Thursday, March 21, 2013

HFF arranges $38.9 million acquisition financing for Hanover Marriott in Whippany, NJ



Steven Klein
NEW YORK, NY – HFF announced today that it has arranged a $38.9 million acquisition financing for the Hanover Marriott, an eight-story, 353-room full-service hotel in Whippany, New Jersey.

HFF worked on behalf of Clarion Partners to secure a six-year, fixed-rate loan through a national life insurance company.

The Hanover Marriott is located at 1401 Mount Pleasant Avenue (Route 10) near Interstate 287 in Whippany.  

John Bourret
The property underwent a comprehensive $15 million renovation in 2011, which included a complete redesign of its main restaurant and lobby, full guestroom, bathroom and corridor renovations, pool and fitness center upgrades and building system improvements.

The HFF team representing the borrower was led by managing directors Steven Klein and John Bourret.

“The Hanover Marriott’s substantial renovation enhanced the luxury accommodations for its strong corporate clientele base. Additionally, the hotel’s position in the market as the only full-service Marriott within a 20-mile radius offered an ideal opportunity for the sponsor,” commented Klein.

Hanover Marriott, Whippany, NJ
Clarion Partners has been a leading U.S. real estate investment manager for more than 30 years. Headquartered in New York, the firm has offices in major markets throughout the U.S., in S͠ão Paulo, Brazil and London, England as well as a presence in Mexico. 

With more than $27 billion in total assets under management, Clarion Partners offers a broad range of real estate strategies across the risk/return spectrum to its more than 200 domestic and international institutional investors.  More information about the firm is available at www.clarionpartners.com.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Kristen M. Murphy
Associate Director
HFF | 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 700 | Houston, TX 77046
tel 713.852.3500 | cel 617.543.4873 | fax 713.527.8725 | www.hfflp.com

HFF closes $21.5 million sale of a 19.15-acre development site in downtown Naples, FL



Manny de Zaraga
MIAMI, FL – HFF announced today that it has closed the sale of a 19.15-acre landmark development site in downtown Naples, Florida.

                HFF marketed the site on behalf of the seller, who recently acquired title via a foreclosure action.  A joint venture between Ronto Group, Inc. and Wheelock Street Capital purchased the site for $21.5 million.

                The site is located one block off Fifth Avenue South between Tamiami Trial and Goodlette-Frank Road in downtown Naples. 

Jaret Turkell
In 2005, the property was approved and slated for development of a mixed-use project called Renaissance Village, with 300 residential units and 205,000 square feet of commercial space, including a 1.9-acre adjacent site owned by Florida Gulf Coast University.

Those plans were halted by the downturn in the real estate market and in May 2012, the property, excluding the parcel owned by FGCU, was foreclosed by the lenders.

The HFF team representing the seller was led by executive managing director Manny de Zárraga and directors Jaret Turkell and Matt Mitchell with support from real estate analysts Scott Wadler and Maurice Habif. 

Matt Mitchell
HFF’s Florida multi-housing and land group has closed more than $700 million of multi-housing transactions for the 12 months ending December 31, 2012.

                “This is a trophy site within the Naples market and its ultimate development will generate a significant positive impact for the 5th Avenue shopping corridor,” said Turkell. 

Since 1967, The Ronto Group, Inc. has acquired residential, commercial and retail projects in both Canada and the United States.  With its U.S. headquarters in Naples, The Ronto Group is recognized as a premiere developer in Southwest Florida.

Wheelock has been an active investor in the residential and hospitality sectors during the last 36 months. The firm has closed on land approved for more than 19,000 residential units and is actively developing “best in class” master-planned communities in the Sunbelt.

 Wheelock purchased the assets of Atlanta-based John Wieland Homes in joint venture with the Wieland family in November 2012 and is now actively building homes in the southeastern United States.  Wheelock has acquired 22 hotel properties containing 4,580 rooms across the country, and owns 1,828 apartment and student housing units across five properties.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Kristen M. Murphy
Associate Director
HFF | 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 700 | Houston, TX 77046
tel 713.852.3500 | cel 617.543.4873 | fax 713.527.8725 | www.hfflp.com

HFF arranges $10.5 million financing for University Plaza in Winter Park, FL


University Plaza, Winter Park, FL
MIAMI, FL – HFF announced today that it has arranged $10.5 million in financing for University Plaza, a 77,918-square-foot, grocery-anchored neighborhood center in Winter Park, Florida.


                HFF worked exclusively on behalf of the borrower, North American Development Group (NADG), to secure the 15-year, fixed-rate loan through Prudential Mortgage Capital Company. 

