Tag Archive for: Investment

Is Office Over? As an influx of employees around the world become accustomed to working from their homes due to isolation and social distancing, there arises a growing question: Is this the end of physical office spaces? While I for one will always jump in with an opinion or prediction based on the information I have at hand, these days it is hard to think what will happen next.

 

It seems like a reasonable conclusion at the onset, after all in the short-term, some companies across the country are reporting a net increase in productivity. Many employees love working from home — after all who wants to sit in traffic while commuting to work? They can also look after their children and forgo having to pay for daycare and last but certainly not least, working from home means the ability to focus on getting work done without interruptions. While true in many cases, there are some challenges to running a business in a completely remote environment.

 

When I entered the work force in the mid ‘90s, Flex-Office and working from home began trending, with the word on the street being that it was over for office. The internet was gaining popularity and connectivity, although cumbersome, was achievable. With the use of faxes too, working from home was possible and even efficient. Since then and pre-Covid, you would not have considered that office could be over. Skyscrapers still dominate the skyline and offices continue to be erected.

 

Now that Covid is upon us, the same question arises: Is it over for office? Well, companies have since learned that the benefits of working from home were outweighed by other key factors, namely:

 

  1. Retention – Keeping good people proved to be difficult.
  2. Leadership – Finding people within the ranks to promote within their company was also difficult.
  3. Training and Maintaining a Company Culture proved difficult especially with new employees.

 

All of the above have one thing in common — the lack of in-person interaction you do not experience even if you are connecting everyday online.

 

In a clip from the Fast Company Impact Council, Author and Motivational Speaker Simon Sinek poses that many leaders underestimate the effort that goes into running virtual workspaces. Sinek says that although productivity is seeing an increase with employees working from home, humans are social animals that need to be in the company of others in order to maximize creativity and teamwork potential.

 

“It’s very hard to brainstorm or have any creativity like this [over video call], we need to be in the company of others,” says Sinek in the video clip. “We need to be able to interrupt each other, write things on walls, and have that wonderful, magical energy, and then go for lunch together to build that relationship.”

 

There is an element that exists in the office that you simply cannot get from home. It is that energy when you see coworkers working together to achieve a common goal. It inspires you. It moves you. It is also the ability to take someone aside and have a brainstorming session over a steamy cappuccino. You cannot experience this from Zoom or other online video conferencing.  On a personal note, I can tell when we are videoconferencing our board meetings, some members miss out on the intricacies and interactions that exist when the other members and myself are in the same room. It is hard to have a simple one-on-one conversation to ask about how their family is doing or ask about how their relative’s surgery went with a group video conference.

 

Being in sales and interacting with people on a daily basis, I cannot imagine getting the same level of a relationship you can build from a videoconference vs in person. Just the other day we had an in-person meeting with a consulting company that works on behalf of cell-phone carriers and building owners like us to install cell towers. During that meeting we learned more about how we can further that relationship vs if we were on the phone or videoconferencing. We enjoyed each other’s company and values and can see ourselves doing business together.  That is the value of interacting in person.

 

What Will Change?

Though I do not foresee the end of the traditional office environment, I believe that with this new option for employees to be able to work from home, companies are going to utilize offices differently.

 

I do not see office continuing in the same matter as pre-Covid but rather the custom office space model taking off. Recently we have seen large companies like Facebook and Microsoft   investing in newly-designed office spaces that allow workers to come and go as they choose. This opens up the possibility and flexibility for employees to come to work and utilize common work areas but at the same time work from home one or two days a week.

 

One of our properties, Britannia Business Centre (BBC) functions as one of these designated spaces, providing open workspaces for any sized company. It is designed to allow companies to meet with their employees when needed and utilize the space more efficiently. Some solutions we have are open-concept ‘bull-pen’ style offices, coworking space, shared offices, incubator spaces and virtual office. We even have a ‘Zen Space’ for those needing to get some fresh air to contemplate new ideas. This allows for employers to manage their cost and have a place to interact with their staff without the long-term leases and space commitments that exist with typical office space (although we also have this option as well).

 

This custom office model began to take traction back in the early 2010s — companies began providing co-working spaces and office rental services to individuals and enterprises alike. By renting an office space or a conference room on an ‘as-needed’ basis, they generate more profitability, especially for companies that lack the overhead of a corporate office. The community atmosphere this model allows for is the very reason I do not think this is the end of offices. Proven by the amount we all miss our friends and family during this pandemic, at the end of the day, human beings crave each other. The new office will provide balance of the social interactions we have learned is necessary within a company but also manage costs for the employer.

 

To learn more about custom office workspaces and how they are changing the office environment, visit Britannia Business Centre at www.calgaryofficeplus.com.

 

To find out more about the future of office real estate, contact InvestPlus REIT, where we always have our finger to the pulse of the changing Canadian real estate landscape.

