Blog Archives - Page 2 of 29 - APPRO Development & CERRON Properties

Meet the APPRO and CERRON Team: Ben Peters, AIA

Meet the APPRO and CERRON Team: BEN PETERS, AIA

We would like to introduce you to Ben Peters, who will be working with our CERRON team as an architect. We hope you enjoy learning more about us and our great team at APPRO & CERRON.

Name: Ben Peters, AIA

Role: Architect, APPRO Development, Inc.

The APPRO and CERRON team helps businesses find and/or create great spaces – what about that do you appreciate or enjoy?

I enjoy creating innovative, comfortable, pragmatic spaces.

Describe your role with APPRO and/or CERRON in ten words or less.

Architectural design that exceeds the client’s expectations

Why should someone who doesn’t know APPRO and CERRON, choose our companies?

Our company has an extensive portfolio of quality work and is committed to having satisfied customers.

What is your earliest memory of selling, designing or building something?

When I was 12, my uncle asked me to design the front of a bakery he wanted to open.

What makes our team unique?

An extensive background in the Lakeville area with in-house design and construction management from employees with a wide range of experience.

What inspires and/or motivates you in what you do with APPRO & CERRON?

I am motivated to be an integral part of this company to sustain and improve their design capabilities.

What do you do outside of the office for fun?

I like to create things using photography, painting, 3D renderings and construction.

What is something people might be surprised to know about you?

My son and I built an airplane shaped like a hamburger for the Red Bull Flugtag several years ago. We pushed it off a 20 foot high ramp into the Mississippi river with 90 thousand people watching, and no, it didn’t fly.

What is the best compliment you have ever received?

I was told several times by my previous employer that my design for the client space in our new office was “awesome.”

What is your favorite sport/event (to cheer on or to play)?

Forty- Niner Football

Where is one place you have not been, but would really like to go?

Barcelona, Spain

We are thrilled to have Ben on our team! He is thoughtful, positive, and very gifted in “all things design.” Ben is indeed an integral part of our team and we value his leadership skills within our organization. We anticipate great results from his many talents and skills to serve our clients in creating unique property solutions.

View more team member links HERE.

Would you like to learn more about our team and all that we do to provide expert property solutions? If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to our newsletter to receive project updates, design ideas, current available properties, and much more! {{cta(‘d460cbc2-63ba-4882-b207-d05998195700’)}}

Image sources: Building in thought bubble vector created by macrovector – “>www.freepik.com; Abstract skyline of Barcelona vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com ; Flying Hamburger Design – Ben Peters.

Lakeville Warehouse Groundbreaking: Gliori Properties

In the early morning hours of Friday, September 20, 2019, as the sun was coming up, amid a backdrop of mist, the Gliori family celebrated a groundbreaking at the site of their newest building project. The project is located at 21225 Hamburg Avenue, Lakeville, Minnesota and upon its completion will be an 18,000 square foot (100’ long x 80’ wide ) single story pre-cast concrete warehouse building. Together, Guido and Tracy Gliori commemorated the event with their daughters Isabella and Francesca by planting a maple tree on the site. The building is owned by Gliori Properties.

You may learn more about this project at the following link:

Gliori Properties New Building Project: Lakeville, MN

South Metro Miracle League: Mini Golf

Every child deserves a chance to play. Mini golf is a past time for kids of all ages. However, children with physical disabilities who use wheelchairs or mobility devices often miss out on the fun and excitement because most mini golf courses are too narrow, steep or filled with barriers. South Metro Miracle League, along with Brackett’s Crossing Country Club, Appro Development and the City of Lakeville, are on a mission to make mini golf available to kids of all abilities with a full accessible 9-hole mini golf course in Lakeville.

You can make a difference today! Help put a smile on the faces of children who have never had the opportunity to participate in a sport that so many take for granted. Together, we can make Lakeville fun for EVERYONE!

