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January 22, 2010

State of the TIC Market in San Francisco

Despite their risky and complex nature, tenancy-in-common (TIC) interest sales made a strong showing in 2009.

A total of 403 TIC interests sold last year, for an average of $603,780. Units spent an average of 92 days on market (DOM), and that lengthy timeframe doesn’t seem to be shortening. Of the 403 TICs sold, 162 sold in the fourth quarter of 2009, at an average of $586,755. September and October saw 73 TICs selling, and surprisingly, 89 interests sold in the last two months of 2009. Buyers apparently weren’t slowed down by the holidays in this property category, either.

Though two- and three-unit buildings were popular—with 26 and 25 interests selling, respectively—the big winner was the six-unit building category. A total of 42 TICs sold in six-unit properties. Ultimately, all but 51 TICs were sold in 4-21-unit properties in the fourth quarter of 2009, meaning an awful lot of buyers qualified for the restrictive and often costly fractional/individual financing used on such properties.

As we head into 2010, I’m seeing 66 TIC interests in contract at an average list price of $568,561, and they’ve spent an average of 140 days on market.

There are 97 TICs on the market now, ranging in price from $330,000 for a 2BR/1BA interest that just came back on the market in a seven-unit building in Nob Hill, to a “house-like, eco-friendly” 2BR/2BA listed at $1,295,000 in a three-unit building that features Alcatraz and Bay views.

On the downside, it’s taking an average of 20+ years to condo convert three- to six-unit buildings purchased now, according to TIC attorney specialist Andy Sirkin, who recently gave in an-person update at our sales meeting. And for existing TIC owners who have been in the lottery multiple times, it’s looking like seven-year lottery candidates will be the big winners this year. So if you’ve been in the lottery for less than seven years, it’s unlikely you’ll “win” the right to condo convert this year (or, actually, next year).

Sellers, note that if all your ducks are in a row and your property presentation and financing details are solid, there is a good chance your TIC interest will sell—but it may take time to land the right, qualified buyer. It’s critical to have your financing, legal, title company, and Realtor team in place and on the same page before you come anywhere near putting your property on the market.

And buyers, consider TICs if you understand all the details involved (and of course, can qualify/afford the financing offered). There’s a lot of homework to do up front, and I pretty much give my buyers in this property category an unofficial seminar—and insist that they speak with a real estate attorney—before they (and I) are convinced TICs are the right option for them.

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