 

About InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust

 

InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust (IP REIT) is a private real estate investment fund, based in Calgary, Alberta. InvestPlus REIT is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust focused on increasing unitholder value through the acquisition, ownership and management of commercial and residential properties in primary and secondary markets in western Canada. Management has transacted over $100,000,000 in buildings comprising of 22 buildings in the provinces of BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The current portfolio is appraised at $49,000,000 and comprised 10 buildings in 5 different cities in western Canada.

 

Read the top 5 reasons to invest in a REIT.

 

For additional information, you are welcome to reach out to InvestPlus REIT directly, however for offering documents and additional information it is best to reach out to Klint Rodgers, the Assoc. VP of Business Development and Registered Dealing in BC, AB and ON with Axcess Capital Advisors Inc., our lead Partner and Dealership as it relates to capital raise across the country. Klint can be reached at Klint.Rodgers@AxcessCapital.com or you can book a Zoom meeting with him through the following link: Book Meeting Now!

 

 

InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is thrilled to be welcoming Klint Rodgers to the InvestPlus team. Klint Rodgers will be joining our Education Team.

 

Klint is a Registered Dealing Representative with Axcess Capital — a Corporate Finance Firm registered in numerous provinces with the securities commission across the country. Axcess Capital is an IFM (Investment Fund Manager), an RPM (Restricted Portfolio Manager, to Real Estate and Debt) and an EMD (Exempt Market Dealer) which has been established to conduct rigorous due diligence on private investment offerings to bring top-notch asset managers and institutionally structured investment offerings to our friends, family and clients alike.

 

At any given time, Axcess Capital has up to 15 Private Real Estate and Equity Firms available for consideration, most being RRSP and TFSA eligible, many with tax-advantageous structures, paying monthly or quarterly distributions, and often targeting returns ranging from about 7–12% plus per annum.

 

“Klint’s job as a Registered Dealing Representative in BC, AB and ON is to educate Canadians on the Private Markets, and the importance of truly diversifying one’s portfolio,” says Domenic Mandato, CEO of InvestPlus REIT

 

Klint was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. A serial entrepreneur, having owned and operated half a dozen or so businesses right out of College. At a young age, Klint quickly realized real estate was where his passions lied and eventually went on to supplement his self-employed income through the purchase and sale of many personal properties within Vancouver’s lower mainland. In 1998, while at College for the 2nd time, Klint met his future wife and ended up getting married in Seoul, South Korea in April of 2000. Today, Klint is the proud father of a 13-year-old daughter and has since been married for 20 years.

 

With his family’s future in his hands, he went on to become a Registered Dealing Representative in the Exempt Market in 2011 and has not looked back. Klint has become one of the Top Producers in the Country representing 12-15 plus Private Equity and Private Real Estate Investment Firms at any given time, presently holding licenses in BC, AB and ON with the securities commission and proudly partnered with the Exempt Market Dealership, Axcess Capital Advisors.

 

As Mandato says, “Klint has been recognized by Wealth Professionals Magazine as a Finalist for Best Advisor in the Alternative Investments sector because he knows the industry better than most and we’re proud to have him on our team at InvestPlus REIT.”

 

InvestPlus REIT’s Coronavirus Reflections Webinar

 

As we continue to navigate through a financially tumultuous time thanks to the unprecedented effects of COVID-19, it has never been more imperative to reflect on which techniques have been successful in mitigating loss.

 

Join InvestPlus REIT President and CEO Domenic Mandato as a part of our exclusive webinar series, where he will divulge just how the REIT has circumvented the major challenges presented by the coronavirus through diligence and expertise.

 

In this week’s webinar, you will learn how InvestPlus REIT has effectively navigated through the COVID-era of real estate investment. Discover how, over the last six months, the REIT has acquired more than 20 million dollars in assets delivering a 57% growth in asset value while also growing its investor base equity by 30%.

 

Domenic Mandato, President and CEO of InvestPlus REIT will cover these areas using current market figures and personal examples. Discover just how InvestPlus REIT has tackled one of the most important financial challenges in the country’s history.

 

Register HERE for the Domenic Mandato’s most recent Webinars.

 

About InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust

InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust (IP REIT) is a private real estate investment fund, based in Calgary, Alberta. InvestPlus REIT is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust focused on increasing unitholder value through the acquisition, ownership, and management of commercial and residential properties in primary and secondary markets in western Canada. Management has transacted over $90,000,000 in buildings comprising of 21 building in the provinces of BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The current portfolio is appraised at $40,020,000 and comprised of 139 rental units and approximately 90,000 square feet of rentable area. Read the top 5 reasons to invest in a REIT.

For further information please contact us.

