CREDIT
Real estate credit | Survival of the fittest
Drew Bowie
Managing Director
發布 2023 年 7 月 11 日
分享文章

As with all sectors, it is reasonable to believe that when conditions are tough, the strong prevail. Real estate credit is no exception.

The opportunities for private lenders (also known as non-bank lenders) to finance the growing demand for real estate credit is part of a long-term structural shift in Australia’s lending market. The sector will play an increasing role in complementing the major lenders in servicing the commercial real estate debt market, particularly addressing the critical housing shortage, which is belatedly now receiving the attention of policy makers and headline news.

The success of real estate credit investing, however, depends not only on sound market fundamentals and the security of the underlying asset (preferably first lien mortgages over real estate). The performance, experience, and platform strength of the asset manager is a critical component in its ability to assess underlying value and exit strategies as well as navigate price pressures, ongoing macro volatility and financial market noise. There is a wide range of competency and investment approach in non-bank lenders – they are not all equal.

The relatively benign environment dominating the investment landscape until early 2022 provided protection for real estate credit managers of all sizes and description. Since then, the terrain has become more complex to traverse and decades old learnings have come back to the fore (if you had them in the first place).

What makes a great manager?

  1. Transparency: To be entrusted with other people’s money comes with great responsibility. Never losing sight of this and providing fulsome detail about company operations is critical. With non-bank lending substantially an unregulated market, listed companies provide the greatest transparency.
  2. Realistic to market circumstances: Low Loan to Value Ratios (LVR) is the catch cry for many a credit manager seeking investor capital. A 65% LVR sounds great; able to withstand the most extreme market conditions. This is true, assuming the underlying valuation is robust.

Understanding the fundamental real estate asset, the true depth of the market and identifying who will buy it at or north of the exit value assumed is fundamental to the initial assessment of LVR. Valuers perform a key role but are always constrained by backward looking data. Great managers are cautious around dependency on inflated valuations.

  1. Call upon experience: A great fund manager will be surrounded by experienced staff with expertise gained across multiple cycles and sectors and have established connected networks. Market intelligence extends well beyond consultant reports, utilising the cumulative intelligence of the entire organisation. It extends to understanding a workout, foreclosure, and recovery. It is through this specific experience managers gain a clearer insight into how structuring and negotiating loan documentation is critical to success.
  2. Financial capacity: Reinvesting in the business and planning for long term success, great managers have the capacity to underwrite transactions, invest in people and processes and focus on long term outcomes.

Great managers do not:

  1. Lend to their own development projects. As a defensive asset, a critical component of real estate credit investing is its ability to take control away from the equity interests if necessary. The manager is entrusted with this responsibility with an expectation it will do so in the best interest of all its investors. The ability to complete someone else’s project in a credit enforcement process is critical (including providing the project additional credit to complete).
  2. Over commit or over promise. Managers must take utmost caution in making further capital commitments on the reliance that it will be funded from returned capital. This must be tested, and stress tested again to ensure there is not an over commitment of capital availability. This is highly prevalent in the current market where return of capital is often delayed.
  3. Chase excess return with excess risk. A manager must be prepared to sit out of the market when conditions are not consistent with defensive investment strategies. A manager with diversified business interests has greater capacity to sit out of certain sectors as other business streams offset market slowdowns.

Strong growth for the sector, but a careful approach necessary

There have been tremendous successes in the real estate credit sector, providing stable returns despite asset value volatility and heightened construction risk. The market opportunity for great managers, and their investors, is enormous and complementary to a robust banking sector.

We see private credit markets playing a pivotal role in addressing Australia’s housing shortage crisis and encouraging greater participation from offshore capital into the Australian economy. Where investments are appropriately structured, we believe defensive and stable returns are deliverable. Based on the considerable data we have assessed relevant to the housing market we have great confidence in the fundamentals that should continue to drive both rental and capital growth. Falling supply alongside strong population growth provides a solid base in which to lend.

As always, challenges remain, and it is necessary to proceed with caution. The construction sector, while through the worst of it, remains under pressure. It is foreseeable that more builders and developers will collapse, but this can happen in all parts of a cycle. Builders go broke in good markets too.

