Commercial RE

Best County Property Taxes

Is South Carolina a great place to live and own real estate based on value, quality of life, jobs and taxes. Let’s share a few facts about York County, SC…

Low taxes, great communities, close to major cities (Charlotte, Columbia or Greenville), major highway, solid employment opportunities, Lake Wylie, River Walk District and healthy area to retire and enjoy  life.

York County

The seventh most populous county in South Carolina, York County has property tax rates close to the state average. The largest city in the county is Rock Hill. The total millage rate in Rock Hill is around 380 mills (as of 2013). The rate applies to assessed value, which for owner-occupied residences is equal to 4% of a home’s full market value.

How Your Property Taxes Compare Based on an Assessed Home Value of $78,000 (Example only)

Lancaster County    $396
0.508% of Assessed Home Value
South Carolina          $448
0.574% of Assessed Home Value
National                         $945
1.211% of Assessed Home Value

Tax Study by County

As the summer approaches and the weather leads us to the beach or water park

South Carolina is just 0.57%, fifth lowest in the country.

Real-Estate Property Taxes by State

Rank

State

Effective Real-Estate Tax Rate

Annual Taxes on $179K Home*

State Median Home Value

Annual Taxes on Home Priced at State Median Value
1 Hawaii 0.27% $487 $515,300 $1,406
2 Alabama 0.43% $773 $125,500 $543
3 Louisiana 0.49% $876 $144,100 $707
4 Delaware 0.54% $959 $231,500 $1,243
5 District of Columbia 0.56% $1,000 $475,800 $2,665
6 South Carolina 0.57% $1,019 $139,900 $798
7 West Virginia 0.58% $1,044 $103,800 $607
8 Colorado 0.60% $1,073 $247,800 $1,489
9 Wyoming 0.61% $1,097 $194,800 $1,196
10 Arkansas 0.62% $1,111 $111,400 $693
11 Utah 0.68% $1,218 $215,900 $1,472
12 New Mexico 0.74% $1,324 $160,300 $1,188
13 Tennessee 0.75% $1,335 $142,100 $1,062
14 Idaho 0.76% $1,366 $162,900 $1,246
15 Mississippi 0.79% $1,408 $103,100 $813
16 Virginia 0.80% $1,420 $245,000 $1,948
T-17 California 0.81% $1,438 $385,500 $3,104
T-17 Arizona 0.81% $1,446 $167,500 $1,356
T-19 Montana 0.85% $1,525 $193,500 $1,652
T-19 Kentucky 0.85% $1,511 $123,200 $1,042
T-19 North Carolina 0.85% $1,524 $154,900 $1,322
T-19 Nevada 0.85% $1,523 $173,700 $1,481
23 Indiana 0.87% $1,560 $124,200 $1,085
24 Oklahoma 0.88% $1,569 $117,900 $1,036
25 Georgia 0.94% $1,685 $148,100 $1,397
26 Missouri 1.00% $1,790 $138,400 $1,387
27 Florida 1.06% $1,894 $159,000 $1,686
T-28 Oregon 1.08% $1,929 $237,300 $2,563
T-28 Washington 1.08% $1,931 $259,500 $2,805
30 Maryland 1.10% $1,956 $286,900 $3,142
31 North Dakota 1.12% $2,000 $153,800 $1,722
T-32 Alaska 1.18% $2,112 $250,000 $2,956
T-32 Minnesota 1.18% $2,110 $186,200 $2,200
34 Massachusetts 1.20% $2,139 $333,100 $3,989
35 Maine 1.30% $2,321 $173,800 $2,259
36 South Dakota 1.34% $2,389 $140,500 $1,879
37 Kansas 1.40% $2,502 $132,000 $1,849
38 Iowa 1.48% $2,649 $129,200 $1,916
39 Pennsylvania 1.53% $2,725 $166,000 $2,533
40 Ohio 1.56% $2,794 $129,900 $2,032
41 New York 1.62% $2,899 $283,400 $4,600
42 Rhode Island 1.63% $2,915 $238,000 $3,884
43 Vermont 1.74% $3,116 $217,500 $3,795
44 Michigan 1.78% $3,172 $122,400 $2,174
45 Nebraska 1.85% $3,308 $133,200 $2,467
46 Texas 1.90% $3,386 $136,000 $2,578
47 Wisconsin 1.96% $3,499 $165,800 $3,248
48 Connecticut 1.97% $3,517 $270,500 $5,327
49 New Hampshire 2.15% $3,838 $237,300 $5,100
50 Illinois 2.30% $4,105 $173,800 $3,995
51 New Jersey 2.35% $4,189 $315,900 $7,410

Negotiating a Commercial Lease

A commercial lease is an important part of your business. Negotiating a favorable lease places your business in the position to succeed. Remember that a real estate lease agreement is prepared by the landlord lawyers and leans toward them in terms. Your responsibility as a potential tenant is to read it completely and keep your Tenant Representation (like CREC Brokers) in your review circle, understand what it says, and then ask for modifications that will favor your business. It’s a business of numbers and credit so use your leverage to better the Deal.

