Collective Investment Scheme Act (CISA)/For Professional
Clients (MIiFID Directive 2004/39/EC Annex II) only. For institutional
investors only. Further distribution of this material is strictly
prohibited.
EFTA01437985
Table of Contents
1 Overview
1.1 Sector Allocations
1.2 Market Allocations
2 Commercial Real Estate Fundamentals
2.1 Economic and Structural Demand Drivers
2.2 Real Estate Supply
3 Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets
3.1 Public and Private Equity
3.2 Public and Private Debt
3.3 Commercial Real Estate Total Returns
4 Industrial Sector
4.1 Current Conditions
4.2 Outlook and Strategy
5 Office Sector
5.1 Current Conditions
5.2 Outlook and Strategy
6 Retail Sector
6.1 Current Conditions
6.2 Outlook and Strategy
7 Apartment Sector
7.1 Current Conditions
7.2 Outlook and Strategy
8 Appendix 1: U.S. House Portfolio
9 Appendix 2: Real Estate Target Markets
Important Information
Research and Strategy Team
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EFTA01437986
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2 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
EFTA01437987
1 Overview
The U.S. economy and financial markets have absorbed a series of mini-shocks
over the past year, including a
Chinese slowdown, slumping commodity prices, a soaring dollar, a retrenching
energy industry, a Federal Reserve
interest rate hike, and the United Kingdom's "Brexit" vote to leave the
European Union. U.S. commercial real
estate has not been immune to these developments, but it has proved
remarkably resilient. NCREIF Property
Index (NPI) total returns of 10.6% (trailing four quarters) in the second
quarter 2016 were down from 2015 (13.3%)
but compared favorably with returns on stocks (4.0%) and bonds (6.7%).1
In our view, the outlook for commercial real estate is bright. Despite
global headwinds, the U.S. economy is
fundamentally sound, supported by a resurgent consumer and housing market,
and lacking in acute imbalances
(e.g., inflation or asset bubbles) that have precipitated past recessions.
While supply is increasing, it is generally
doing so at a measured and sustainable pace, allowing absorption to propel
occupancies and rents. Cap rates are
historically low, but they are elevated relative to interest rates.
Accordingly, we expect that unlevered total returns
to core real estate will average 6%-8% in 2016 and annually through 2020,
down from the double-digit levels of
recent years, but on a par with historical levels on an inflation-adjusted
basis.
While our real estate outlook is favorable, there is no denying that after
six years of strong returns, we have
entered a more mature phase of the cycle Construction, although generally
subdued, has emerged as a risk in
certain corners of the market. Our sector and market allocation strategies
account for these emerging supply-side
risks, among other factors.
1.1 Sector Allocations
We believe that fundamental drivers and risks currently favor the industrial
sector and to a lesser extent the office
and retail sectors, while we are more cautious toward the apartment sector.
— Industrial (Overweight): E-commerce fulfillment has been a boon to
warehouse demand, which is expanding at
nearly double its historical pace. We believe this trend has further to run
and will receive additional support
from more traditional drivers including imports and housing activity.
Construction is accelerating, particularly
for large, modern warehouses in national distribution hubs. However, it is
generally not keeping up with
demand, and smaller, well-located facilities close to urban population
centers are becoming especially scarce.
— Office (Market-weight): On an absolute return basis, the case for Office
is compelling. Vacancy rates are at a
15-year low, rents are rising briskly, demand is accelerating on the back of
strong office-using job creation,
EFTA01437988
supply remains disciplined in most markets, and leases are rolling up to
rent levels that are on average 20%
above those prevailing five years ago, coming out of the financial crisis.2
Despite these positive attributes, we
assign a market weight to the sector in view of its historical volatility,
which tempers its appeal on a riskadjusted
basis.
— Retail (Market-weight): The challenge to retail real estate from e-
commerce has been well documented.
However, an expanding population and a growing taste for services that
cannot be delivered online (e.g.,
dining, health care, fitness, etc.) is fostering demand for well-configured
retail space in the right locations.
Meanwhile, retail construction is virtually absent. Finally, we recognize
that as the property type with the
lowest cyclical volatility (thanks to long leases and the durability of
necessity-based consumption), the retail
sector can help to mitigate downside risks to a portfolio.
— Apartments (Underweight): Apartments performed very well coming out of the
financial crisis, as households
(particularly Millennials) eschewed homeownership due to stringent mortgage
lending, an overhang of student
debt, and shifting lifestyle preferences. However, the sector has
underperformed the NPI over the past one,
three, five, 10, and 20 years, in part due to its lower income returns.3
While we believe that apartment
demand will remain healthy for the foreseeable future, it may moderate as
the oldest Millennials enter their
1 NCREIF (real estate); Standard & Poor's (stocks); Barclay's U.S. Aggregate
(bonds). Data as of June 2016.
2 CBRE-EA. Data as of March 2016.
3 NCREIF. Data as of March 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 3
EFTA01437989
mid-30s. More troubling is the large influx of new supply that has begun to
come on line in virtually every
market in the country. Accordingly, we assume an underweight position to the
sector.
1.2 Market Allocations
From a strategic perspective, we continue to favor large, coastal, "gateway"
markets (e.g., Boston), which have
produced stronger rent and price appreciation over time while providing
superior liquidity. Conversely, we are wary
of smaller markets with poor demographic trends (e.g., some cities in the
industrial Midwest), which have generally
underperformed over the long term. Nevertheless, current market conditions
warrant some modulation around this
general posture. Specifically:
— Gateway Markets: Prices have risen substantially in several coastal
markets. We remain optimistic toward Los
Angeles and Boston, where fundamentals are on a strong footing. However, we
are more cautious toward
markets with weaker or riskier fundamentals, including San Francisco, New
York, and Washington D.C. (albeit
with important property-type exceptions).
— Regional Markets: Our most favored markets are generally smaller coastal
cities that share some of the natural
supply barriers of gateway markets but with yields that are somewhat higher,
including Portland, Oakland,
Orange County, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale, and to a lesser extent, Seattle
and Miami. Meanwhile, our view
of inland markets is mixed: in traditional fashion, a few are at risk of
oversupply (e.g., Charlotte, Austin, and
Houston), while others are more balanced (e.g., Atlanta and Phoenix).
2 Commercial Real Estate Fundamentals
U.S. commercial real estate (CRE) fundamentals have rarely been stronger.
According to the NPI, in the second
quarter 2016 occupancy levels and Net Operating Income (NOI) growth were
near their highest since 2001 (see
Exhibit 1). Commercial real estate's robust performance is all the more
remarkable given the pedestrian pace of
economic growth. We believe that fundamentals will remain firm for the next
several years, supported by a
prolonged (albeit temperate) economic expansion and a generally moderate
supply pipeline.
Exhibit 1: NPI Occupancy and NOI Growth
84%
86%
88%
90%
92%
94%
96%
98%
1985
EFTA01437990
1990
1995
2000
Occupancy
future returns.
2005
NOI Growth
2010
2015
-8%
-6%
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
4 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
Occupancy Rate
NOI Growth (Year-Over-Year, 4-quarter
moving average)
EFTA01437991
2.1 Economic and Structural Demand Drivers
Absorption across the apartment, office, retail, and warehouse sectors has
closely tracked the economy over time,
advancing (as a share of inventory) at roughly half the pace of GDP growth
(see Exhibit 2). Economists have
lamented the mediocre pace of the post-financial crisis expansion, with GDP
growth averaging 2% compared with
3% in the 2000s and 4% in the 1990s.4 The recovery of CRE demand has also
been somewhat weaker. However,
since 2013 demand has increased slightly faster than economic growth alone
would imply, courtesy of a declining
homeownership rate (supporting apartments), strong job growth (office), and
burgeoning e-commerce distribution
(industrial).5 We believe that economic and structural support for
absorption could remain firm at least through
2017.