Paul Stasaitis
                University Plaza is located at 4000 North Goldenrod Road at the intersection of University Boulevard in Winter Park, which is approximately 10 miles northeast of downtown Orlando.  Redeveloped in 2011, the 95 percent leased property is anchored by Publix.

Chris Drew
                HFF director Chris Drew, senior managing directors Paul Stasaitis and Danny Finkle, and senior real estate analyst Jose Carrazana led the HFF team representing NADG. 

                “NADG is a sophisticated borrower that is taking advantage of historically low interest rates to lock in highly accretive long-term, fixed-rate financing for a core asset in their portfolio,” said Drew.    

“We continue to see incredible demand from top-tier life insurance companies for fixed-rate loans on grocery-anchored retail throughout the state,” continued Drew.  
Daniel Finkle

 HFF’s debt placement team has secured more than $3.9 billion in financing for retail assets nationally in 2012.  HFF closed more than $680 million in retail transactions across all capital markets platforms in the state of Florida during 2012.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Kristen M. Murphy
Associate Director
HFF | 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 700 | Houston, TX 77046
tel 713.852.3500 | cel 617.543.4873 | fax 713.527.8725 | www.hfflp.com


Robert Sheppard Named Marcus & Millichap’s Top Agent for Fourth Consecutive Year



Robert Sheppard
 CALABASAS, CA, March 21, 2013 – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has announced its top investment specialists for 2012.

Robert Sheppard, an executive vice president investments and executive director of the Tax Credit Group of Marcus & Millichap, has ranked as the firm’s top-performing agent out of more than 1,000 investment specialists nationwide.

John J. Kerin
This marks the fourth consecutive year in which Sheppard has earned the company’s highest ranking, according to John J. Kerin, president and chief executive officer of Marcus & Millichap.

Armand Tiberio, a senior vice president investments, and Spencer Hurst, a first vice president investments, both national directors of the firm’s Tax Credit Group , ranked No. 7 and No. 11 in the firm, respectively.

Armand Tiberio
          Sheppard is also the firm’s top multifamily investment specialist nationwide, a position he has attained for the past five consecutive years.

            “We are proud to recognize Robert for the fourth year in a row as the firm’s top agent nationwide,” says Kerin. “His consistently outstanding accomplishments and tax credit property expertise are a testament to his steadfast commitment to client service.”

Spencer Hurst
“Armand and Spencer have also achieved exceptional success this year,” continues Kerin, “working closely with Robert to provide unparalleled service and results to our tax credit apartment clients. We are very pleased to recognize Armand and Spencer for ranking among the firm’s top investment specialists nationwide in 2012.”

Sheppard joined Marcus & Millichap in December 1993 and was promoted to senior vice president investments in January 2008. He is the executive director of the Tax Credit Group, which is the leading specialty group dedicated exclusively to low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) multifamily assets throughout the United States. In 2012, the group closed transactions valued in excess of $939 million.

Tiberio, a senior vice president investments, has been a Tax Credit Group member since its inception in 2001 and is currently a national director.  He joined Marcus & Millichap in July 2001, was promoted to vice president investments in July 2008 and to senior vice president investments in August 2012.

Hurst, a first vice president investments, has been a member of the Tax Credit Group from the outset and is now a national director.  He joined Marcus & Millichap in April 2001 and was promoted to vice president investments in July 2008 and to first vice president investments in July 2012.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Ben Johnson,
Marketing Director
(925) 953-1736

MBA Releases 2012 Rankings of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Firms’ Origination Volumes


  
Washington, DC (March 21, 2013)– Wells Fargo was the top commercial/multifamily mortgage originator in 2012, according to a set of commercial/multifamily real estate finance league tables prepared by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). 

Other top originators include Bank of America Merrill Lynch; HFF, L.P.; PNC Real Estate; Meridian Capital Group, LLC; CBRE Capital Markets, Inc.; Prudential Mortgage Capital Company; KeyBank Real Estate Capital; Jones Lang LaSalle; Walker & Dunlop; Northmarq Capital LLC and Berkadia.

 The MBA study is the only one of its kind and presents a comprehensive set of listings of 111 different commercial/multifamily mortgage originators, their 2012 volumes and the different roles they play.

The MBA report, Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Firms - Annual Origination Volumes, presents origination volumes in more than 140 categories, including by role, by investor group, by property type, by financing structure type, and by the location of the originating office.


For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Matt Robinson,
 (202) 557-2727

Wyndham Hotel Group Surpasses the 500 Property Mark in China


  
Robert Loewen
 HONG KONG (March 21, 2013) – Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest* hotel company with over 7,340 hotels and part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), today announced its continued expansion in China with the addition of eight new Ramada® properties.

 Currently, the company has 543 hotels and 67,559 rooms in the country.

