Las Vegas Real Estate

In Business Las Vegas December 23 - December 29 Current Issue Special Publications Search In Business In Business on TV The List Book of Lists About InBusiness Media Kit Subscribe Contact Us Real Estate and Development Big jump expected in commercial rents By Jennifer Shubinksi / Staff Writer What does the new year have in store for the Las Vegas Valley's commercial tenants? Most likely increases in rent -- in some cases up to 15 percent. "Potentially significant rent increases are expected during 2006 as leases expire and developers attempt to catch up to inflation," said John Restrepo, principal of Restrepo Consulting Group. When adjusted for inflation, the average monthly rents for commercial properties have remained relatively flat since 2001, despite healthy demand, a local research firm reported. After adjusting for inflation, the average monthly office rent in the third quarter of 2005 was $1.91 per square foot or just below the $1.93 recorded in the first quarter of 2001, Restrepo Consulting Group LLC reported. The inflation-adjusted industrial average rent in the third quarter was 57 cents, compared with the 61 cents recorded in the first quarter of 2001, the firm reported. The inflation-adjusted average retail rents in the third quarter was $1.51, compared with $1.47 in the first quarter of 2001, Restrepo Consulting Group reported. Restrepo said absorption (demand) has remained strong, and vacancies in the third quarter in all commercial markets were relatively low. The reason rents, when adjusted for inflation, have remained flat is largely because of increases in supply during the past four years, tenant resistance to rent increases and the lease contracts, many of which have not expired yet, he said. The slow rent growth has made certain types of new development, especially in the industrial sector, more difficult, said Vic Donovan, Colliers International managing director. Increasing land prices have made it difficult for developers to justify building industrial products, while at the same time industrial land is being bought up and rezoned for other uses. "It's about time that commercial rents start increasing to encouraging additional development to allow us to be supply-competitive with other cities in the southwest," Donovan said. "We can't afford to lose our competitive edge if we are to maintain a healthy commercial real estate market." Restrepo said on average, rents will increase between 10 percent and 15 percent in 2006. He expects retail and industrial, which have the lowest vacancies, to experience rent increases of at least 15 percent. Average office rent increases will be at least 10 percent, but in some prime locations it could be more, he said. "For example, our rent going up 17 percent here (Hughes Center) because there's virtually no space left," Restrepo said. Despite a low vacancy rate there is always some vacancy in a market, he said. "A whole market doesn't go zero; there's always turnover and frictional vacancy. It may not be in a location that's best or may not be product you want to rent," Restrepo said. In other news: Land in the Las Vegas Valley during the third quarter 2005 reached an all-time high of $708,000 per acre, research firm Applied Analysis reported this week. The average price during the second quarter 2005 was $601,600 per acre, the group reported. The firm's report analyzed 362 transactions, comprising more than 1,800 acres. Values reached $16.25 per square foot for land during the third quarter, a 76 percent increase when compared with the third quarter 2004, when land prices were $402,500 per acre, or $9.24 per square foot, Applied Analysis reported. Notable transactions during the third quarter included: • The former Westward Ho, on 15.2 acres on Las Vegas Boulevard, which was purchased for $145.5 million, or $9.6 million per acre, by Centex Destination Properties, a division of Centex Homes. • An 85.5-acre assemblage of 35 parcels in the southwest portion of the Las Vegas Valley was acquired by Gameday LLC for $48.7 million, or $568,000 per acre. • Developers with projects in the southwest Las Vegas Valley have formed a partnership to create "West Village," a planned "suburban downtown" that would encompass about 700 acres. West Village is centered at Interstate 215 and the intersection of Sunset Road and Durango Drive and includes projects that have been proposed for the area. By teaming up together, the developers and land owners in West Village said they hope to bring cohesiveness to the area, as opposed to each developer acting independently. Developers hope to bring consistency to landscape design, share market ideas, coordinate mass transit and setting development standards for the partners to follow. West Village is bordered by Patrick Lane to the north, Warm Springs Road to the south, Cimarron Road to the east and the Las Vegas Beltway to the west, and by the freeway as it curves north. County zoning allows for heights up to 200 feet and up to 100 residential units per acre. The developers in the partnership include Centra, KB Home, Curve Development Co., Glen Smith & Glen Development, Sunset Durango Partners, GKT Holdings, Station Casinos Inc. and UNLV. Clark