Exhibit 2: GDP Growth and CRE Absorption
-2%
-1%
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
Absorption
2008
GDP
Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (GDP); CBRE-EA and Deutsche Asset
Management (Absorption). Data as of March 2016.
Note: Absorption is equal-weighted across the Apartment, Office, Industrial,
and Retail sectors. Past performance is not indicative of future returns.
The U.S. economy has weathered multiple headwinds over the past year,
including weaker Chinese growth, a
surging dollar, and financial-market volatility. The economy decelerated in
late-2015 and early-2016 as
manufacturing (about 15% of GDP) slipped into recession.6 A soft global
economy and strong dollar will likely
continue to weigh on exports, manufacturing, and corporate profits. However,
housing and consumer spending,
which together constitute about 70% of GDP, are resilient and may receive
additional support from lower interest
rates in the wake of the UK's "Brexit" vote.7 Home sales, prices, and
construction are rising at a solid but
sustainable rate of about 5% annually and household finances are in pristine
EFTA01437992
condition, with balance sheets, debt
service levels, and savings rates at their healthiest levels in decades.8
A note of caution: The yield curve has flattened in recent months, a move
that has historically signaled economic
slowdown. Some observers have discounted this indicator, arguing that
quantitative easing and a flight to quality
around the world have artificially suppressed long-term bond yields. While
there may be some truth to this
assertion, we are cautious about drawing too much comfort from it.
Formidable global headwinds will likely cap
GDP growth at a moderate 2% pace through 2017. Resurgent financial
volatility, prompted by concerns around
China, Brexit, Italian banks, geopolitics, or other factors, represents an
enduring risk to the U S. economy.
2010
2012
Correlation = 0.86
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
2014
2016
4 Bureau of Economic Analysis. Data as of March 2016.
5 CBREA-EA. Data as of March 2016.
6 Bureau of Economic Analysis and Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of June
2016.
7 Bureau of Economic Analysis. Data as of March 2016.
8 National Association of Realtors (sales); Case-Shiller (prices). Data as
of May 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 5
GDP Growth
CRE Absorption (% of Inventory)
EFTA01437993
Economic and structural forces are expected to support CRE demand, with some
modest shifts around the
margins: With the unemployment rate below 5%, job creation will likely ease
from its heady pace of the past two
years, even though population growth and low participation rates leave room
for further gains. Slower job growth
could temper office absorption, although intensifying competition for talent
should underpin demand for quality
space. A stabilizing homeownership rate (as Millennials in their mid-30s
contemplate home-buying) may dampen
apartment absorption. At the same time, a tighter labor market will likely
put further upward pressure on wages,
fueling consumer spending. Some brick-and-mortar retail will struggle to
benefit as sales of goods move online,
but necessity and service-oriented centers should fare well. And strong
consumer spending, cheaper imports
(thanks to the strong dollar), an expanding housing and home renovation
market, and e-commerce distribution
should support warehouse absorption.
2.2 Real Estate Supply
Real estate development is gathering momentum, but it remains generally
under control both relative to demand
and historical levels (see Exhibit 3). On a national basis, construction of
multifamily and commercial space totaled
0.9% of GDP in the first quarter 2016, in line with its 20-year average
(0.8%) and close to the lows set in 1994
(0.7%) and 2001 (0.9%).9 To be sure, aggregate national numbers overlook
pockets of potential oversupply:
multifamily starts have reached their highest levels since the 1970s and a
handful of office markets are at risk.10
But in general, real estate conditions are balanced and appear poised to
remain so.
Exhibit 3: Commercial Construction
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
2.5%
1965
1970
1975
1980
Commercial Construction
In our view the benign supply picture in part reflects the heterogeneous
nature of the recovery. In many markets,
prices have not increased enough to justify new construction (i.e., it is
still less expensive to buy a building than to
build one). In markets where prices have rebounded sufficiently, including
several coastal metros, land constraints,
EFTA01437994
rigid planning regimes, and labor shortages have delayed the supply
response. Lenders have also been cautious
about financing development: in its second quarter 2016 survey, the Federal
Reserve reported that a net 25% of
banks were tightening lending standards on commercial development loans,
likely in response to stringent
regulatory oversight.11 These hurdles will lift over time: San Francisco,
Austin, and Charlotte are expected to see a
significant increase in office supply over the next two years. However, on a
national basis the pickup is expected to
be gradual.
1985
1990
1995
50-Year Average
2000
2005
20-Year Average
2010
2015
9 Bureau of Economic Analysis. Data as of March 2016.
10 Census Bureau. Data as of May 2016.
11 Federal Reserve Senior Loan Officers Survey. Data as of June 2016.
6 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
Commercial Construction
(Share of GDP)
EFTA01437995
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 7
EFTA01437996
3 Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets
While commercial real estate generally exhibits a low correlation with other
asset classes, it is not immune to
broader capital-market forces. In the first quarter 2016, market turmoil
stemming from concerns around China, the
U.S. energy industry, and the pace of Fed rate hikes caused CMBS and REIT
prices to slump, resulting in higher
mortgage rates, accelerated REIT dispositions, and more generally, a sense
of unease among some institutional
investors. In the first half of 2016, transaction volume slumped 16% (year-
over-year), the NPI posted its weakest
quarterly returns since 2010, and some measures indicated that CRE prices
plateaued on a national basis.12
However, financial conditions improved markedly in the second quarter 2016,
interrupted only briefly by the Brexit
vote. While capital markets remain fluid, the outlook has tentatively
improved since our Strategic Outlook in
February 2016.
3.1 Public and Private Equity
Publicly-traded REIT prices slid nearly 20% from January 2015 through
February 2016, punctuated by sharp
declines in the summer of 2015 and the first six weeks of 2016. The drop was
alarming for two reasons: First,
publicly-traded REITs are sometimes considered leading indicators of the
private real estate market (although their
track record is mixed). Second, and more tangibly, the sharp increase in
REITS' cost of equity created incentives
for them to dispose of assets, either piecemeal or through wholesale
privatizations. Indeed, REITs were net sellers
of $39 billion of real estate in the nine months to June 2016, the most
since the REIT privatization wave of 2006
and 2007.13
Since February REITs have staged a remarkable comeback, rising to all-time
peaks. Having traded at a steep
12% discount to net asset value (NAV) in September 2015, REITs closed the
gap and edged to a premium over
NAV (see Exhibit 4). While it may take a few months for this reversal to
reverberate through transactions markets,
it seems likely that it will quell REITs' drive to sell assets and might, if
sustained, lead them to pursue acquisitions.
At the very least, the rebound has allayed fears that REITs were signaling
an impending correction in the private
real estate market.
Exhibit 4: REIT Premium / Discount to NAV
-50%
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
EFTA01437997
20%
30%
40%
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
Premium / Discount
2004
2006
Average
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
12 Real Capital Analytics (transaction volume); NCREIF (NPI); Moody's/RCA
(CRE prices). Data as of June 2016.
13 Real Capital Analytics. As of June 2016.
8 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
REIT Premium / Discount to NAV
EFTA01437998
Domestic institutional investors were net buyers of real estate in the first
half of 2016. As equity markets tumbled
and credit spreads widened in January and February, fears mounted that
investors would reverse course in order
to rebalance portfolios -- the so-called "denominator effect". However, now
that equity prices have bounced to alltime
highs and fixed-income yields have retreated, it seems likely that any
pullback will prove fleeting and could
give way to stronger inflows.
