The FORT Podcast: Value Creation Through Aggregating “Small” Assets
On this episode, Chris breaks down Fort Capital’s strategy of aggregating smaller assets in order to make them more attractive to institutional capital. He defines what would constitute a smaller asset, why institutional capital would be interested in these aggregations, additional margins to be made for the owner, and more. Enjoy!
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(00:47) – Fort Capital’s journey into aggregation
RE #98: How to Assemble & Entitle Urban Land
(02:10) – Asset Type and Market in Aggregation
(03:11) – What is a ‘smaller asset’?
(04:56) – Larger Institutional Interest in a One-Off Deal vs. Aggregation
(06:21) – Additional Margin to be Made for the Owner
(06:42) – Lowering the Cost of Capital
(08:29) – Different Institutional LP-based Scenario – Raising From Non-Profits
(10:44) – Institutions Require Operational Efficiencies
(12:17) – Wrap Up
Episode Summary
Navigating through the realm of industrial real estate, Powers elucidates the tangible benefits of aggregating smaller assets into a more substantial, cohesive portfolio, particularly with an aim to attract institutional investors. With a notable emphasis on the concept of asset size, Powers identifies a strategic sweet spot, facilitating the avoidance of competition from larger institutions and dissuading smaller, individual investors due to scale and complexity.
Powers delves into the nuanced strategy of exploiting the gap left by institutional investors in the market, highlighting how these entities often eschew smaller, standalone assets in favor of larger, consolidated portfolios. He underscores the operational and logistical efficiencies that can be realized through strategic asset aggregation, emphasizing the potential to enhance value, streamline management processes, and, crucially, attract premium prices from institutional entities.
The discussion further navigates through the implications of selling to institutional entities, wherein Powers highlights the ability to leverage the operational and financial efficiencies of larger entities. He elucidates the strategic recalibration offered to sellers in terms of capital deployment and risk mitigation, ensuring that the sale or recapitalization of aggregated assets doesn’t merely culminate in a transaction but opens avenues for further strategic maneuvers within the real estate sector.
Chris explores the various pathways post-sale or post-aggregation, from reinvesting the garnered capital into new, potentially lucrative ventures to leveraging the capital for further strategic endeavors within the real estate space. He emphasizes that the aggregation of assets, while facilitating enhanced sale prospects, also opens the door to refinancing opportunities, thereby offering multifaceted advantages beyond mere asset sales.
The dialogue subtly transitions towards the broader economic and market contexts, with Powers elaborating on how the current low-interest-rate environment and pronounced appetite for yield among investors have created a fertile ground for the sale of aggregated assets. He underscores the burgeoning demand for yield and how aggregated assets, especially within certain sectors like class B industrial assets, are surfacing as tantalizing opportunities for institutional capital.
Chris Powers, with his wealth of knowledge and strategic acumen, provides listeners with an invaluable resource, particularly for those navigating the often-turbulent waters of the real estate investment realm. His insights, derived from a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, serve as a guidepost for investors and entities, providing a roadmap that navigates through asset aggregation, institutional investment, and strategic capital deployment within the real estate sector.
In a climate characterized by economic flux and a palpable hunger for yield among investors, Powers provides a timely, pertinent discourse on the strategic aggregation of assets, offering a guide that is not merely theoretical but rooted in practical, actionable insight. His exploration into the realm of asset aggregation, institutional investment, and strategic recalibration post-sale or post-aggregation provides listeners with a resource that is not merely informative but empowers strategic navigation through the industrial real estate investment landscape.
While the discourse provides a meticulous exploration of the strategic aggregation of smaller assets into larger, institutionally appealing portfolios, it also seamlessly intertwines the theoretical and the practical, ensuring that the insights and strategies highlighted are not merely academic but have tangible, practical applications in the real world of industrial real estate investment.
The FORT with Chris Powers is produced by Straight Up Podcasts