County officials also are involved in the planning. The area has the potential for 10,000 residential units, 8 million square feet of commercial space, a university research and technology park, and a possible casino complex is planned for that portion of the valley. So far, the only project in West Village is Centra's Centra Point, an 11-building, 30-acre office project totaling 450,000 square feet. Other key developments planned for the southwest valley that are now a part of the West Village concept are: The Curve -- a 45-acre community that when built will include mid-rise residential buildings and retail in an open-air design. Glen Smith & Glen Development -- a 20-acre project being planned by developer Glen Smith & Glen that will include high-end, mid-rise residential, office and retail. Project Durango -- a yet-to-be-named 65-acre development that is a joint venture between Centra and KB Home. The planned project would include residential units and up to 750,000 square feet of commercial space. Harry Reid Research and Technology Park -- a planned 120-acre research park that is being developed by the UNLV Research Foundation. Durango Station -- a 70-acre site that has been owned by Station Casinos for many years. The land, on the south side of the beltway at Durango Drive, is zoned for a casino. GKT Holdings -- residential and commercial uses are planned on 155 acres. Sunset Durango Partners -- a 10-acre site that is entitled for mid-rise residential. Jennifer Shubinski covers real estate and development for In Business Las Vegas and its sister publication, the Las Vegas Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-8832 or by e-mail at js@lasvegassun.com. IBLV Homepage Click here for problems or questions. Read our policy on privacy and cookies. Advertise on Vegas.com. Work for Vegas.com. All contents © 1998 - 2005 Vegas.com The Most Visited Place on Earth

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MSN Money - How to find good investment property MSN Home Hotmail My MSN Sign In Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Investing Home Portfolio Markets Stocks Funds ETFs Commentary Brokers CNBC TV MSN Money Insight Jubak's Journal SuperModels Start Investing Strategy Lab Company Focus Mutual Funds Street Patrol Other Views Contrarian Chronicles TheStreet.com Resources Commentary Index Decision Centers Start Investing Mutual Funds Find Hot Stocks Simple Strategies Power Tools Investing For Income Real Estate Related Links Expert Picks Market Dispatches CNBC Stock Picks Message Boards Print-friendly version Send this to a friend Research any REIT Find top-performing mutual funds Sortable database of SEC filings Find stock winners with our screener Personal finance bookshelf Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site Map Recent articles by Liz Pulliam Weston: • Streamline your finances in 8 steps , 1/12/2003 • Ditch all fees for online banking services , 1/12/2003 • In clash of debit-card titans, consumers lose , 1/12/2003 More... Related Sites American Association of Small Property Owners Rental Property Reporter National Real Estate Investors Association The Basics How to find good investment property advertisement If you're cut out for it, life as a landlord can be quite profitable. But success isn't assured. Here's what you need to know before diving in. By Liz Pulliam Weston The idea of owning rental real estate seems to be gaining popularity as investors tire of the swoops and swoons of the stock market. As I pointed out in a separate column , not everyone has what it takes to be a landlord. But those who do may find rentals to be a good way to build wealth. Once youve made the decision to buy rental property, your real work begins. Finding a profitable rental property usually takes time, connections and plenty of research. Heres what you need to know to get started: Start investing with $100. Explore our new ETF center. Know your time horizon As with any other investment, you should have a good idea how long you plan to own a rental property before you buy it, says Robert Cain, publisher of the Rental Property Reporter newsletter. The longer you plan to own the property, the more youll probably need to invest in maintenance, repairs and improvements, Cain said. If youre keeping it for 20 years, at some point youre going to be putting a new roof on that property. Youre going to be putting in new appliances and doing some major repairs, Cain said. If youre only planning to own a property for five years, by contrast, youll probably want to avoid making any major improvements unless youre sure you can recoup the cost with a higher sale price. You also may face more investment risk with a shorter time horizon. Although your rental will almost certainly appreciate over 20 years, it could easily lose value in the next five, particularly if youre buying in an overheated market. Youll need a bigger potential annual return to make up for that risk. For many small investors, long-term ownership makes the most sense, said Pat Callahan, an attorney, landlord and founder of the American Association of Small Property Owners. Youll have plenty of time to ride out any swings in the market, and rental income can make a