Foreigners' appetite for U.S. commercial real estate is undiminished. Direct
cross-border investment (excluding
capital channeled through domestic funds or REITs) accounted for 17% of
transaction volume in 2015, double its
15-year average.14 In our view, several factors will continue to drive heavy
foreign inflows, including negative
interest rates in many developed economies, America's relatively strong
economy and reputation as a safe haven,
and legislative changes that will exempt most foreign pensions from the
Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax
Act (FIRPTA).
3.2 Public and Private Debt
The volume of commercial (including multifamily) mortgage debt outstanding
increased 6.7% year-over-year in the
first quarter 2016, down slightly from 7.1% in the fourth quarter 2015 (see
Exhibit 5). Mortgage growth was led by
banks, which represent about 50% of the market. Life insurers and government-
sponsored entities (primarily
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) also aggressively expanded their mortgage books.
The major outlier was CMBS,
where outstanding balances declined 6% year-over-year: CMBS issuance of $18
billion in the first quarter 2016,
down from a quarterly average of $24 billion in 2015, was not enough to
offset the volume of securities that were
retired (through maturity, prepayment, or default).15
Exhibit 5: Growth in Mortgage Debt Outstanding
-8%
-6%
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
10.8%
9.9%
9.3%
6.7%
Banks
EFTA01437999
Life
Insurers
GovernmentSponsored
Entities
indicative of future returns.
Prospects for the CMBS market are uncertain. CMBS spreads widened sharply at
the beginning of 2016, as creditmarket
stress originating in the energy industry upended the broader bond market.
As spreads increased, conduits
curtailed originations, in part because they were less competitive with
other debt providers but also to avoid the risk
of incurring capital losses on loans pending securitization. CMBS spreads
have narrowed substantially since
February and reference rates have dropped as well, improving the economics
of the CMBS business. However,
the market faces two structural challenges: First, new risk-retention rules
under the Dodd-Frank regulatory reforms
that are scheduled to take effect in December 2016 will likely increase the
cost and reduce the supply of CMBS
loans. Second, the market faces $112 billion of CMBS maturities in 2017,
nearly double this year's total, which will
need to be refinanced or retired.16
Total
-5.6%
CMBS
14 Real Capital Analytics. Data as of March 2016.
15 CRE Finance Council. Data as of March 2016.
16 CRE Finance Council. Data as of June 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 9
Commercial Mortgage Debt Growth, Q1
2016 (YOY)
EFTA01438000
The supply of private debt seems relatively secure. Bank regulators have
expressed some concerns regarding
banks' exposure to CRE loans (the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
has flagged a loosening of
underwriting standards).17 Perhaps responding to such concerns, the Federal
Reserve's second quarter 2016 loan
officer survey indicated that banks are tightening lending standards on
commercial mortgages, particularly in the
multifamily space.18 Nevertheless, attractive margins on mortgage loans
(4%-5%) relative to deposit rates (0%)
create a powerful incentive for banks to continue to grow their portfolios.19
3.3 Commercial Real Estate Total Returns
The commercial real estate market cooled at the beginning of 2016 amid a
turbulent financial environment. Still,
the asset class performed well on both a historical and a relative basis.
While NPI total returns of 10.6% (trailing
four quarters) in the second quarter 2016 were down from 13.3% in 2015, they
were in line with their 5-year
average (11.9%) and well above their 10-year average (7.6%). Moreover, they
compared favorably with returns on
stocks (4.0%) and bonds (6.7%) over the year.20
The near-term outlook for commercial real estate has improved somewhat over
the past six months. While the
economic environment is fluid, recent data suggests that growth has picked
up from its winter lull. Real estate
fundamentals are robust and NOIs are growing vigorously, even as corporate
earnings sag. The financial stress
that gripped markets earlier this year resurfaced briefly after the UK's
Brexit vote, but has since receded. And
interest rates have dropped to historic lows around the world, raising the
potential for increased debt and equity
flows, both domestic and foreign, into U.S. real estate.
We expect that total returns will moderate over the next five years but
remain quite healthy on a relative basis (see
Exhibit 6). Income returns will be weaker than in the past, reflecting
today's lower cap rates. But NOI growth is
expected to be much stronger, underpinned by low vacancy rates, persistent
demand, and moderate construction.
Exhibit 6: CRE Total Returns
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
12.2%
2.1%
8.0%
EFTA01438001
0.6%
7.5%
5.7%
-0.1%
1981-2010
2011-2015
Income Return Cap Rate Shift NOI Growth
Total
July 2016. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. No
assurance can be given that any forecast or
target will be achieved.
5.5%
-1.9%
Forecast (2016-2020)
4.4%
2.6%
6.2%
17 Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, "Semiannual Risk Perspective,"
July 2016.
18 Federal Reserve Senior Loan Officers Survey. Data as of June 2016.
19 Real Capital Analytics. Data as of March 2016.
20 NCREIF. Data as of March 2016.
10 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
CRE Total Returns
EFTA01438002
A key question concerns the future path of cap rates. Capital appreciation
was driven more by cap rate
compression than NOI growth over the past five years, as sentiment improved
following the financial crisis. We
believe that it is prudent to assume that cap rates will gradually increase
over time as interest rates normalize to
higher levels. Yet cap rate spreads to Treasuries are historically wide and
have room to narrow. Were Treasury
yields to double to 3% and spreads revert to their 20-year average, cap
rates would increase by 50 basis points,
subtracting 2% annually from capital appreciation. In this scenario, total
returns would average 6.2% annually
through 2020, nearly two percentage points below the average from 1981-2010,
although only slightly lower on an
inflation adjusted basis (4.2% versus 4.8%).
However, it is worth noting that market-based measures of interest rate
expectations place 10-year Treasury yields
in the 2%-2.5% range through 2020. If market expectations prove correct and
fundamentals also remain intact, it is
conceivable that cap rates could remain stable. In this scenario, total
returns would average 8% annually (6% after
inflation). While this is not our base case, it is an upside risk. In a low-
yield, volatile financial environment,
prospective returns of 6%-8% annually are competitive, we believe, with
those available from other asset classes
on a risk-adjusted basis.
4 Industrial Sector
4.1 Current Conditions
The U.S. industrial market has performed well in recent years and remains
well positioned as cyclical and structural
forces continue to benefit the sector. Industrial space demand remained
strong this year, despite eroding global
economic growth and mixed domestic manufacturing indicators. Healthy demand,
vacancy and rent fundamentals
have spread broadly across markets, particularly in the warehouse segment.
National drivers and local economic
growth are fueling strong conditions in gateway and primary inland logistics
hubs as well as in smaller markets with
healthy economies.
Declining vacancy rates have given rise to continued market rent growth and
also a larger development pipeline,
although new construction totals have yet to match demand levels. Net
absorption for 2015 totaled 250 million
square feet, compared to just 155 million square feet of new construction.21
Momentum in 2016 indicates a similar
pace with 125 million square feet of net absorption and 74 million square
feet of construction deliveries through
mid-year.22 National availability declined 40 basis points in the first half
of 2016, ending the second quarter at
8.8%. This was 90 basis points below last cycle's low and the lowest rate in
the past 15 years. New demand as a
EFTA01438003
percent of stock has consistently measured 1.9% per year since 2013, while
the supply pipeline has slowly been
increasing, reaching 1.2% in 2015.23
Solid leasing fundamentals supported rent gains of about 5% over the past
year.24 On average, national market
rents are 23% above recessionary levels and at or above 2007 peak levels for
new warehouses.25 The strongest
markets have been Northern and Southern California, New York/New Jersey,
South Florida, and Seattle.
