Real Estate Deals & Transactions

FAQs – 1031 Exchanges (Tax Deferred Exchanges) for Commercial Real Estate

Published on: July 31, 2015 | by ESQ.title

By: Alejandro E. Jordan, JD

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – 1031 Exchanges (Tax Deferred Exchanges) for Commercial Real Estate

Question 1: What is the difference between a sale and an exchange?

Answer 1: A sale is an exchange of real property for cash. An exchange is a transfer of property for other like-kind property – a “non-taxable” sale.

Question 2: What provisions are required in a Purchase and Sale Agreement to enter into an exchange?

Answer 2: A Purchase and Sale Agreement should contain language establishing the exchangor’s intent and notifying the buyer of the exchange. Examples are:

When Selling:

“It is the intent of the Seller to perform an IRC Section 1031 tax deferred exchange by trading the property herein with [_________________]. Buyer agrees to execute an Assignment Agreement at the request of Seller at no additional cost or liability to Buyer.”

When Buying:

“It is the intent of the Buyer to perform an IRC Section 1031 tax deferred exchange by trading the property herein with [_________________]. Seller agrees to execute an Assignment Agreement at the request of Buyer at no additional cost or liability to Seller.”

Question 3: Can an investor trade from several small properties into one large one?

Investing in NNN Triple Net Leased Commercial Real Estate Properties

Published on: February 28, 2015 | by ESQ.title

By: Alejandro E. Jordan, JD

Investing in NNN Triple Net Leased Commercial Real Estate Properties

Not all real estate investors are created equal. A large number of them simply are looking to place their hard-earned money into a safe haven to avoid the often unpredictable nature of the financial market. In a nutshell, based on how the leases are drafted, NNN leased investments state that the tenants are responsible for paying rent plus the operating expenses of the building such as taxes, insurance, repairs and utilities. A true passive investment for the owner/landlord.

These NNN (Triple Net Leased) investments are valued using a combination of factors, such as the tenant’s credit, the length of the lease and rent escalations over the term, and, last but not least, the real estate itself.

“NNN leased properties survive the ups and downs of the markets. As an investor, you know your lease is guaranteed long term, often with rental escalations worked into the leases, meaning the investor will be receiving a steady income, regardless of how the outside forces are performing,” says Enrique Jordan, Investment Sales Associate with NAI Miami, Commercial Real Estate Services Worldwide. Continue Reading ›

What are the Risks of Purchasing a Tax Deed in Florida?

Published on: January 21, 2015 | by ESQ.title

By: Daniel T. Pascale, Esq.

Offices located in Delray Beach and Coral Gables, FL

It’s important to know that when you purchase a tax deed in Florida, that the title to the property is not immediately insurable and is not considered legally marketable. In fact, if a tax deed has been of record for fewer than 20 years, subsequent purchasers, lenders, and title insurers will not consider the title marketable and will require the tax deed holder to obtain a judgment quieting title in the holder before relying on the tax title. Thus, tax deed properties that are acquired without further legal action are essentially worthless unless you plan to rent or live in the property for the next twenty years before selling it.

Quiet Title Actions

Tax deed purchasers who don’t wish to wait 20 years to sell their newly acquired property must file a quiet title action to obtain marketable, insurable title. The purpose of a quiet title action is to forever bar prior owners, mortgage and lien holders from asserting any interest in the real property.

Because a quiet title action stops redemption periods and eliminates potential claims of lien, once the quiet title action is complete and the 30-day appeal period expires, you’ll be able to sell the property, offer marketable, insurable title to a prospective purchaser or obtain title insurance for yourself. In short, a successful quiet title action will allow a title insurance company to write a policy insuring title to the property.

Commercial Real Estate – Terms & Definitions

Published on: October 21, 2014 | by ESQ.title

By: Alejandro E. Jordan, Esq.

Commercial Real Estate – Terms & Definitions

Availability Rate: The ratio of available space to total rentable space, calculated by dividing the total available square feet by the total rentable square feet.

Available Space: The total amount of space that is currently being marketed as available for lease in a given time period. It includes any space that is available, regardless of whether the space is vacant, occupied, available for sublease, or available at a future date.

Build-to-Suit: A term describing a particular property, developed specifically for a certain tenant to occupy, with structural features, systems, or improvement work designed specifically for the needs of that tenant. A build-to-suit can be leased or owned by the tenant. In a leased build-to-suit, a tenant will usually have a long term lease on the space.

Buyer: The individual, group, company, or entity that has purchased a commercial real estate asset.

Cap Rate: Short for capitalization rate. The Cap Rate is a calculation that reflects the relationship between one year’s net operating income and the current market value of a particular property. The Cap Rate is calculated by dividing the annual net operating income by the sales price (or asking sales price).

CBD: Abbreviation for Central Business District. (See also: Central Business District)

Central Business District: The designations of Central Business District (CBD) and Suburban refer to a particular geographic area within a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) describing the level of real estate development found there. The CBD is characterized by a high density, well organized core within the largest city of a given MSA. Continue Reading ›

1st Quarter 2014 Industrial Market Report for Miami-Dade County CRE

Published on: August 4, 2014 | by ESQ.title

By: Alejandro E. Jordan, Esq.