nice supplement to your day job. Find enough rental properties, and being a landlord may become your day job. Develop a network Experienced landlords find their properties in a variety of ways. Some hunt for foreclosures, making friends with city hall clerks or bank employees who know which properties are about to be sold. Some run ads in local newspapers. Others work with real estate agents who keep their eyes peeled for possible buys. Several landlords recommended joining a local landlord or property owner's association to make contacts. Callahans Web site offers links to local groups, as does the National Real Estate Investors Association. (See the links at left under "Related Sites.") When you begin to own rentals, all the other investors start coming out of the woodwork, said Sean Hoppe, a landlord in Pottsville, Pa., who owns 11 properties. Through investor meetings, networking, etc., I can find out what is for sale. (Hoppe, by the way, is 25 and hopes to retire from his job as a computer consultant in three years.) You also can try approaching landlords directly to see if theyre willing to sell, by calling the numbers listed on rental ads in the classifieds, by cruising neighborhoods looking for for rent signs or by talking to any landlords you know personally. Thats how Bob, who asked that his last name not be used, bought his rental property near Albany, N.Y. The landlord of the three-unit building where Bob had rented for 15 years was tired of the hassles and ready to sell. We love (the area) and jumped at the chance to buy it, Bob said. So far, Bob and his wife have been pleased with their purchase. They raised rents and required security deposits, which caused the propertys less desirable tenants to leave. He also has a backup plan for the building in case he starts to feel like the prior owner. If being a landlord got to be too big a hassle, Bob said, we would just get rid of the tenants and make it our own place. Get your finances in shape The better your credit, and the less credit card and other consumer debt you have, the better your prospects for getting a decent loan, Callahan said. Lenders usually require bigger down payments, higher interest rates and generally stronger finances when youre buying rental property. Thats because they know people are more likely to default on investment property than they are on their own homes. Landlords say it also pays to have a substantial cash reserve left over after buying a property. This can help pay for unexpected repairs and vacancies. Although there are few rules of thumb, setting aside at least one months rent for each unit is a good start. CPA Paul Berning suggests having a line of credit, secured either by the property or your own home, to cover larger costs. You also should make sure you can save enough for retirement and other goals before investing in rental real estate. While rental income can supplement your retirement kitty, most people shouldnt count on it to replace other investments or allow themselves to be entirely exposed to the whims of the local real estate market. Rents and property values can fall as well as rise, and those who are adequately diversified with investments in stocks, bonds and cash will be better able to endure the bad times as well as the good. Avoid overpaying As one experienced landlord put it: You make your profit when you buy a property, not when you sell it. Pay too much, and youll never recoup as much as you could have had you driven a better bargain. The rental real estate market is generally tougher on investors who overpay than on homeowners who do the same thing, several landlords said. While a home is often an emotional purchase, which can lead to I must have it! offers and bidding wars, most landlords look strictly at the numbers to see if their investments will pay off. If you pay too much for a rental, you cant count on a greater fool coming along later to bail you out. Not overpaying can be tough in a hot market, however. Apartments in New York, for example, currently sell at a 60% premium over their inherent value. In other words, theyre selling for much more than the income streams the apartments generate, according to Reis, a national real estate research firm. In San Francisco and Los Angeles, the premium is 10%. Some landlords use formulas, such as not paying more than six to eight times the rents they expect to make the first year. Others try to estimate what the property could be worth after needed repairs and upgrades are made, and they dont pay more than 70% of that price, less the cost of those repairs, CPA Berning said. Every real estate market is different, however, and these formulas may not work in your area. Whats key is to make sure your rental income will cover your out-of-pocket costs, Berning said. That includes the mortgage payment on the property, as well as taxes, insurance, maintenance, repairs and a vacancy rate of around 5%. (If you have five units, for example, you should expect at least one unit to be empty three months each year. Heres the math: 5 units times 12 months equals 60; 60 times .05 is 3.) If you can at least break even, youll be able to profit from any price appreciation as well as from tax breaks