Webinar: InvestPlus REIT Grows Asset Value by 57%!

As we continue to navigate through a financially tumultuous time thanks to the unprecedented effects of COVID-19,

Join InvestPlus REIT President and CEO Domenic Mandato as a part of our EXCLUSIVE webinar series, where he will divulge just how the REIT has circumvented the major challenges presented by the coronavirus through diligence and expertise. ”InvestPlus REIT Grows Asset Value by 57%.”

JOIN US – REGISTER for Wednesday, July 8th, at 12:00pm MT

In this week’s webinar, you will learn:

  • How InvestPlus REIT has successfully navigated through the COVID-era of real estate investment
  • How over the last six months, the REIT has acquired more than 20 million dollars in assets delivering a 57% growth in asset value
  • How the REIT has grown its investor base equity by 30% and how we continue to see great opportunities in light of COVID
  • Market predictions for future prospects within the REIT

Domenic Mandato, President and CEO of InvestPlus REIT will cover these areas using current market figures and personal examples. Discover just how InvestPlus REIT has tackled one of the most important financial challenges in the country’s history.

InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust (IP REIT) is a private real estate investment fund, based in Calgary, Alberta. The REIT provides an opportunity to invest in a diversified portfolio of multi-unit residential apartment and commercial buildings in western Canada. Our mandate is to provide you with the most attractive, well structured, and ethical real estate investment in Canada. Our track record proves our method. Management has transacted over $100,000,000 in buildings comprising of 23 commercial and multifamily buildings.

Our Track Record Proves our Method! We own and operate a growing portfolio of quality multi-residential apartment and commercial. We pride ourselves in creating value in under-valued and under-managed properties in western Canada.

For more information or to view our Commercial Portfolio and Current offering: www.investplusproperties.com

 

Suite 200, 4723 1st Street SW Calgary, Alberta, T2G 4Y8

Tel: 403-663-8722 | Fax: 403-633-8773 | Toll Free: 1-877-663-8722

Not all REITs are created equally.

InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust (IP REIT) is a private real estate investment fund, based in Calgary, Alberta. The REIT provides an opportunity to invest in a diversified portfolio of multi-unit residential apartment and commercial buildings in western Canada. Our mandate is to provide you with the most attractive, well-structured, and ethical real estate investment in Canada. Our track record proves our method. Management has transacted over $100,000,000 in buildings comprising of 23 commercial and multifamily buildings, THIS IS WHY Not all REITs are created equally.

Certainty is key

As 2020 continues to forecast a future of financial turmoil for some REITs, it is beginning to separate the weak from the strong. All of the factors that allow any REIT worth their salt to remain competent in this time are related to one thing: certainty.

Take a look at most of the REITs out there and you will find that most are publicly traded. While this does not necessarily mean that these REITs hold disappointing assets or that they are managed poorly, they simply are tied to what investors believe the actual value of each company is. This tie to the stock market is what introduces large amounts of volatility to these public assets. Just one month ago marked the third biggest drop in stock market history of about 12% in just one day, demonstrating exactly how uncertainty can backfire.

Instead of relying on these ties to the stock market, some REITs choose instead to be in the private real estate market. Their market is tied directly to whatever the value of the property in question is. The value is based primarily on the income it generates, the quality of tenants, condition of the building, as well as comparably to similar type buildings trading in the same geographical area.

These are tangible criteria and are not determined by what investors feel the market is going to do, which in turn drives the value of public REITs. A great advantage of privately held assets is  that property values move slower which creates better decisions for management due to the ability to predict how market conditions may affect property values. Real Estate tends to lag behind the stock market by about six months, so as building owners we can adjust and position our properties accordingly giving better certainty to our unit-holders.

Liquidity equals volatility

During this period of heavy stock market fluctuations, there is great concern as to what is happening to people’s savings — their retirement plans. One of the main core differences between a publicly-traded REIT and a private REIT is that a private REIT is not as liquid as its public counterpart. It is that liquidity that creates volatility. In all cases of investment, if an investor can withdraw their money from a company within a 24-hour period, that is going to create volatility in the stock market no matter how small.

This allows a private REIT such as InvestPlus to make decisions based on local private market conditions instead of “knee-jerk” reactions due to the public markets deciding one day that the valuation of the company was worth less due to conditions unrelated to itself or the market it is in.

Not all REITs are created equally so for more information on how InvestPlus finds success during financially troubling times, read the top 5 reasons to invest in a REIT.

InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust (IP REIT) is a private real estate investment fund, based in Calgary, Alberta. IP REIT is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust focused on increasing unitholder value through the acquisition, ownership and management of commercial and residential properties in primary and secondary markets in western Canada. Management has transacted more than $97,000,000 in buildings in the provinces of BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The current portfolio is appraised at more than $47,000,000 and comprised of 139 rental units and more than 100,000 square feet of rentable area.