For additional information on how you can get involved, please visit www.southmetromiracleleague.org. You may also make a donation by mailing a check to Lakeville Baseball Association, (indicate “Mini Golf” in the memo), and mail to P.O. Box 517, Lakeville, MN 55044.

View other Miracle League projects:

The team at Appro Development, Inc., has had the privilege of working on multiple projects with the Miracle League. If you would like to learn more about these projects, you may click on the link below:

Miracle League Field – Improvement Project

Miracle League Field – Mini Golf Project

Contact our team for similar projects:

If you would like to contact our team about similar projects, please contact Jack Matasosky at the link below:

(Image above left: Jack and Sarah Matasosky at the Ground Breaking Ceremony for the new Mini Golf Course; Image above right: New mini golf course under construction.)

How to get quick financing on commercial properties

Purchasing property is a big commitment for a small business, and often, the financing is done with a commercial real estate loan through a bank or commercial lender. The team at Appro & Cerron has some useful information to help business owners through this process of getting quick financing on your commercial property. Obtaining a commercial loan is similar to obtaining a home mortgage. Depending on the lending source, there are many requirements and early steps your business must prepare before acquiring the financing from a lending source. There are also many options for obtaining a loan, for which we will explain the pros and cons for each to help determine what will be the best fit for your business’s finances.

How to prepare

Lenders tend to look over three things when determining to grant your business a loan. First, they are going to look at your business’s finances to make sure you that your business has the cash flow necessary to repay the loan. Second, lenders will also tend to look at the personal finances of the owner, mainly just checking credit history to see if there have been any problems in the past. Third and finally, the lender will also review the value of the property and attach a lien to the property as collateral, if you fail to repay the loan on time.

As you prepare to meet with a lender, in general, the following is list of things lenders will require of you and which you should prepare for your meeting:

Up to five years of tax returns
Books, records, and financial reports for up to the last five years
Projected cash flows for life of the loan
Credit score checks and personal finances of owners and managers in the company
A third-party appraisal for the loan
Business plan showing how the property will be used, and sometimes an explanation of the business’s management expertise and commitment

It can be a challenge for borrowers with poor credit to receive commercial loans; and while not impossible, they may be required to pay a higher interest rate.

Where to find a commercial real estate loan

There are two common sources that many businesses choose to get their loan from. If you, the borrower, plan to purchase investment property, considering a loan from a bank would be a good option for you.

Regional and national banks offer big loans, compared to where a local bank would go up to $1 million for a loan
Banks will offer you the best rates compared to to other sources (e.g. 3%-14%), and there is the possibility of synergies with other accounts
The downside of banks is that they require the most documentation which makes the process slow.

If you are a small to medium-sized business, a commercial lender might be a better fit for you.

Commercial lenders have a faster approval than banks because of the less rigid underwriting standards they have.
The big downside is that their interest rates are higher than banks and they may require a balloon payment in 5 to 10 years.

Small businesses with bad credit tend to face limited options when finding commercial real estate financing, so one consideration is hard money lenders. They care more about the value of the property financed, and less about the borrower’s credit score. Most hard money lenders can close a loan quickly compared to bank or commercial lender, which is good for purchasing property quickly. The drawback is that the interest rates and down payments will be higher because the hard money lenders evaluate the value of the property more so than the borrower. If you are a borrower with good credit, an SBA 504 loan would a great option to investigate. This loan program is also open to new and existing businesses, but it will require a higher down payment than other more widely utilized options.

Some SBA 504 loan features include:

The loan is divided between a bank and SBA approved certified development company. They would both work together in issuing your loan.
Bank loan: 50%, CDC loan: 40%
A low down payment of 10%, and offering 10-25 year terms with low interest rates.

It is important to shop around so your company can get the best loan offer possible. Receiving multiple offers and reviewing the fine print would be advised, and possibly bringing in a third party to look over the financial part of the contracts being offered. The amount of time to acquire the financing will vary with what source best fits your company.

