Ep. 211: How to Underwrite Multifamily Apartments with Rob Beardsley

Analyzing multifamily apartments can be overwhelming for new investors. It can even be a challenge for some seasoned investors. As Rob Beardsley was starting out, he could not find good resources on the multifamily underwriting process. This led Rob to pen The Definitive Guide to Underwriting Multifamily Acquisitions to help others. 

Rob Beardsley oversees acquisitions and capital markets for Lone Star Capital. They have over $100 million in units under management. Rob shares some of the key inputs to review when considering passive investment opportunities. In this episode, he shares his thoughts and guidance on underwriting cap rates, rent growth, rehab schedules, and lending.

Partner: Join Us for the Virtual Midwest Real Estate Networking Summit on July 25 and 26 – Use Promo Code “MW2020”

Key Takeaways:

• Always running into his competition in Texas, he decided to partner with him and they founded LoneStar Capital together 2 years ago. 
• Details on the Texas market today 
• Understanding the risks in the Houston market and how to work around them
• Underwriting approach within the Houston market vs. Dallas
• Rob wrote The Definitive Guide to Underwriting Multifamily Acquisitions as there were no resources for understanding underwriting when he started out.

Underwriting is more art than science and is the most complicated part of real estate investing 

• Ensuring that you’re being conservative in your passive investing

• Details on the key inputs to look for in a proforma: What is the rent growth assumption, the exit cap rate, and the stabilization assumptions. 
• Entry Cap Rates, do they matter? 
• Going in cap rate vs. exit cap rate
• Factor in the variables that impact your construction timeline (including COVID19).
• How to adjust underwriting due to greater economic vacancy. 
• The biggest underwriting questions answered (market data, rent and sales comparables, and rent projections).
• Bridge lending vs. traditional banks or agency debt
• Rob’s unique and effective way to stress test a deal
• How to stress-test an agency deal
• Why Rob’s industry newsletter makes an impact (Sign up for the newsletter here)

Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package

Bullseye Tips:

Apparent Failure:

Bought a poorly occupied deal that needed a lot of work which required a repositioning of the tenant base. He underestimated the fact that when you change the demographics, you’re not going to go linear from 70% to 90% occupied. It will be more like from 70% to 50% and then up to 90%. 

Digital Resource

Loan Star Resources

Justicemap.org 

Most Recommended Book:

Investing in Real Estate Private Equity (Sean Cook)

Daily Habit:

Writes in his journal: What he is grateful for and his goals and tasks for the day.

Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out:

Do your due diligence, and do it exhaustively. 

Current Curiosity:

What the hospitality industry will look like coming out of COVID19

Best Place to Grab a Bite in New York, NY

Kuu Ramen 

Contact Rob:

Loan Star Capital

rob@loanstarcapgroup.com

Podcast: The Capital Spotlight