Commercial Valuation question

Commercial Valuation question

Sayre, PA · Member since 2013 · 28 posts · 0 votes

Good Day,

I am writing here today, as I am struggling with a valuation of an opportunity for listing. I am familiar with the valuation approaches, and highest and best use. However, I am a bit confused with what peers are trying to tell me.

First, we found some properties that we felt are solid comps for our sales comparison approach, one of which included a sale that hasn't yet closed, but clearing has started for a national restaurant (1/4 mile same street). Another was adjoining to the subject property, and a third was purchased just down the street (1/4 mile).

Unsettled sale was for $750,000.00 and cleared. (corner lot) 1.91 acres

The Next was most likely purchased for it's highest and best use on a corner lot, and sold for $840,000.00. It has 2 houses on it, one of which is collecting $1000.00 per month. 2.29 acres

The third was purchased for $575,000 for the purpose of a vacant lot. 1.68 acres

The subject property in close proximity in the same neighborhood.

The subject property (.89 acres) has been grown around, and has some improvements on it. Not conforming to the neighborhood, but are income generating. The property is currently netting around $18,000.00 per year.

Based on the information above, what do you believe the value would be (roughly)? What would you call the highest and best use for this property? Etc?

I have debated what I feel the property is worth with some peers, and was hoping maybe some of you folks could shed some light on this.

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  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
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    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    12y

    If this property is not on the corner it is worth a lot less.

    So the corner comps you would need to throw out.

    In commercial certain corps such as pharmacies will pay a premium for corners but then fast food generally will not. They like to be next to the corner at a reduced price with a cut through road from the pharmacy. They want the off traffic without customers having to go out of the highway and come back in to a place.

    Topography of the land is key as it costs more per acre to develop and flatten and go vertical. If the land sits in a hole then it can be flattened out but site lines are not as good.

    What I a mean by site lines is if I am driving down the road if a property is flat I can see the whole building easily from my car or if the building is slightly elevated. If the building is somewhat lower due to development requirements and the land then I may only see the top part of the building or roof. Sight lines are key for value for corporations generating traffic and sales and easily being found for business.

    .89 acres is also NOT the same as 1.5 or 2 acres for development purposes. The larger parcel size you can do more with it and the smaller parcel size you have less corp tenants where their site plan fits that size.

  • Sayre, PA · Member since 2013 · 28 posts · 0 votes
    12y

    Thank you for response. I would agree, but the area in question, any comp is a premium. We make a corner adjustment to the comps, and size adjustments, marketability, site, view, etc.

    What I am trying to decifer, or judge this debate is, what is the best approach to value a property like this. My opinion is the highest value is vacant land as highest and best use only. Another opinion is an investor will buy the property, and hold, so they are adding an income value to the Sales Comparison value. I am trying to wrap my brain around why an investor would do that. They would have to find another investor that would want to buy and hold, and the property never reaches its highest and best use. Again, In my mind.

  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    12y

    You are talking about land banking.

    As a land buyer that is going to hold and pay taxes to time the development cycle just right to maximize my value I am going to pay way less than a developer or a corporate company going in.

    That said if the seller needs to sell today and the property likely will be developed in a few years than a land banker is what you are looking at. The highest and best use is defined by the time in which the seller has to dispose of the asset at hand.

    If they can hold out for 3 years and then sell then the value of the land might be XX. If they need to sell TODAY and development hasn't comeback full force and you need a land banker then the value will be YY.

  • Sayre, PA · Member since 2013 · 28 posts · 0 votes
    12y

    @Joel Owens Thank you for your continuous advice. I think I am not clarifying what I am attempting to learn. I am not trying to talk about anything, only specifying the different thought processes. I am attempting to get a value on what this particular opportunity is the best for the seller, at this time, and under no duress. Perhaps not as an actual value, but the best approach to value the property, which admittedly, this market valuation will be evaluated different than other markets. I believe valuing a property should be done as the highest and best use the particular property would have, and in my opinion that highest and best use is a vacant lot. In my mind, I have established that. However, my peers are trying to add the value of the income being generated to the value of a vacant lot, and i don't agree with that. Others are trying to value as a non-conforming (residential ) lot in a commercial area. This has been discontinued. I may be wrong, and that I guess is what I am looking for.

    For the record, I do see the value in the income, and perhaps weighting some of that in regards to the value. In the example of the land banking, perhaps you could value the lot, and adjust a percentage to the lot for land banking and add back the income value.

    Edit: Is my thought process correct or incorrect? Is there precedent to add the value of income to the value of the lot?

  • Rental Property Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2014 · 8 posts · 2 votes
    12y

    Caleb,

    Based on your comps, it seems like your market will pay $300-400K/acre for land before demolition of improvements. I agree that the HBU is for redevelopment of the property, unless your market is willing to pay a 5 cap for the improvements that you have not described. You can consider the income in your valuation. I'm not an expert in redevelopment (just an appraiser), but I would count the value that the owner receives from the rent while getting approvals/bidding/contract time done for demolition of the improvements. If there is a remaining lease term on the property, you would also have to consider that in your valuation.

  • Sayre, PA · Member since 2013 · 28 posts · 0 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Eric Auslander:
    Caleb,

    Based on your comps, it seems like your market will pay $300-400K/acre for land before demolition of improvements. I agree that the HBU is for redevelopment of the property, unless your market is willing to pay a 5 cap for the improvements that you have not described. You can consider the income in your valuation. I'm not an expert in redevelopment (just an appraiser), but I would count the value that the owner receives from the rent while getting approvals/bidding/contract time done for demolition of the improvements. If there is a remaining lease term on the property, you would also have to consider that in your valuation.

    Thank you.

    Could you approach it like this. First we determine the value of the land, and to do that we use a simple sales comparison. Since that is the HBU?

    Could we then decipher the NOI for the potential effective gross income and capitalize it?

    Could we then just simply add the 2 together?

  • Rental Property Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2014 · 8 posts · 2 votes
    12y

    Caleb,

    I would value in the following steps:

    1. Value the land by sales comparison

    2. Subtract the cost of demolition

    3. Add in the net income of the property during the diligence/approval period.

    I wouldn't capitalize the income on the property. If this was an appraisal I would squash #2 and #3 to net a $0 adjustment on speculation. It all depends on the lease in place and approval processes in the particular township.

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