Total Industrial inventory in the Miami-Dade County market area amounted to 229,374,658 square feet in 8,790 buildings as of the end of the second quarter 2014. The Flex sector consisted of 16,908,307 square feet in 600 projects. The Warehouse sector consisted of 212,466,351 square feet in 8,190 buildings. Within the Industrial market there were 782 owner-occupied buildings accounting for 30,523,593 square feet of Industrial space.

Sales Activity

Miami-Dade County industrial sales figures for industrial building sales of over 15,000 square feet fell during the first quarter 2014 in terms of dollar volume compared to the fourth quarter of 2013.

Raising Money through Real Estate Syndications – Recent Law Changes to the Rule 506 Exemption

Published on: April 15, 2014 | by ESQ.title

By: Alejandro E. Jordan, Esq.

The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, known as the Jobs Act, has changed the way to raise money from groups of investors to purchase commercial and investment real estate properties. Many forget that raising money from multiple investors is often viewed as selling “securities” and are regulated and restricted under the federal securities laws.

What Changed?

In its July 10, 2013, meeting, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted the new Regulation D, Rule 506(c) as authorized by the Jobs Act (Title II), which became effective September 23, 2013. Under the new rule, persons such as issuers, sponsors, syndicators, or promoters selling “securities” to private investors to fund their companies or real estate transactions will be able to advertise their private-investment opportunities under certain conditions.

Understanding Florida’s Commercial Real Estate Sales Commission Lien Act

Published on: March 17, 2014 | by ESQ.title

By: Dan Pascale, Esq.

Offices located in Delray Beach and Coral Gables, FL

Pursuant to Florida’s Commercial Real Estate Sales Commission Lien Act, a commercial broker has a lien upon the owner’s net proceeds from the sale of commercial real estate for any commission earned by the broker under a written broker’s agreement.

According to the Act, the lien upon the owner’s net proceeds for a broker’s commission is a lien upon personal property, it attaches to the owner’s net proceeds only, and it does create a lien right against the real estate that is being sold.

As such, the broker cannot record a lis pendens against the real estate that was sold in order to force the seller to pay the broker’s commission. Instead, the Act provides that a commercial broker may give both notice to the closing agent and record notice of the commission due in the public records of the county where the land is located, and gain a lien on the net proceeds of the seller

Practice Tip to Residential Brokers: Residential real estate brokers have no lien rights either statutorily or at common law. They are, in fact, prohibited from placing liens for commissions in the public records.

Are You Entitled to Receive a Real Estate Commission?

Published on: March 9, 2014 | by ESQ.title

Daniel Pascale

By: Daniel T. Pascale, Esq.

Offices located in Delray Beach and Coral Gables, FL

As the amount of South Florida real estate transactions continue to reach new records, real estate brokers and agents find themselves in more and more commission disagreements. As such, we thought it would be a good idea to post a new article on the doctrine of procuring cause.

The Doctrine of Procuring Cause

Procuring cause refers to a broker’s efforts to match a ready willing and able purchaser with a seller and for a sale to take place as a result of the broker’s continuous negotiation and/or involvement. Stated differently, to be the procuring cause of a sale or lease of real estate, a broker or agent must have brought the parties together and effected the sale or lease assignment as a result of continuous negotiations inaugurated by the broker. Whether a real estate broker or agent is the procuring cause of a sale must be factually determined on a case-by-case basis. Many factors can impact a determination of procuring cause, but no one factor is by itself determinative.

Top CRE Investment Opportunities for Foreign Nationals – Single Tenant Triple Net Investments (NNN)

Published on: March 1, 2014 | by ESQ.title

By: Alejandro E. Jordan, Esq.

The greater Miami area has emerged as one of the leading commercial real estate investment locations in the U.S. due to its climate, diversity, proximity to South America, and infrastructure. Foreign investment from Mexico, China, Venezuela, Canada, India and Brazil drives many of the commercial real estate acquisitions throughout South Florida. While each investor has a different risk tolerance and end goal in mind, they are all looking to protect their investment by purchasing the safest property with the highest returns possible.

Single Tenant Triple Net Investments (NNN) – Low Risk and High Yield Commercial Real Estate Investment

Fortunately, there is a real estate investment option that can offer low risk and high yields. It’s called a Single Tenant Credit Net Lease Investment (NNN), Freestanding NNN Investment, or Triple Net Leased Investment.

South Florida Real Estate Due Diligence Checklist

Published on: February 23, 2014 | by ESQ.title

By: Alejandro E. Jordan, Esq.

Whether you are a seasoned real estate veteran or a first time investor, having a due diligence checklist in “black and white” is a valuable and necessary tool for any real estate purchase. For commercial real estate, value is determined by analyzing the income stream the property generates or is expected to generate. Of all the commercial properties types, perhaps none of them are more complex than the analysis of a mixed-use multi-tenant property with residential, office, and retail uses. While every commercial real estate investment presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, each transaction beings with essentially the same due diligence.

Below is a commercial real estate due diligence checklist that provides you with a general list of some of the most necessary documents to review and analyze with your South Florida due diligence real estate lawyer.