visimoney
TLDR: Commercial Real Estate in Big Trouble, May Have Major Financial Fallout
Problems in the US commercial real estate sector, such as steeper interest payments, tighter bank lending, and declining asset values, are spreading to other countries and sectors and threaten to escalate into a financial earthquake as refinancing deadlines loom. However, some investors see this as an opportunity to capitalize on bargain prices.
Key Points:
- Barry Sternlicht, CEO of Starwood Capital, predicts $1 trillion of losses on office properties alone.
- More than $900 billion (20%+) of US commercial and multi-family real estate debt is set to mature this year, leading borrowers to either refinance at higher interest rates or sell properties at a discount.
- Property jitters are also being felt in Europe, with the value of bonds for Germany’s Pfandbriefbank tumbling this month and the European Central Bank threatening to impose steeper capital requirements on lenders.
- Chinese investors are rushing to sell foreign real estate at discounts as they face their own property crisis at home.
- Rising interest rates are causing borrowing to be more expensive, discouraging spending, and slow the economy into recession.
- Lenders are pulling back from lending for commercial property, leading to higher interest payments, a credit crunch, and declining asset values.
- Despite the challenges, some investors, such as Warren Buffett, are buying up prime properties at a discount.
