Looking back: IMN’s 17th Annual U.S. Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing Forum
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel at IMN’s 17th Annual U.S. Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing Forum about the strength of secondary and tertiary markets. Other panelists included:
- Moderator, David Valger, Founder and President at DVO Real Estate
- Daniel Hunter, Chief Investment Officer, Champion Real Estate Services
- Glenn Brill, Managing Director, FTI Consulting
- Luca Montalti, Senior Vice President, Torchlight Investors
- Maurica Malfatti, Managing Principal at Blue Heron Asset Management LLC
Drawing from Unison’s deep expertise in the retail space, we talked about our experience investing in grocery-anchored retail in secondary and tertiary markets. Our focus on the fundamentals of a property, looking for properties with the right location, tenants, and individual attributes, aligns with many of the attributes of secondary and tertiary markets, which have continued to strengthen with the influx of people moving to the suburbs. Other panelists shared similar sentiments about their respective markets, talking about the strong opportunities secondary and tertiary markets markets present for industrial, office and multifamily sectors as well.
At Unison, our investment strategy centers around creating value in our properties, and secondary markets are prime for this: You can buy at an attractive price and implement a value-creation plan to maximize financial gain, compared to buying within a core market. But buyer beware, not all secondary markets are created equal. And not all properties within a hot market make for a good investment. With higher return opportunity comes higher risk, and at Unison we recognize market location is just one factor among many that creates an attractive investment opportunity.
In short: What sets these markets apart is that they have the right fundamentals. With room for growth, quality properties in secondary locations are poised for reliable investor returns.
Want to learn more about our approach to investing? Check out our recent coverage in NAIOP’s Development Magazine.