In consideration of this, a great manager conducts scenario analysis around the cumulative effect of borrower and builder insolvency, time delays, cost increases, pre-sale or lease defaults, and even the untimely demise of the borrower or key delivery personnel. These things are outside a manager’s control and can happen at any time.

Cautious and patient deployment of capital the key to long term success

A prudent manager will make a range of assumptions and undertake stress testing in all macro conditions, from the most benign through to riskier settings. This assessment not only considers the robustness of the investment, but strategies to prepare the manager for these events.

Cautious and patient deployment of capital with a firm focus on long-term commitment to the sector and value creation is essential for successful real estate credit investing. Those who do will thrive; the strategy fundamentals and market runway are large enough for them to do so.

For more information about our real estate credit capabilities and solutions, please get in touch.

免責聲明

Important Information: This material has been prepared by MA Investment Management Pty Ltd ACN 621 552 896 AFS Representative Number 001258449 (MA Investment Management). The material is for general information purposes and must not be construed as investment advice. This material does not constitute an offer or inducement to engage in an investment activity nor does it form part of any offer or invitation to purchase, sell or subscribe for in interests in any type of investment product or service. This material does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs. You should read and consider any relevant offer documentation applicable to any investment product or service and consider obtaining professional investment advice tailored to your specific circumstances before making any investment decision. Any investment in a fund managed by MA Financial Group is subject to the terms and conditions of the relevant fund offer document. This material and the information contained within it may not be reproduced or disclosed, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of MA Investment Management. Any trademarks, logos, and service marks contained herein may be the registered and unregistered trademarks of their respective owners.

Nothing contained herein should be construed as granting by implication, or otherwise, any licence or right to use any trademark displayed without the written permission of the owner. Statements contained in this material that are not historical facts are based on current expectations, estimates, projections, opinions and beliefs of MA Investment Management. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Additionally, this material may contain “forward-looking statements”. Actual events or results or the actual performance of MA Investment Management or an MA Asset Management Ltd financial product or service may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Certain economic, market or company information contained herein has been obtained from published sources prepared by third parties. While such sources are believed to be reliable, neither MA Investment Management, MA Financial Group or any of its respective officers or employees assumes any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information. No person, including MA Investment Management and MA Financial Group, has any responsibility to update any of the information provided in this material.

© Copyright 2023 MA Financial Group. All rights reserved. All facts and figures are current as at 30 June 2024.
This webpage is issued by MA Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited (BR No.: 72294841 SFC CE No.: BQW293) (MAAM HK). MAAM HK is licenced by the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC) for Type 1 (dealing in securities) regulated activity. MAAM HK is a wholly owned subsidiary of MA Financial Group Limited (MA Financial). MAAM HK’s business operations involves the marketing of funds issued by MA Financial and/or other collective investment schemes to professional investors only (as defined under the Securities and Futures Ordinance of Hong Kong (Cap. 571) (SFO)) in Hong Kong. As distributor only, MAAM HK does not have any intention to establish any client relationship with any person that intends to subscribe for units in the collective investment schemes it distributes. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making any investment decision in relation to any financial product referenced on this website (or otherwise) you should consider obtaining professional investment advice that takes into account your personal circumstances and should read the current information memorandum for the any relevant financial product. Any investment in a financial product on this website (or otherwise) is subject to the terms and conditions contained in the relevant information memorandum. Any investment in a financial product on this website, or any document accessible from this website should not be construed as investment advice or relied upon in making an investment decision. Information on this website does not constitute an offer or an invitation in any jurisdiction where, or to any person to whom, it would be unlawful to make such an offer or invitation. Neither MAAM HK nor any member of the MA Financial group guarantees repayment of capital or any particular rate of return from any product. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Neither MAAM HK nor any member of the MA Financial Group Limited group gives any representation or warranty as to the currency, reliability, completeness or accuracy of the information contained on this website. All opinions and estimates included on this website are provided as at the website creation date and are subject to change without notice. Neither MAAM HK nor any member of the MA Financial Group Limited group make any representation or warranty, express or implied, that the information and materials contained on this website are up to date, accurate or complete. To the maximum extent permitted by law, neither MAAM HK nor any other person will be liable for any for any loss or claim resulting from or in connection with the website and any information contained herein.