Real Assets Adviser

November 1, 2022: Vol. 9, Number 10

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From the Current Issue

Tax Update: Three forces likely to ensure 1031s and DSTs are here to stay

It doesn’t seem long ago that the winds surrounding the commercial real estate industry were rustling with whispers of President Biden’s plans of repealing the current 1031 exchange laws and quashing alternative like-kind exchange vehicles such as Delaware Statutory Trusts. However, when Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act with no proposed changes to section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, three powerful forces amplified the reality that the 1031 Exchange and Delaware Statutory Trusts will likely be here to stay.

Talking Points: Quotations from people in the news

Carson Block, short seller and CIO of Muddy Waters: “It’s not hard to find companies that have problems, but the environment is somewhat toxic toward short sellers. Ever since COVID, the level of vitriol that gets directed toward the short side is … I mean I’ve gotten death threats since day one, but I get a lot more now, and they’re on Twitter in many cases.”

Dispatch from Europe: Real estate interests are putting the tops of commercial buildings to a host of new uses

Nivy Mall sits in the New Nivy zone, a redeveloped area in Bratislava, Slovakia, located on the border of the city’s historic old town. The mall has been combined with a modern bus terminal by its developer, HB Reavis, giving it a gleaming, futuristic look. But the standout feature of the asset is Nivy Mall’s publicly accessible roof terrace. Spread over 129,000 square feet, the area has been specifically created for recreation and relaxation.

5 Questions: Multifamily landscape is changing as capital markets slow

For years running, multifamily has been unofficially deemed the Property Type of the Year (with apologies to the industrial sector). It has seemed nothing could break the stride of multifamily projects — until recently. Suddenly, there is a drag on the property type for reasons that Matt Frazier, founder and CEO of Jones Street Investment Partners, is well acquainted with.

‘Glamping’ grossing billions: Now is the time for private investors to claim the market

“Glamping” is just as it sounds — luxury meets camping. It’s a melding of upscale spaces and the great outdoors, allowing even those who “don’t and won’t camp” a chance to experience the miraculous beauty of nature without sacrificing the amenities of home. From a travel perspective, the surging demand for unique stays like glamping is exciting. In fact, this summer Airbnb rolled out its biggest update in a decade, adding categories to its search that include unique stays such as glamping, caves, barns, castles and more.

Regulation Update: White House announces framework for digital assets

The Treasury Department released three reports President Biden asked for in an executive order issued in March — The Future of Money and Payments; Crypto-Assets: Implications for Consumers, Investors and Businesses; and Action Plan to Address Illicit Financing Risks of Digital Assets. (These three reports on crypto from Treasury were part of the nine reports generated from other agencies in response to the executive order.) The White House had promised a whole-of-government approach to maximizing the benefits of digital assets while minimizing risks to consumers. Sept. 19 it announced the steps that approach will take:

Profile: David Levi, leader of the Brookfield Public Securities Group, and Brookfield Oaktree Wealth Solutions

David Levi remembers vividly when, while working at Citi Asset Management, he was offered the job of running the organization’s nearly 200-person marketing department. Exhilarated but taken aback by the opportunity, he went home to his wife that evening and lamented that he had no direct marketing experience and was at a loss for how he was going to successfully run a large, globally focused unit within Citigroup’s sprawling financial services operation.

7 things to know about historically strong Q4 during midterm election years

As investor and philanthropist Shelby Cullom Davis observed, people’s decisions in a bear market will significantly impact their investments down the road. Unfortunately, many people blink at slumping stock market. So, the question is this: Are you going to sell now that stocks are firmly in a bear market? Many investors have done that over the years and missed out on massive rallies as stocks eventually returned to new highs. This year hasn’t been fun at all for investors, but better times could be coming, and making a rash decision now could greatly impact your investments years from now.

We have ignition: Public sentiment is clearly shifting in favor of nuclear energy

The pendulum continued to swing in favor of nuclear power during the second quarter. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put national energy security front and center, while the limitations of wind and solar (namely their intermittency) are becoming acutely appreciated. We have long argued that nuclear power remains the only source of high energy return on investment carbon-free baseload power. Policymakers are beginning to take note.

Electric planes are coming for short-hop regional flights

Electric planes might seem futuristic, but they aren’t that far off, at least for short hops. Two-seater Velis Electros are already quietly buzzy around Europe, electric seaplanes are being tested in British Columbia, and larger planes are coming. Air Canada announced in September it would buy 30 electric-hybrid regional aircraft from Sweden’s Heart Aerospace, which expects to have its 30-seat plane in service by 2028. Analysts at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab note that the first hybrid electric 50- to 70-seat commuter plane could be ready not long after that. In the 2030s, they say, electric aviation could really take off.

The big-tech threat to the private wealth business

Big-tech companies have been muscling their way into the world of finance for more than a decade, offering digital payment apps, mobile wallets, branded credit cards and lending services to millions of customers. Never satisfied and loath to leave money on the table, big-tech firms are at it again, this time making strategic moves into wealth management.

Food security: Vertical growing could take farmland to new heights

Vertical farming has seen its adoption rapidly accelerate over the past few years, yet it still remains a niche part of the agricultural industry. That will likely change throughout the next several decades as humanity’s demand for food, as well as the impact of climate change, will drastically alter the agricultural commodities market.

Don’t go yellow on gold: It has performed impressively during current ‘everything selloff’

Gold is no longer a safe haven.” “Gold isn’t an effective hedge against inflation.” “Gold is dead.” You may have heard and read these comments, and others like it, numerous times over the course of the recent “everything selloff.” This is staggeringly shortsighted to me. Gold is down only around 9.5 percent for the year, despite surging bond yields, and despite the U.S. dollar being at its strongest level ever relative to other major currencies.

Paltry fortunes for bank robbers: Who needs to rob banks when 72% of workers fear no job loss?

The number of U.S. bank robberies peaked in 1991 when 9,388 where committed, and has declined since. One potential reason: Robbing banks has become far less lucrative — after adjusting for inflation, anyway. The typical robber got away with $5,200 in the late 1960s. That’s more than $38,000 in 2019 dollars. But in 2019, the average was just $4,200. (Jay Zagorsky, Boston University professor) /// An astonishing 72 percent of employees worldwide are ...

Investing in farmland in the age of climate change

For generations, northern California’s Sacramento Valley has been one of the world’s top producers of rice, but that changed in 2022. Paddies were baked dry in the drought desiccating the American West, and consequently rice-land production in the state was cut in half, recently reported the California Rice Commission. Around the world, Golden State rice farmers were hardly alone.

Bitcoin movement gaining momentum

Bitcoin is not going to solve all of the nation’s financial problems, but unlike the U.S. dollar, it cannot be debased — as is currently happening to the greenback as the gross national debt exceeded $31 trillion for the first time in October. That, in part, was the message delivered by Jason Wright, a senior partner and global head of marketing at SkyBridge Capital, an alternative asset manager founded and run by Goldman Sachs and Trump administration alumni Anthony Scaramucci.

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