A maturing growth cycle is bringing supply and demand into balance in inland
hubs. Rising supply in Atlanta,
Dallas, Chicago, Riverside, Denver, and Central Pennsylvania is expected to
moderate near-term rent gains, but
fundamentals should remain healthy. New supply has been heavily weighted to
large bulk warehouses, but
demand for smaller and mid-sized properties has also been strong, driving
relatively sharp vacancy declines and
rent gains.
21 CBRE-EA. Data as of June 2016.
22 CBRE-EA. Data as of June 2016.
23 CBRE-EA and Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of June 2016.
24 CBRE-EA and Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of June 2016.
25 CBRE-EA. Data as of June 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 11
EFTA01438004
4.2 Outlook and Strategy
We anticipate favorable conditions in the industrial sector during our five-
year forecast (see Exhibit 7). The
availability rate is expected to decline through 2018 and then rise
moderately. New supply should continue to ramp
up, eventually surpassing demand levels. National availability is expected
to reach a cyclical low of 8.6% in 2017.
Market rent growth is forecast to average about 4.5% per year through 2017.
Increasing occupancy levels and above average rent growth through 2018
should support strong NOI growth and
good mid-term total returns for investors. Longer-term rent growth is
expected to moderate as new construction
outpaces demand later in the decade. Elevated rents and sustained demand/-
supply balance should translate into
high occupancies, stable cash flows and above-average total returns.
Modern logistics facilities stand to benefit not only from future economic
growth but also from supply chain
reconfiguration (the rise of e-Commerce and rapid fulfillment). Demand
momentum is strong and forecast to
outpace new supply in our near-term outlook. This should compress
availability rates and allow for continued
effective rent growth across most major markets. Sustained demand and
capital market pressures will drive
increased development as the cycle matures, but overall we think relatively
balanced market conditions will persist.
Developers have taken a more conservative tack in this cycle, generally
kicking off new starts after achieving
lease-up of existing stock.
Exhibit 7: Industrial Fundamentals
Forecast
100
200
300
400
-300
-200
-100
0
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
Completions
2006
2008
2010
Net Absorption
2012
2014
2016
EFTA01438005
Vacancy
July 2016. No assurance can be given that any forecast or target will be
achieved.
The national supply total is being elevated by outsized development activity
in a few notable markets, such as
Riverside, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and Houston. These five markets will
account for about half of the national total
in 2016. On the plus side, they also tend to exhibit consistently strong
demand (except Houston). Labor
constraints, increasing costs and economic uncertainty should serve to
temper development compared to the mid2000s.
While
we hold a positive view toward the industrial sector overall, we note the
following opportunities and risks:
— Local/Regional warehouses: Smaller and midsized warehouses, particularly
in coastal markets, have
performed well with solid demand momentum, rising rents and lower vacancy
rates (see Exhibit 8). Market
conditions for this segment are particularly strong in coastal markets,
Denver, Austin, and infill submarkets of
Chicago.
2018
2020
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
12 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
Vacancy Rate
Millions of Square Feet
EFTA01438006
Exhibit 8: Vacancy and Rent Trends by Building Size
Market vacancy by building size
Large-bay led recovery, but now smaller stock is better
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
11%
12%
13%
2006
2007
2009
Bldgs 400K+ SF
Bldgs <100K SF
2011
2012
2014
2016
Bldgs 100K-300K SF
Markets: ATL, AUS, BALT, BOS, CHAR, CHI, CIN, COL, DFW, DEN, OAK, HOU,
INDY, IE, KC, LA, MEM, MSP, NASH, NNJ, OC, ORL, PHIL, PHX, PDX, SLC, SD,
SEA, SJ, SO.FLA, STL, WDC
— Class A Bulk Warehouse: Prices for large stabilized Class A bulk warehouse
properties have increased
markedly in recent years, in some cases surpassing replacement cost. These
assets, leased long-term to
credit tenants, can provide stable cash flow, but are generally underwritten
to lower total returns. Target Class
A assets in core submarkets where in-place rents are below current market
levels.
— Leasing-up / Development: In the context of healthy fundamentals, build-to-
core should provide solid returns
and a way to access scarce modern assets. Supply risks are rising in Dallas
and Atlanta, but conditions are
more favorable in New York/New Jersey, South Florida, Southern California,
San Francisco Bay Area, Denver,
Austin, Seattle and Portland.
— National Distribution Hubs: The major national distribution hubs, many of
which have strong links to
international trade (e.g., Atlanta, Riverside, Los Angeles, Chicago, New
York, and Northern New Jersey)
remain investment targets. While pricing is competitive and these markets
are receiving a disproportionate
share of new supply, they are expected to continue to post strong demand
growth.
— Underperforming Markets: The current development pipeline in Dallas could
outpace demand, causing
EFTA01438007
vacancy to rise and rent growth to taper amid leasing competition.
Additionally, we would generally avoid
markets where local demand drivers are impaired and vacancy rates are high,
specifically in Baltimore and
Washington D.C. Notably, Houston has experienced availability rate increases
in the past few quarters and
fundamentals are expected to weaken further in the near term.
— Non-Warehouse: We maintain an underweight to high-finish industrial
property, including light industrial/flex,
office/service, manufacturing and smaller business parks. Although
conditions stand to improve in this growth
cycle, over the longer term, they are tied to weaker segments of the economy
and tend to be more expensive
to lease and maintain than warehouses We are highly selective in targeting
research & development
(R&D)/Office in only a few high-barrier markets that have good growth
dynamics and/or tech drivers, such as
San Jose, Oakland, Seattle, Orange County and Miami.
0.8
0.8
0.9
0.9
1.0
1.0
1.1
2006
2007
2009
Bldgs 400K+ SF
Bldgs <100K SF
2011
2012
2014
2016
Bldgs 100K-400K SF
Markets: ATL, AUS, BALT, BOS, CHAR, CHI, CIN, COL, DFW, DEN, OAK, HOU,
INDY, IE, KC, LA, MEM, MSP, NASH, NNJ, OC, ORL, PHIL, PHX, PDX, SLC,
SD, SEA, SJ, SO.FLA, STL, WDC
Large-bay had a better cycle, mid-bay coming back
strongly and Smaller buildings slower to recover
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 13
Vacancy Rate
Average Asking Rent
EFTA01438008
5 Office Sector
5.1 Current Conditions
Indicators during the last six months show a disciplined and fundamentally
strong national office market. Alongside
healthy job gains dominated by office-using sectors, the office market
showed positive but modest improvement.
Vacancy at the end of 2015 was 11.3%, on a par with the previous cyclical
trough of 11%.26 Effective rents
increased 3.8%, slightly less than in 2014 (see Exhibit 9).27 During the
last cycle, as vacancy declined to the 10%range,
effective rents spiked 14.1% over two years. 28 Amid increased financial
volatility in early 2016, businesses
appeared to delay action on leases, particularly early renewals or expansion
options, translating into a modest
slowdown in occupancy and rental momentum
Exhibit 9: Office Fundamentals
100
150
50
-100
-50
0
1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017
2019
Completions
Net Absorption
Net Absorption (10-Yr Avg)
Vacancy
July 2016. No assurance can be given that any forecast or target will be
achieved.
Supply-side dynamics also continue to underscore discipline in the office
markets. Nearly 180 million square feet
are slated to deliver during the next two to three years, adding less than
1% to office stock annually compared with
a 1.6% average annual increase during the last 15 years. 29 Supply risk has
materialized in some markets, but
these markets have other vulnerabilities. San Francisco, Seattle and Austin,
for instance, all have large pipelines
but also have overweight exposure to high-technology Much of the riskiest
speculative supply is in CBD markets,
where the expansion has been strongest.
