WPC in the News | Dec 17, 2021

The Institutionalization of Net Lease

Jason Patterson of W. P. Carey looks at the influx of institutional capital in the net lease space in this exclusive article.

Original article posted on GlobeSt.com on December 8, 2021

The net lease market has become a hunting ground for investors looking for low-maintenance assets and long-term, predictable cash flows. The stability of the asset type during times of uncertainty has attracted attention from new investors – with the net lease share of all commercial real estate investment activity rising 14.7% in 2020. While it has historically not been viewed as one of the major food groups in commercial investments, this perception is changing as more capital continues to flow into the market. 

What's driving new capital?
There are several factors that have contributed to the influx of capital in the net lease space, but the biggest factor is the appeal of long-term stability. With reliable cash flows, triple-net structures and generally longer lease terms, net lease investments are far less volatile than other assets and create predictability in a portfolio. While there was wide discrepancy across the net lease sector during COVID, generally net lease portfolios – particularly industrial and those focused on critical real estate – performed extremely well and delivered high rent collections when compared to other asset types. In addition, recent inflation fears have driven investors toward traditionally inflation-resistant asset classes like real estate, and net lease in particular has been popular in that context.

An illustration of two stacks of gold coins on the left and right of a blue industrial building. A blue arrow indicating grow is above the building.

What types of institutions have shown the most interest in the sector? 
There are several factors that have contributed to the influx of capital in the net lease space, but the biggest factor is the appeal of long-term stability. With reliable cash flows, triple-net structures and generally longer lease terms, net lease investments are far less volatile than other assets and create predictability in a portfolio. While there was wide discrepancy across the net lease sector during COVID, generally net lease portfolios – particularly industrial and those focused on critical real estate – performed extremely well and delivered high rent collections when compared to other asset types. In addition, recent inflation fears have driven investors toward traditionally inflation-resistant asset classes like real estate, and net lease in particular has been popular in that context.

What does this mean for corporate sellers? 
Now remains a great time for corporate sellers to monetize real estate. High investor interest and limited supply is driving cap rates down and prices up, meaning sellers can maximize the value of their assets if they pursue a sale-leaseback now. Supply chain issues have highlighted the importance of industrial properties in particular, resulting in further price appreciation for industrial owners. Since there is an expectation that interest rates will rise next year in response to inflation, corporate owners should take advantage of the sellers’ market and pursue a sale-leaseback sooner rather than later to lock in today’s low rates on a long-term basis. 

Conclusion
Although new entrants entering the net lease space are forcing cap rates down, the overall impact on the market is a net positive. Greater investor interest is also driving down cost of capital accordingly, meaning investors can still accretively do deals at lower cap rates since debt is relatively cheap. In addition, increased visibility of the net lease market lends credence to the asset class as a whole and creates more awareness for net lease and sale-leasebacks among corporate sellers – driving overall deal volume higher. 

From W. P. Carey’s perspective, 2021 has been a record year for deal volume and we have been able to support many companies in unlocking the value of their real estate and redeploying those proceeds into their core businesses…So bring on the competition!

You May Also Like:

Photo of warehouse facility

The Outlook for Industrial

The industrial real estate sector continues to stand out as a resilient and adaptive asset class, even amid economic uncertainty and shifting global dynamics. As we move through 2025, several dominant...
ICSC Image

'Still Bullish' on Net Lease Retail Despite Economic Uncertainty

Despite some economic ebbs and flows as of late, certain sectors of net lease retail, particularly those more immune to tariff concerns such as service-based businesses, remain attractive to investors...
Las Vegas sign

ICSC Las Vegas Preview

ICSC Las Vegas, one of the largest commercial real estate gatherings, will again convene the industry’s leading professionals and retailers next week. Over 30,000 attendees will gather for networking,...