 China now accounts for the largest number of Wyndham Hotel Group properties in the Asia-Pacific region with hotels under the Wyndham® Hotels and Resorts, Ramada®, Howard Johnson®, Days Inn® and Super 8® brands. Wyndham Hotel Group is also the largest* U.S.-based hotel company in China.

Wyndham Xiamen Hotel, China
 “Wyndham Hotel Group remains committed to continued, ambitious development within China,” said Robert Loewen, chief operating officer of Wyndham Hotel Group.

 “The lack of quality rooms in many second-tier and third-tier cities provides us with opportunities to further expand our presence. We are proud to announce these new additions which will help grow our footprint in the region.”

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

 Vicky Neill:
Candice Lau:
Tel: +852 3665 1000

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. Announces 1st Quarter 2013 Dividend of $0.45 per Share




 NEW YORK, NY, Mar. 21, 2013--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Board of Directors of Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE: NLY) declared the first quarter 2013 common stock cash dividend of $0.45 per common share. This dividend is payable April 29, 2013, to common shareholders of record on April 1, 2013. The ex-dividend date is March 27, 2013.
  
For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.
Investor Relations
1-888-8Annaly

Ackerman & Co. Sells Single Tenant ABRA Auto Body & Glass


   
Jason Powell
 Atlanta, GA– Ackerman & Co. has brokered the sale of a 27,500-square-foot retail building in Stone Mountain, Ga. for $1,150,000 to ABRA Auto Body & Glass.

The 2.2-acre property is located along the busy intersection of I-78 and Ross Road and is adjacent to major retailers Office Depot, The Sports Authority, Petsmart and The Home Depot, to name a few.

The seller, Summit Investments, was represented by the Ackerman & Co. investment sales team of Sean Patrick and Jason Powell.

Sean Patrick
The former Stone Mountain Harley Showroom was purchased by Realty Income.  ABRA Auto Body & Glass is a recognized leader in auto body, auto glass and paintless dent repair industry with more than 140 locations. 

This sale was a unique opportunity for a national user to take advantage of current market pricing and combine a number of local area facilities into their new prototypical layout. ABRA was represented by Bart Cross with Coro Realty.




For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Fara Wilson,
VP of Marketing
770. 913.3904


Dakota and Daisy Johnson, San Diego CA Realtors

EMERYVILLE, CA – ZipRealty, Inc. (http://www.ziprealty.com) (NASDAQ: ZIPR), the leading online residential real estate brokerage and technology provider, is proving to be an attractive – and potentially lucrative – place to work for young, tech-savvy real estate agents, according to Pat Garner, Designated Broker of ZipRealty’s San Diego office.

Pat Garner
In February, 18-year-old Dakota Johnson, the youngest agent in Ms. Garner’s office, sold his first home in the booming San Diego market.

“With rising prices and limited inventory, the housing market in Southern California is definitely making a rebound,” says Ms. Garner. “Becoming a real estate agent is a great career choice for younger people, especially if you’re willing to work hard,” she says.  “And Dakota has made a commitment to work hard,” she notes.

Mr. Johnson started his career at ZipRealty in June 2012 and is expected to close his first sale on March 15: a two-bedroom home in Oceanside, Calif., for just under $300,000.

A Phoenix-based real estate agent and a firefighter acquired the house as an investment property with the intention of making future investments in Southern California.

 In mid-April, Mr. Johnson is slated to close his second home sale: a two-bedroom condo in San Marcos, Calif., an REO that sold for $204,000, well above its original asking price of $192,000. And he is currently working with a computer programmer in his 30’s who prefers to work with a tech-savvy agent.

Jack Maroney
Mr. Johnson attributes his successful experience as a real estate agent to two factors: his mentor and mother Daisy Johnson, and ZipRealty’s innovative, technology-enabled brokerage platform.

 “I have been around real estate my entire life,” Mr. Johnson says. “Seeing my mom’s success had a significant impact on my life and career choice. As a kid, I used to help my mom put up for-sale signs, and then it turned into helping her write blogs and do email marketing as a young teenager,” he shares. 

“I encouraged Dakota to start taking classes to get his real estate license at the age of 17 ½ so he could be fully licensed when he turned 18,” notes Mrs. Johnson, a nine-year veteran of the real estate industry. Ms. Johnson has sold nearly $100 million in real estate during her career. In 2012, she sold 16 homes valued at $6.5 million.

Another San Diego real estate agent, 22-year-old Jack Maroney, has also started to mentor under Mrs. Johnson. Maroney began working for ZipRealty in late August 2012 and just commenced closing escrow on his first home.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

 Stacey Corso
510.735.2667