CBD markets continue to outperform suburban markets, but with the majority
of CBDs across the U.S. nearing or at
equilibrium occupancy, growth is slowing. CBD absorption pulled back to 1.3%
of stock in 2015 from 1.7% in
2014.30 In contrast, suburban absorption continued on an upward trajectory
to 1.9% of stock, up 50 basis points
from 2014.31 Rents are responding. During the first quarter, the CBD to
suburban office rent premium narrowed 60
basis points (see Exhibit 10). While still a ways off from expansion mode,
•
EFTA01438009
select urbanized, high-amenity suburban
markets are beginning to benefit from demand squeezed out or priced out of
proximate CBDs. Total returns on a
rolling four-quarter basis through first quarter showed a narrowing in
spread, with CBD just 50 basis points over
suburban, compared with a long-term historical spread of 100 basis points.
32 Suburban markets also showed a
wider spread relative to the long-term average than CBD markets.
26 CBRE-EA & Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of July 2016.
27 CBRE-EA. Data as of July 2016.
28 CBRE-EA. Data as of July 2016.
29 CBRE-EA & Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of July 2016.
30 CBRE-EA. Data as of July 2016.
31 CBRE-EA. Data as of July 2016.
32 NCREIF. Data as of July 2016.
14 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
Forecast
7%
9%
11%
13%
15%
17%
19%
Vacancy Rate
Millons of Square Feet
EFTA01438010
Exhibit 10: CBD Premium to Suburban Rent
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
1990
1992
1994
San Francisco Bay area office markets continue to show the most
growth, with San Jose and Oakland as
top performers. Oakland boasted the highest rent growth (14.7%) while San
Jose recorded the highest total return
(16.7%).33 While not without risk, high-tech dominated markets Austin and
Seattle also outperformed, and Sun Belt
cities Atlanta, Miami and Charlotte showed strong returns and rent growth.
Houston continues to drop off due to
energy-related contractions eroding absorption.
5.2 Outlook and Strategy
Our outlook for the national office market is positive, and we believe there
could be more runway for further growth.
Themes that will perpetuate further improvement in the office market include
waning densification, a return to
growth mode, mixed-use development in urban fringe locations, and a need for
more cost-effective locations.
Together, these factors improve occupancy across CBD and parts of suburban
markets.
Densification is present, but to a lesser degree as more
huddle rooms are incorporated.
Pushback to densification is also emerging, particularly
office-using industries that are only recently
showing more expansion. CBDs will benefit from increased
densification lessens in intensity, which
in turn will further tighten occupancy, expelling demand.
locations in the most outer rings of the CBD
into the suburbs that have been repositioned as live/work/play or 24/7
locations will be the primary beneficiary of
demand outflow. Broader demand levels will create value across office
markets, driving NOI growth for a wider
range of properties. With the caveat that markets across the U.S. are at
various points in their respective cycles,
there are different implications to our investment strategy:
— Gateway Markets: Gateway markets (Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Los
Angeles, and San Francisco)
robust
common areas and
in traditional
absorption as
Urban fringe
EFTA01438011
have outperformed over the long term. Higher barriers-to-entry allow rents
and prices in these markets to
continue growing in inflation-adjusted terms over time. That said, cap rates
are currently at record lows relative
to the broader U.S. office market, and do not necessarily compensate for
some of the risk that is materializing
in these cities. We are underweight New York, Washington D.C. and San
Francisco. Concerns in these
markets include high-tech vulnerability, cost-prohibitive rents, elevated
supply pipelines and subdued
absorption levels. Boston and Los Angeles, however, still offer opportunity
for portfolios in need of exposure to
these historically strong markets. Value-add and development projects in "A"
locations, and class A buildings in
vibrant "urbanized" submarkets with transit access to the CBD remain the
most advantageous asset types.
Although suburban markets are recovering, we would continue to avoid class B
or value-add investment, and
any investment in suburbs without adequate transit connections.
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
33 NCREIF (total returns); CBRE-EA (rent growth). Data as of July 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 15
CBD Premium to Suburban Rent
EFTA01438012
— Regional Markets: Regional (i.e., non-gateway) markets generally feature
lower physical and regulatory
barriers to new development; oversupply has therefore been both a risk and a
source of inferior returns in
many of these markets historically. Charlotte, Dallas, Austin and Houston
are the most vulnerable today,
where we believe demand may not match the pace of supply coming online. Yet,
several markets have been
disciplined in new office development in spite of accelerating demand.
Orange County, Portland, Atlanta, Fort
Lauderdale and Miami offer the opportunity to capture higher yields and
capitalize on NOI growth through
targeting best-in-class assets in "A" locations, including high-amenity,
"urbanized" submarkets with a strong
multifamily component.
6 Retail Sector
6.1 Current Conditions
Retail fundamentals continue to improve across the nation, helped by low
levels of new construction. The
availability rate at neighborhood and community centers ended the first
quarter 2016 at 11.0%, a decline of 30
basis points (bps) from the third quarter of 2015 (see Exhibit 11).
Availability has declined approximately 200 bps
since peaking in early 2010 and is now below its 10-year average of 11.3%.
Vacancy contracted in more than half
of the 45 markets we track (year-over-year) and rents have increased in 36
of them.34
Exhibit 11: Retail Fundamentals
Forecast
100
20
40
60
80
-40
-20
0
1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017
2019
Completions
Net Absorption
Vacancy
July 2016. No assurance can be given that any forecast or target will be
achieved.
Rent growth has been slow to take hold during this modest recovery, with
rents up 1.6% over the past year. Miami,
San Francisco, Austin, San Jose, and Seattle were the top performing metros
with rents growing 3% - 5%.35 In
earlier outlooks, we recognized a performance gap between productive class A
centers and less productive class
EFTA01438013
B/C properties with low occupancy. Rent growth has now spread beyond the
most productive assets and more
markets and centers are participating in the recovery. While we believe this
gap is narrowing, there are still a
number of centers that will continue to struggle due to deteriorating
demographics and weak anchors.
A lack of new retail construction is the primary factor that is
differentiating retail's recovery from that of other
sectors. On average, retail stock rose at a rate of 2.0% annually as a
percent of inventory from 1994-2008;
however, from 2009 to 2015 additions to new supply have averaged just 0.5%
annually,36 well below population
growth and household formations. This virtual halt in construction activity
is allowing for even modest populationdriven
demand to gradually absorb existing retail vacancy. We expect that household
formations will pick up
further, releasing pent-up demand for retail goods.37
34 CBRE-EA; Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of March 2016.
35 CBRE-EA; Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of March 2016.
36 CBRE-EA; Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of March 2016.
37 Moody's Analytics; Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of July 2016.
16 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
Vacancy Rate
Millions of Square Feet
EFTA01438014
Exhibit 12: Household and Retail Inventory Growth
Forecast
0.0%
1.0%
2.0%
3.0%
4.0%
5.0%
6.0%
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
2018 2020
Inventory Growth
Long-term Average Inventory Growth
HH Formations
Sources: CBRE-EA (inventory); Moody's economy.com (households). Data as of
June 2016. No assurance can be given that any forecast or target will be
achieved.
Strengthening fundamentals continue to support investment returns (see
Exhibit 13). Regional and super regional
malls returned 12.9% (trailing four quarters) in the second quarter 2016,
followed by neighborhood and community
centers (12.0%) and power centers (10.0%).38
Exhibit 13: Total Returns by Retail Sub-Type
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
Regional and Super Regional
Malls
2016
future returns.