Please have your lawyer review any legal agreement before signing and executing it.

1. Evaluate the Length of the Lease

Once you’ve locked down a Location, write-up a Letter of Intent (LOI). One of the first issues you need to work out is the length of the lease and the square foot rate. A term of three years is usually best for small businesses, with an option to renew included. This doesn’t tie you in for too long but gives you the option to stay if it is a good fit. If you feel that you could easily find a comparable location, a shorter lease is better for you in case rents in your area go down or it turns out to be an unfavorable location. However if your business is going to be very location-dependent (such as a restaurant), you will want security, so a longer term makes sense and could reflect in a better SF rental rate.

2. Research Comparable Rents

The amount of rent you will pay is an important consideration in a lease agreement. Do your homework and know what the going costs are in your area so you can negotiate a fair price. Part of negotiating renewal options includes specifying rent increases so your company has a future projection of expenses. Your landlord will likely want to increase the rent for each additional year. Try to work out a cap on these increases so it remains affordable for you to stay in that location. You can also negotiate the amount of your security deposit and the conditions for its return.

3. Look for Hidden Costs

Your lease may be a “gross lease,” in which all costs are included, or a “net lease” in which there are costs in addition to your rent. Many commercial leases make the tenant responsible for costs such as maintenance, taxes, insurance or upkeep of common areas (TICAM). Get the details on these costs up front and negotiate this section to be as favorable as possible however many landlords have a set SF price for TICAM. Find out if your business will be responsible for specific systems maintenance and learn the current conditions of those systems so you can estimate costs. Negotiate dollar amount caps to these costs or negotiate for a slightly higher rent in exchange for the landlord taking on all costs. Determine whether there are separate utility meters or if utilities are apportioned among tenants by square footage.

4. Ask for Favorable Clauses

Ask for modifications to the lease that will benefit you. For example, a clause allowing you to sublease the property can be important should your business suddenly relocate or close. You may want to ask for a clause that restricts the landlord from renting out any other unit on the premises to a business similar to yours. A co-tenancy clause will allow you to break the lease if a large anchor tenant (which drives business to you) leaves. It is also possible to negotiate for the landlord to be responsible for making improvements to the property before you move in (Tenant Incentive). Make sure you are permitted to put up signage for your business.

5. Check the Termination Clause Closely

Read the terms of your commercial property lease as it pertains to default and termination of the lease. You’ll want a clause that allows you time to cure a default before eviction, particularly one that allows you to pay one month’s rent instead of the entire amount owed on the lease. You will want to negotiate any penalties for early termination of the lease should you decide you need to leave before the lease term is up.

The most important thing you can do is read your commercial lease carefully and understand it completely. This allows you to realize what benefits you have so you can ask for changes and it also prepares you for your responsibilities as a tenant.

 

 

Investment Cash-flow In and Out

Commercial RE Facts on Income Producing

The basic elements of an investment are cash inflows, outflows, timing of cash flows, and risk. The ability to analyze these elements is key in providing services to investors in commercial real estate.

Cash inflows and outflows are the money that is put into, or received from, the property including the original purchase cost and sale revenue over the entire life of the investment. An example of this sort of investment is a real estate fund.

Cash inflows include the following:

  • Rent
  • Operating expense recoveries
  • Fees: Parking, vending, services, etc.
  • Proceeds from sale
  • Tax Benefits
  • Depreciation
  • Tax credits (e.g., historical)

Cash outflows include:

  • Initial investment (down payment)
  • All operating expenses and taxes
  • Debt service (mortgage payment)
  • Capital expenses and tenant leasing costs
  • Costs upon Sale

The timing of cash inflows and outflows is important to know in order to project periods of positive and negative cash flows. Risk is dependent on market conditions, current tenants, and the likelihood that they will renew their leases year‐over‐year. It is important to be able to predict the probability that the cash inflows and outflows will be in the amounts predicted, what is the probability that the timing of them will be as predicted, and what the probability is that there may be unexpected cash flows, and in what amounts they might occur.