Schedule a discovery call with InvestPlus REIT today.

Suite 200, 4723 1st Street SW Calgary, Alberta, T2G 4Y8

Tel: 403-663-8722 | Fax: 403-633-8773 | Toll Free: 1-877-663-8722

 

InvestPlus Adds Another 27,962 sq ft to Their Portfolio.

Pushing InvestPlus Commercial Portfolio to more than 100,000 sq ft Under Management.

InvestPlus REIT is excited to announce the addition of a 28,962 sq ft commercial building (called ‘The Phoenix’) to its portfolio for $6,960,000. The acquisition was closed on April 30th and marks another milestone within the InvestPlus portfolio — bringing the overall commercial space under management to more than 100,000 sq ft. We continue to further our footprint and geographical diversification into Saskatoon, SK with a long-term government lease.

We have also been successful in having one of the Chartered Banks, BMO, provide us financing for this great building. We have been able to secure financing with BMO for a five-year term at a rate of 3.29% bringing our overall weighted average interest rate for all the company debt to 2.95%. These rates and terms from a Chartered Bank allow InvestPlus REIT to provide their unitholders with the security of having a long-term fixed mortgage, providing predictable revenue to the Trust. Furthermore, having BMO as our lender further confirms the steps we are taking as a trust to grow and acquire accretive properties like the Phoenix Building is a step in the right direction.  We are excited to work with BMO and look forward to furthering our relationship with them in the future.

The Phoenix building is located in the heart of downtown Saskatoon and is projected to be accretive by more than $200,000/year after unit-holder distribution. The acquisition of this building also pushes our overall assets under management to $48.2M bringing our growth for 2020 up by 42% since December 2019.

We will continue to target strong-tenanted buildings in Western Canada that will not only provide us the performance and returns we are looking to achieve for our unit-holders but also assets and tenants that can and are weathering the storm in these tumultuous times. Please look forward to our next acquisition announcement, coming to you soon.

InvestPlus Real Estate Investment Trust (IP REIT) is a private real estate investment fund, based in Calgary, Alberta. IP REIT is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust focused on increasing unitholder value through the acquisition, ownership and management of commercial and residential properties in primary and secondary markets in western Canada. Management has transacted more than $90,000,000 in buildings comprising of 21 locations in the provinces of BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The current portfolio is appraised at more than $47,000,000 and comprised of 139 rental units and more than 100,000 square feet of rentable area.

Schedule a discovery call with InvestPlus REIT today.

Our Track Record Proves our Method! We own and operate a growing portfolio of quality multi-residential apartment and commercial. We pride ourselves in creating value in under-valued and under-managed properties in western Canada.

For more information or to view our Commercial Portfolio and Current offeringwww.investplusproperties.com

 

Suite 200, 4723 1st Street SW Calgary, Alberta, T2G 4Y8

Tel: 403-663-8722 | Fax: 403-633-8773 | Toll Free: 1-877-663-8722

 

InvestPlus Keynote Speaking @ ACRE Real Estate Investor Summit in Calgary

Domenic Mandato, CEO of InvestPlus REIT has been invited once again to give several keynote presentations to real estate investors at the upcoming ACRE Real Estate Investor Summit in Calgary, Alberta from March 6 to 8, 2020.

 

The main topic of conversation is how to use your RRSPs to buy multi-family and commercial real estate. Often many real estate investors get stuck on how to keep growing their portfolio holdings beyond three, four or five properties. InvestPlus REIT is a great option and solution for investors.

“Anyone looking for passive income is a great candidate for InvestPlus REIT,” says Domenic Mandato, CEO of InvestPlus REIT. “Also anyone who doesn’t have the time or the knowledge to invest in real estate should really consider a more passive approach like InvestPlus REIT.”

All real estate investors, no matter if you have zero, one, five or 10+ properties are encouraged to attend the ACRE Real Estate Investor Summit in Calgary.

“When you attend a Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) event like ACRE, you are surrounded with like-minded individuals that create a culture of care and collaboration that ultimately puts you in an environment to succeed,” says JG Francoeur, Chief Growth Officer of REIN Canada. “REIN has educated more than 151,000 real estate investors in Canada and that has translated into those investors growing their net worth by 5.34 Billion dollars, so you’re in good hands!”

Our Track Record Proves our Method! We own and operate a growing portfolio of quality multi-residential apartment and commercial. We pride ourselves in creating value in under-valued and under-managed properties in western Canada.

Click here for more information or to view our Commercial Portfolio and Current offering.

 

Suite 200, 4723 1st Street SW Calgary, Alberta, T2G 4Y8

Tel: 403-663-8722 | Fax: 403-633-8773 | Toll Free: 1-877-663-8722