From a geographic perspective, the high-growth and tourist markets of Miami,
Phoenix and Orlando delivered the
highest investment returns over the past 12 months. Other top performers
included Washington, DC, Riverside,
and San Diego. Returns in the global gateways of New York, Boston and Los
Angeles lagged the sector
benchmark.39
Retail
Neighborhood and Community
Centers
Average (2006-2015)
Power Centers
38 NCREIF; Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of March 2016.
39 NCREIF and Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of March 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 17
Total Returns
% Yr/Yr Growth
EFTA01438015
EFTA01438016
6.2 Outlook and Strategy
Our outlook for the retail sector remains optimistic as current conditions
for consumers are supportive of future
growth in spending. Low gas prices, rising home values, low interest rates,
improving labor market conditions, and
rising incomes should provide for moderate growth of retail sales. Retail
sales in June marked a solid rebound after
a slow first quarter, pointing towards stronger growth in the second half of
the year.40 While consumer spending
has gathered momentum, the growing share of sales going to pure-play e-
commerce players from traditional brick
and mortar stores has created fierce retailer competition. Spending shifts
into consumer segments that fall outside
of malls and shopping centers are also pressuring traditional retailers'
bottom lines. However, we do see positive
momentum in retail demand drivers going into the crucial back to school and
holiday shopping seasons.
Our forecast for shopping centers calls for sustained recovery with
accelerating gains over the next two to three
years as retailers continue to adjust, strengthen and strategically expand.
While we do not expect to see the
demand levels recorded in the previous two cycles, we are expecting to move
into a more balanced market. Over
the next five years, we expect new construction to remain well below the
historical average at less than 1% of stock
annually. As a result of improving demand and limited new construction,
vacancy is forecast to fall under its
historical 25-year average of 10% by 2017 and remain at or below the 9%-10%
range through 2020. Rent growth
will generally correspond with strengthening occupancy and retail sales;
however, prior peak rents will not likely be
reached in the majority of metros until 2019 or later.41
Our retail strategy remains largely focused on class A product, as we
believe the most dominant properties that
garner a large share of retail sales today within a trade area will be the
most competitive, flexible, and durable over
the long term. These properties are likely better positioned to provide
future opportunities to add high-quality
tenants. Additionally, class B centers in excellent locations with a clear
path to growth, such as additional
construction of single and/or multifamily homes, hotels or office space, may
be prime targets for repositioning.
Selectivity is important as the cycle matures. We favor areas which are
densely populated, where growth is already
visible, where other demographic factors (e.g., education and income levels,
household size) are improving, or
where there is a notable shortage of a specific retail offering.
A relevant tenant mix is the critical draw of a shopping center.
retailers with a strong omni-channel
strategy where the online presence complements the physical store
to better service and reach customers.
We favor
strategy
EFTA01438017
It is important to be realistic about tenant health ratios and the rent
increases tenants can absorb.
Other key elements of our retail strategy include:
— Grocery-Anchored Retail: Traditional grocery-anchored centers offer
durable customer traffic; updated uses
such as entertainment, quick service restaurants, fitness and health/-
wellness concepts also act as
complementary anchors, providing additional drawing power and cross-traffic.
We believe these types of
centers will be more insulated from e-commerce due to the service oriented,
necessity-based or daily needs
merchandising of their products.
— Malls: Dominant malls catering to well-heeled consumers may continue to
draw best in class tenants. However,
they are not immune to e-commerce risks, particularly to traditional
department store anchors. To the upside,
replacing these stores with new tenants at higher rents could drive NOI
growth, although the capital
expenditures necessary to do so could be onerous.
— High Street: A strong dollar and weakening global growth could hamper
international travel and spending,
reducing traffic and sales in High Street retail districts. Yet the pull and
visibility of these locations underscore
the long-term viability of the subsector. Uncertainty may energize a flight
to quality and push luxury and bestin-class
retailers to the most dominant shopping districts in top international
gateways, while retailer expansion
in secondary locations may slow.
— Power Centers: We continue to underweight power centers, which typically
feature chain stores selling goods
readily available online, and are therefore vulnerable to store closings,
bankruptcies, and downsizings.
40 Department of Commerce. Data as of July 2016.
41 CBRE-EA (history); Deutsche Asset Management (forecast). Data as of March
2016.
18 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
EFTA01438018
7 Apartment Sector
7.1 Current Conditions
The apartment market remained tight in early 2016, but signs that the sector
is moving towards the mature stage of
the cycle continue to emerge. The nation's vacancy rate was 4.4% at mid-
year, up 10 basis points from a year
earlier, the first increase since late 2009.42 While vacancy remains near
its lowest level since 2000, rent growth
likely peaked last year. Despite these signs, investors continue to covet
the stable cash flow that apartments
provide, keeping yields at historic lows.
Demographics and lifestyle preferences that have delayed homeownership still
support strong apartment demand,
as does steady job growth. Nearly 29,300 units were absorbed in the first
quarter of 2016, the highest figure for a
first quarter since 2010.43 Homeownership remains near its lowest point in
several decades.44 We believe the
homeownership rate has likely bottomed, but should remain at current levels
for several years. The housing market
is improving, but inventory is low, especially for homes that would be
affordable for much of the prime renter cohort
currently living in apartments.45 This should restrict any large outflows of
renters into homeownership. Moreover,
according to the Nielsen Company, 62% of Millennials prefer to live in mixed-
use communities found in urban
centers, closer to shops, restaurants, and the office.46 Low homeownership
and demand for city living has led to a
wave of apartment construction projects as developers have rushed to
capitalize on demand. Multifamily permits
totaled 428,061 units in the 12 months ending May 2016, compared to 398,648
units over the previous 12
months.47 Metros with a significant annual increase in permitting include
Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Orange County,
Portland and San Diego.
Exhibit 14: Apartment Fundamentals
100
200
300
400
500
-100
0
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
Completions
2004
2006
2008
EFTA01438019
2010
Net Absorption
2012
2014
Vacancy
Sources: CBRE-EA (history); Deutsche Asset Management (forecast). Data as of
June 2016. No assurance can be given that any forecast or target will be
achieved.
Despite increases in apartment completions over 2014 and 2015, renter demand
was strong enough to push
effective rent growth higher. However, new supply and elevated rent levels
are already impacting rent growth. After
reaching 5.2% (year-over-year) in mid-2015, growth decelerated to 3.5% in
June 2016 as a wave of new supply
delivered and rent level fatigue set in, especially within CBDs.48 Markets
where rent growth slowed markedly in the
first half of 2016 include San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Portland,
Denver, New York and Boston. In particular,
downtown submarkets in many major metros saw rent growth pull back
significantly. Meanwhile, rent growth
remained quite robust in suburban submarkets which have not experienced the
same level of supply growth as
42 CBRE Econometric Advisors. Data as of June 2016.
43 CBRE Econometric Advisors. Data as of March 2016.
44 Census Bureau. Data as of April 2016.
45 National Association of Realtors. Data as of June 2016.
46 Nielson Company. Data as of January 2016.
47 Census Bureau. Data as of June 2016.
48 Axiometrics. Data as of June 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 19
2016
2018
2020
Forecast
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
Vacancy Rate
Thousands of Units
EFTA01438020
CBDs. Softening fundamentals in downtown submarkets have not deterred
investors: we estimate that the average
going in cap rate for urban core product remains at 4.5% in our 26
investable markets, with many prime assets
trading under 4.0%.49 The lofty prices investors are willing to pay for CBD
assets helps explain why developers
continue to build downtown despite softening fundamentals. These
neighborhoods are potentially at risk of further
supply build-up in the outer years of our forecast if pricing does not
adjust.
