Deal follows value-add strategy with brokerage assisting ​ with upgrades, repositioning in strong Inland Empire market

DAUM Commercial Real Estate Services, a leading provider of commercial real estate services including brokerage, tenant representation, consulting, leasing, sales, and property management, has completed the sale of a 49,561 square foot industrial building in Corona, Calif. The total consideration for sale of the building was $15.99 million.

“The sale of this property was the culmination of a yearlong project with our client to renovate and reposition a 1980’s vintage industrial property,” said Charles Johnson, SIOR, Executive Vice President and Principal at DAUM Commercial. “The transaction demonstrates that even in a challenging market, properties that cater to the masses by way of efficient loading, minimal office, and excellent location, will attract buyers and lenders willing to finance the purchase.”

The property at 1141 California Ave. in Corona, Riverside County, was built in 1988. In 2023, the asset was purchased by PPVS Properties LLC. With the assistance of their Daum Commercial team, the company worked to renovate the property and reposition the site for possible industrial lease or sale.

The free-standing industrial building of over 49,000 square feet sits on a more than 2.5-acre site with ample space for employees, customers, and commercial truck parking. The warehouse building consists of cross-dock loading with four grade level doors and six dock high doors. The property has a fenced-in yard area, an interior warehouse clearance of 24 feet, and a 2,169 square foot office space. The warehouse, office, yard, and loading areas were all fully renovated to a turnkey, move-in position.

With close access to the I-15 Freeway, Ontario International Airport, and the Port of Long Beach, Riverside County is the 10th largest county in the U.S. with a gross domestic product of $115.4 billion as of 2021. These strategic advantages have bolstered the region’s industrial real estate market amid the recent uncertainty in the national economy.

According to DAUM’s Q1 2024 Market Report, Southern California’s Eastern Inland Empire is currently experiencing direct vacancy rates of 5.2% and an overall vacancy of 7.6% driven primarily by an increase in available sublet space. New deliveries of industrial space accounted for 1.6 million square feet with another 5.5 million under construction. Asking rents fell in Q1 to $1.21 per square foot. High interest rates have tempered overall sales with volume in Q1 down 27.9% compared to Q4 2023 with a median per square foot price of $235.89.

Commercial Edge, a real estate data provider, noted that in-place rents increased in February by 12.7% year-over-year across the entire Inland Empire leading the entire country. Between 2021 and Q1 2024 rents in this market have grown by over 60%.

The DAUM Commercial team of Johnson, Joseph Harmon, SIOR; and Noah Samarin, EVP and Principal, represented the seller. Clyde Stauff, SIOR, Jace Gan, and Jackson Marlow of Colliers International’s Orange County represented the buyer, who will use the property to expand their existing flooring business.

Loan Stabilizes Riverside Neighborhood Center Featuring Ralph’s, Wells Fargo Bank, and Mix of Dining, Service, and Retail Tenants; Lenders Continue to Target Grocery Retail Allocations

Gantry, the largest independent commercial mortgage banking firm in the U.S., has secured a $17 million permanent loan to refinance Magnolia Towne Center, a 133,000-square-foot grocery-anchored retail center offering 10-buildings located at 6033-6189 Magnolia Ave in the city of Riverside, Calif. The neighborhood center features a Ralph’s grocery store, Wells Fargo Bank, Restaurant, and professional services tenants. Ownership is currently in the process of leasing 27,000 square feet at the center, with retail specialists Strategic Real Estate Advisors (SRA) handling the assignment.

Gantry’s James Ruiz, Senior Director, with the firm’s Irvine production office secured the funding of behalf of the borrower, a private real estate investor. The 10-year, fixed rate, life company loan was provided by one of Gantry’s life company correspondents and features 30-year amortization and prepayment flexibility.

According to Gantry’s James Ruiz, “Neighborhood grocery-anchored retail space has remained a prioritized allocation for Gantry’s roster of life company correspondents and many other permanent debt capital sources. This is a well-managed property with experienced sponsorship that was facing a pending CMBS maturity while in the process of backfilling some space at the otherwise stabilized property. Conservative leverage, demonstrated performance, and professional management allowed Gantry to review this loan against several of our top lenders, ultimately landing on a fixed-rate permanent loan that met our client’s legacy investment goals. Notably, the borrower achieved an exceptionally low spread while successfully meeting its objective for cash out without a holdback, a testament to the strategic partnership between Gantry and our valued clients.”

The deal is one of the largest in Palm Desert over the last decade

CBRE arranged the $14 million sale ($222,222 price per unit) of 63-unit Ariana at El Paseo in Palm Desert, Calif., to Investment Concepts, Inc. CBRE’s Eric Chen, Kevin Sin, Blake Torgerson, Dean Zander and Stew Weston represented the seller, 45278 Deep Canyon Road, in the transaction.

“Our team successfully marketed this unpriced property to investors,” said Mr. Chen, executive vice president. “Our team generated multiple competitive offers resulting in the largest multifamily transaction in Palm Desert over the last eight years. The owner passed away last year, and her trustee was tasked with selling this asset. The owner has generously donated all proceeds to various charities.”

The boutique apartment homes are located at 45278 Deep Canyon Road and offer a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom floorplans, averaging 865 sq. ft. Each unit features a fully equipped kitchen, vinyl plank flooring, oversized patios and balconies, central air and heating, and large closets. The community amenities include a resort-style pool, on-site laundry facilities, an outdoor lounge and fireplace area, a pet play area and BBQ stations.

“This immaculately maintained property is a generational quality asset in the growing Coachella Valley submarket. The Coachella Valley has seen some of the highest rent growth in all pockets of the Inland Empire in the past few years due to increased economic growth in the region. Multifamily fundamentals remain strong in the area with the restriction of supply coming into the market,” added Mr. Sin.

According to CBRE research, Coachella Valley has one of the lowest vacancy rates in the Inland Empire, at 4.3%, second only to Redlands. In the first quarter of the year, the submarket also saw a 1.9% year-over-year rent change.