available to rental property. Cains Web site sells $55 software to help you make these calculations (see link at left). When crunching the numbers, you should know that theres a big difference in how repairs and improvements are treated for tax purposes. You can typically deduct the cost of a repair, such as patching a roof or fixing a leaking pipe, on your tax return for the year in which the repair is made, Berning said. Replace that roof or those pipes, however, and its typically considered an improvement, which means the cost cant be deducted. Instead, its added to the amount you paid for the property to determine your tax basis when you sell. The higher the basis, the lower your taxable profit. But if you have to wait 20 years after making a major improvement to recoup any of the cost for tax purposes, you may think twice about buying a property that needs a lot of upfront work, Berning said. To better estimate your costs, get a thorough inspection before you buy a property. Some landlords have favorite electricians, plumbers and contractors that they send to any prospective property, promising them that they can do any repair work they find. Others use professional inspectors they trust. Longtime landlords say all this work pays off in profitable properties that build their net worth while providing a steady income stream. Callahan, whose family started investing in rental real estate in the 1940s, says its a way of life she recommends. It doesnt matter if youre a professional or a laborer, Callahan said. Its the equal-opportunity wealth builder. Editors' choice Don't get scammed by your mover Safeguard your Social Security number 5 ways to tap into the onshore drilling boom Your checkbook just became obsolete Turn $1 a day into $67,815 Readers' choice Ratings Top 5 Articles 9.29 Zombie debt collectors dig up your old mistakes 9.24 Keep thieves out of your bank account 9.22 Credit reports now free for entire U.S. 9.20 10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges 9.17 The tricks and traps of debt consolidation View all top rated articles More Resources · E-mail us your comments on this article · Post on the Your Money message board · Get a daily dose of market news S earch MSN Money tips advertisement Sponsored Links Fund data provided by Morningstar, Inc. © 2005. All rights reserved. Quotes supplied by ComStock , an Interactive Data company. MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. Our articles, columns, message board posts and other features should not be construed as investment advice, nor does their appearance imply an endorsement by Microsoft of any specific security or trading strategy. An investor's best course of action must be based on individual circumstances. © 2005 Microsoft MSN Privacy Legal Advertise Feedback Help

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TPWD:About Texas Land Trusts Maincontent Local Navigation Show navigation search Regulations Publications Outdoor Learning Kids Game Warden Grants Get Involved Shop FAQ Calendar Español Experience Texas Fishing & Boating State Parks & Destinations Hunting & Wildlife Land & Water Doing Business Home Land & Water Land Private Tltc Texas Land Trusts About Texas Land Trusts Starting a Land Trust Texas Land Trust Directory Foreword Listing Regional Index About the Texas Land Trust Council ( TLTC ) TLTC Board of Directors and Honorary Council News 2004 TLTC Conference Speech Bulletin Board TLTC Publications Land Trust Resources Texas Land Trusts Top 1-Million Mark in Acres Conserved Texas Land Trusts What is a land trust? A land trust is a local, state or regional nonprofit organization directly involved in protecting land for its natural, recreational, scenic, historical or productive value. How do I find a land trust in my area? There are currently 39 land trusts in Texas. Let the Texas Land Trust Directory be your guide in locating a land trust close to you. How do you start a land trust? Setting up a land trust requires careful research and planning. The Texas Land Trust Council has compiled many of the resources you need to answer your questions and establish a successful land trust. About the Texas Land Trust Council The Texas Land Trust Council is committed to promoting and sustaining the conservation efforts of Texas's land trusts. Learn more about the growing number of Texans protecting our distinct heritage . What's a conservation easement? A conservation easement ( PDF 1.6 MB ) is a restriction landowners voluntarily place on specified uses of their property to protect natural, productive or cultural features. It is recorded as a written legal agreement between the landowner and the "holder" of the easement, which may be either a nonprofit conservation organization or government agency. Contact Us | Help | Accessibility | Media | Site Policies | Complaints | Intranet | State of Texas | TRAILS Search | TexasOnline | Compact with Texans Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744 Toll Free: (800) 792-1112, Austin: (512) 389-4800 Content of this site © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department unless otherwise noted. Last modified: October 12, 2005, 12:46 pm

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