NPI total returns for the apartment sector slowed to 10.9% (trailing four
quarters) in the first quarter 2016 from
12.0% as of late 2015.50 Western metros have been the primary outperformers:
Oakland, Denver, Portland,
Riverside, San Jose, San Francisco and Orange County all exhibited total
returns of 16% or more over the past
year. In contrast, several slower growth Midwest and East Coast markets,
along with Houston, made up a majority
of the underperformers with total returns in the single digits. Among
apartment property subtypes, garden
apartments were the top performers, returning 13.9% over the last year.
Despite their popularity with investors,
high-rise properties lagged behind, returning 9.3%, 200 basis points below
the subtype's 5-year average
annualized return.
7.2 Outlook and Strategy
While favorable macro trends should continue to sustain healthy renter
demand, it is unlikely to offset the expected
flood of new supply. New deliveries are projected to average 234,000 units
per year from 2016 to 2018 — 74%
above their long-term annual average of 137,000 units.51 Still-healthy net
absorption will likely not keep pace and
as a result, vacancies are forecasted to increase. Upward pressure on
vacancy is projected to cause rent growth to
moderate. As many major coastal markets exhibit decelerating rent growth,
late-recovery Sunbelt markets are
expected to take the lead. By the later years of the forecast, continued
deliveries, competition with home-buying
and moderating payroll expansion will likely push vacancy above historic
averages to the upper 5% range and
cause rent growth to slip below 2% per year (see Exhibit 15).
Exhibit 15: Apartment Vacancies and Rent Growth
-8%
-6%
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
EFTA01438021
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
Effective Rent Growth
2010
2012
2014
Vacancy
Sources: CBRE-EA (history); Deutsche Asset Management (forecast). Data as of
June 2016. No assurance can be given that any forecast or target will be
achieved.
Slowing rent growth and rising vacancy, combined with very low yields, will
likely limit apartments' ability to produce
strong total returns relative to the other main property types. Given that
many prime apartment markets are fully
valued, attractive investment opportunities have become more limited,
putting a premium on patience and
selectivity when acquiring assets. Although we believe the prime markets
should be viewed as strategic long-term
performers, elevated pricing in these locations will likely constrain total
returns in the near term.
2016
Forecast
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
2018
2020
49 Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of June 2016.
50 NCREIF. Data as of April 2016.
51 Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of June 2016.
20 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
Vacancy Rate
Effective Rent Growth
EFTA01438022
— Regional Markets: With institutional and cross-border investors still
favoring major gateway metros, select
regional markets offer investors higher yields with the benefit of
strengthening fundamentals. At this stage in
the market cycle, several regional markets are exhibiting sizeable NOI
gains. Additionally, we estimate that cap
rates for core assets in the large Sunbelt markets are currently 50 to 100
basis points above those in prime
coastal markets52. In particular, many Sunbelt markets that were battered
from the housing bust now have
strong economic and demographic tail winds bolstering demand. This includes
metros such as Riverside,
Phoenix, San Diego, Atlanta, and Fort Lauderdale. Moreover, these markets
have benefitted from relatively
limited supply pressure up to this point, though permitting is rising.
Investors should target select regional
markets with strong market fundamentals paired with positive economic and
demographic trends.
— Selectivity in the Urban Core: Given the flood of new supply into CBDs,
especially within the luxury segment,
coupled with still elevated pricing and low yields, selectivity will be key
for any downtown acquisition. Only the
best located properties with unique amenities should be considered.
Proximity to grocers, parks, trails, etc. will
help distinguish a property from the plethora of competitors. Moreover, the
flood of high-end product being
delivered may have implications for rent levels across the spectrum. As this
product is delivered, downtown
markets will likely experience an adjustment period as properties once
considered class A may have to
compete for renters further down the income scale. In the near-term, garden
properties are likely to outperform
given less supply headwinds and more affordable rent levels.
— Urban Nodes Outside of the CBD: With an unprecedented amount of high-end
supply being delivered into the
urban core, opportunities may instead exist in "urban nodes" located outside
of CBDs. We consider "urban
nodes" to be highly-amenitized, transit-oriented neighborhoods with an
employment base that clusters in innerring
suburbs. Many of these areas provide investors some yield premium over prime
urban core product and
are still supported by the demand trend towards living in more urbanized
locations. These neighborhoods also
benefit from "affordability migration" out of core urban locations as many
people are priced out of CBDs due to
several years of high rent growth and new supply being concentrated in the
luxury space of the market.
Suburban areas that share some characteristics with an urban node could also
fit into this strategy, but should
still be located in high-population growth markets.
— Be Wary of Value-Add This Late in the Cycle: A targeted value-add strategy
EFTA01438023
has offered investors attractive
pricing with the potential for strong revenue growth for several years now.
However, as substantial new supply
continues to hit the market, most value-add strategies will likely not
provide the upside they once did earlier in
the cycle. This is particularly true in markets where competition from new,
high-end product is particularly
intense. Attempting to compete with the amount of new luxury product coming
online could be challenging. For
any value-add opportunity, we are particularly cognizant of the effects new
supply will have on properties not
only in the luxury segment, but also in classes below it. Some upside may
still exist in suburban or "urban
node" locations where supply is not as significant.
52 Deutsche Asset Management. Data as of June 2016.
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 21
EFTA01438024
8 Appendix 1: U.S. House Portfolio
The Deutsche Asset Management House Portfolio presents the allocation by
property sector for core portfolios in
the United States which we believe would outperform the NPI. We develop the
House Portfolio as an unlevered
portfolio of properties for a U.S. investor without regard to tax
consequences. The House Portfolio is formulated
using both quantitative and qualitative modeling, integrated with our House
View. The resulting weights, we
believe, aid in providing long-term risk-adjusted outperformance to our
portfolios versus the market as a whole and
against relevant benchmarks and indices. The analysis focuses on the four
major property sectors and excludes
hotels. The following table summarizes our conclusions on weightings in
comparison with the NPI. The analysis
results in an active overweight to the industrial sector, a market weight to
the office sector and retail sectors, and
an underweight to the apartment sector.
House Portfolio Construction — Sector Allocation
Sector
NPI
Weights
Apartment
25%
-- Economic recovery fueling household formation.
-- Decline in homeownership may not continue.
-- Strong performance leads to more construction, limiting NOI growth.
-- Cap rates lowest among major sectors.
Industrial
14%
-- Benefits from expanding U.S. population and job gains as well as
ecommerce,
housing, and trade.
-- Speculative construction is rising but demand should still outpace.
-- Solid rent and NOI growth expected in near term.
-- Smaller and mid-sized warehouses poised to outperform.
-- Flex is recovering but still underperforming.
Office
37%
-- Strong job growth will continue to increase office space demand and
broaden the expansion.
-- Rent growth gathering momentum as vacancy is now at the long term
average and is still contracting.
-- Rent recovery is spreading to more locations outside tech, energy and
gateways.
Retail
23%
- E-commerce restricting store openings, but convenience and service
(health, fitness, dining) retail expanding.
-- Lack of new supply contributing to improving fundamentals.
EFTA01438025
-- Rent growth becoming more broad-based.
-- Long duration leases provide stable income.
Hotel
1%
N/A
0%
(1%)
0%
24%
1%
19% - 29%
38%
1%
33% - 43%
Research Perspective
House
Portfoliol
18%
(7%)
Active Bet
Recommended
House Portfolio
Range
13% - 23%
20%
+6%
15% - 25%
22 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
EFTA01438026
9 Appendix 2: Real Estate Target Markets
Investible Metros: We screened top U.S. metros, which represent 86% of the
NCREIF Property Index (NPI), and
identified the investment markets for each property sector that we believe
have the best prospects for superior
performance during the market cycle or a portion of it. This metro selection
is based on property market size,
liquidity, growth characteristics, income, historical returns and other
factors indicative of future performance. The
list of these metros remains generally static, although some metros may be
added or subtracted over time due to
structural market changes
Target Investible Metros: These are a subset of the universe of investible
metros and include markets expected to
outperform or market perform during the next three to five years.
Investible and Target Markets
IIOverweight
Market
Atlanta
Austin
Baltimore
Boston
Charlotte
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
Fort Lauderdale
Houston
Los Angeles
Miami
Minneapolis
New York
Oakland / East Bay
Orange County
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland
Riverside
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Seattle
Washington DC
West Palm Beach
Apartments
EFTA01438027
ndustrial
EFTA01438028
Underweight
ffice
EFTA01438029
Market Weight
etail
EFTA01438030
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 23
EFTA01438031
Important Information
Deutsche Asset Management represents the asset management activities
conducted by Deutsche Bank AG or any of its subsidiaries. Clients will be
provided Deutsche Asset Management products or services by one or more legal
entities that will be identified to clients pursuant to the contracts,
agreements, offering materials or other documentation relevant to such
products or services. In the U.S., Deutsche Asset Management relates to the
asset
management activities of RREEF America L.L.C.; in Germany: RREEF Investment
GmbH, Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management GmbH, RREEF
Management GmbH, and RREEF Spezial Invest GmbH; in Australia: Deutsche
Australia Limited (ABN 37 006 385 593) an Australian financial services
license holder; in Japan: Deutsche Securities Inc. (For DSI, financial
advisory (not investment advisory) and distribution services only); in Hong
Kong:
Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Hong Kong Branch (for direct real estate
business), and Deutsche Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited (for real
estate securities business); in Singapore: Deutsche Asset Management (Asia)
Limited (Company Reg. No. 198701485N); in the United Kingdom: Deutsche
Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Alternative Asset
Management (Global) Limited and Deutsche Asset Management (UK) Limited;
and in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden: Deutsche Alternative Asset
Management (UK) Limited and Deutsche Alternative Asset Management
(Global) Limited; in addition to other regional entities in the Deutsche
Bank Group.
The views expressed in this document have been approved by the responsible
portfolio management team and Real Estate investment committee and may
not necessarily be the views of any other division within Deutsche Asset
Management.
Key Deutsche Asset Management research personnel are voting members of
various investment committees. Members of the investment committees vote
with respect to underlying investments and/or transactions and certain other
matters subjected to a vote of such investment committee. Additionally,
research personnel receive, and may in the future receive incentive
compensation based on the performance of a certain investment accounts and
investment vehicles managed by Deutsche Asset Management and its affiliates.
This material was prepared without regard to the specific objectives,
financial situation or needs of any particular person who may receive it. It
is intended
for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice, a
recommendation, an offer, solicitation, the basis for any contract to
purchase or
sell any security or other instrument, or for Deutsche Bank AG or its
affiliates to enter into or arrange any type of transaction as a consequence
of any
information contained herein. Neither Deutsche Bank AG nor any of its
affiliates gives any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or
completeness of
information which is contained in this document. Except insofar as liability
under any statute cannot be excluded, no member of the Deutsche Bank Group,
the Issuer or any officer, employee or associate of them accepts any
EFTA01438032
liability (whether arising in contract, in tort or negligence or otherwise)
for any error or
omission in this document or for any resulting loss or damage whether
direct, indirect, consequential or otherwise suffered by the recipient of
this document
or any other person."
The views expressed in this document constitute Deutsche Bank AG or its
affiliates' judgment at the time of issue and are subject to change. This
document
is only for professional investors. This document was prepared without
regard to the specific objectives, financial situation or needs of any
particular person
who may receive it. No further distribution is allowed without prior written
consent of the Issuer.
An investment in real estate involves a high degree of risk, including
possible loss of principal amount invested, and is suitable only for
sophisticated
investors who can bear such losses. The value of shares/ units and their
derived income may fall or rise. Any forecasts provided herein are based upon
Deutsche Asset Management's opinion of the market at this date and are
subject to change dependent on the market. Past performance or any
prediction,
projection or forecast on the economy or markets is not indicative of future
performance.
The forecasts provided are based upon our opinion of the market as at this
date and are subject to change, dependent on future changes in the market.
Any prediction, projection or forecast on the economy, stock market, bond
market or the economic trends of the markets is not necessarily indicative
of the
future or likely performance.
For Investors in Switzerland: This presentation document has been prepared
upon your request exclusively on a best effort basis and intends to
respond to your investment objective/strategy as a sophisticated and
qualified investor within the meaning of the Swiss Collective Investment
Schemes
Act of June 23, 2006 ("CISA"). This document has not been approved by the
Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority ("FINMA") under the Swiss
Collective Investment Schemes Act of June 23, 2006 ("CISA"). The products
contained in this presentation may not be registered with the Swiss Financial
Market Supervisory Authority ("FINMA"), and therefore, not supervised by the
FINMA. As a result, you cannot claim any protection for unregistered
products under the CISA.
For Investors in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden:
This document is issued and approved in the United Kingdom by
Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited ("DEAAM UK") of 1 Great
Winchester Street, London EC2N 2DB. Authorised and regulated by the
Financial Conduct Authority (146000). This material is intended for
information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a
personal
recommendation. This document should not be construed as an offer to sell
any investment or service. Furthermore, this document does not constitute
EFTA01438033
the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment or
service in any jurisdiction where, or from any person in respect of whom,
such a
solicitation of an offer is unlawful.
This document is confidential and personal to you and is being presented for
informational and discussion purposes only. Any reproduction
and/or redistribution thereof, in whole or in part, and any disclosure of
its content without our consent is strictly forbidden"
0 2016 Deutsche Bank AG. All rights reserved. (08/16) I-047670-1
24 U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016
EFTA01438034
Research & Strategy — Alternatives
Office Locations:
Team:
Chicago
222 South Riverside Plaza
26th Floor
Chicago
IL 60606-1901
United States
Tel:
Frank urt
Taunusanlage 12
60325 Frankfurt am Main
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Tel:
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Tel:
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Tel:
Tokyo
Floor 18
Sanno Park Tower
2-11-1 Nagata-cho
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Tokyo
Japan
Tel:
Americas
Kevin White
EFTA01438035
Head of Strategy, Americas
Ross Adams
Industrial Research
Bradley Doremus
Apartment Research
Ana Leon
Retail Research
Europe
Simon Wallace
Head of Research, Europe
Tom Francis
Pro ert Market Research
Farhaz Miah
Property Market Research
Asia Pacific
Koichiro Obu
Head of Research & Strategy, Asia Pacific
Seng-Hong Teng
Property Market Research
Matthias Naumann
Head of Strategy, Europe
Martin Lippmann
Property Market Research
Julien Scarpa
Property Market Research
Natasha Lee
Pro ert Market Research
Brooks Wells
Head of Research, Americas
Erin Patterson
Office Research
Silverio Vasquez
Quantitative Research
Global
Mark Roberts
EFTA01438036
Head of Research & Strategy
Gianluca Minella
Infrastructure Research
Jessica Elengical
Head of ESG Strategy
Jaimala Patel
Quantitative Strate
Aaron Heffernan
Liquid Real Assets Research
U.S. Real Estate Strategic Outlook I September 2016 25
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