We hope that this content will give a better understanding on where to get quick financing for commercial real estate. Appro Development & Cerron Properties would like to remind all our customers how grateful we are for your business and support.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also find the following related articles and links helpful:

You may also want to download a Financing Checklist:

Image Credits: Image of hands with money via Freepik (jcomp) and interest rate blocks via Freepik (d3images)

Data Source: https://www.valuepenguin.com/small-business/best-commercial-real-estate-loans

Disclaimer: Appro Development, Inc. and Cerron Commercial Properties, LLC have compiled the above information from multiple sources and make no warranty or representation regarding the information shared above. You and your tax, and/or legal adviser(s) should conduct your own investigation and research regarding the best financial options for you and your unique business.

Options for purchasing an affordable warehouse with office

Our team at Appro would like to share some information regarding information needed to make a decision on purchasing an affordable warehouse with office. Many small business owners always run into the question of choosing to buy or lease property, and it all involves around the cost. There are certain forms of a lease, but it all boils down to buying property to own for a certain period while making payments to the owner until the lease is expired. The last thing you want to happen is to buy property and then to realize a year later that it would have been a better option to rent. To help, we gathered some good information that will analyze the right fit for your business. For most cases, you only want to lease if you plan on being in a location for a short period, and would want to buy if you plan on remaining on that location or a longer period of time. The following will help guide you through this process of finding available industrial sites affordable for your business.

Deciding to buy versus lease

Locations are trendy, a location may be a hot spot today and gone the next.
Loss of liquidity, a business may tie up all of their liquidity in buying real estate, and sometimes it can be hard to sell after that.
Cash flow can become compromised, example would be a tenant not paying rent or being forced to continually make repair payments on your property.

There is the case where not everyone qualifies for traditional lending options and may want a faster way to purchase property, so using a contract for deed might be the best option. This would allow the buyer to use the property and obtain legal title from the seller when the balance is paid fully. The decisions for this mainly come down to economics, so its important to surround yourself with the some real estate experts that can help with growth forecasts and and real estate market trends.

Assembling expert help

Accountant: can help you figure out what your business can afford and analyze an operating expense budget.
Commercial Broker: can help you identify properties for future purchase and business.
Lawyer: helps with negotiating on your behalf and with the overall sale transaction
Mortgage Broker: helps with the financing options, like receiving a loan from the bank and giving them a mortgage.

It’s also important that your expert help provides you with information on picking the right location. Certain zoning rules need to be disclosed to know what you can do on the property to acquire. Also, its important to know the building codes to figure out if you can make changes on the previously owned property.

We hope that this information will help you in the future when you make the big decision to but or rent commercial real estate. We thank you for your loyalty as customers and are always here to help your business!

Interested in more helpful information like this?

Be sure to check out our current list of industrial properties HERE.

Check out our “Ultimate Checklist on Office Warehouse Space”

If you are still looking for more information, or would just like to chat with a member of our team, please feel free to call us at (952) 469-2171 or reach out to one of our team members via our Team Page, or by clicking the button below:

Spring Thawing – Snow/Ice Build-Up on Roofs

A record-breaking snowfall for Minnesota in the month of February is no small deal! At this time of year, and the weather we have been having, is cause to pay attention to impacts to buildings and roofs. With more wet snow on the way, over the next few weeks, we urge you to take action now. Here are a few of the main maintenance tips we would like to share with you.

1. REMOVE EXCESS SNOW

Experts say that more than a foot of packed snow can cause damage to your roof and increase the risk of it collapsing. Snow drifting from the recent snowfalls and blowing snow may cause issues at hi/low building walls and roof parapets. Inspecting these areas for excessive snow amounts are key to avoiding water damming and potential roof and wall leaks due to thawing snow that usually occurs under these large drifts. Inspecting these areas can usually be done from the ground, or other flat fairly safe spot.

2. CHECK FOR ICE DAMS

Have you noticed icicles hanging from your gutters? This is usually a sign of ice dams. Ice dams can cause serious damage to your downspouts. Remove ice dams right away to avoid future costly repairs. Downspouts (particularly on the North sides of buildings) may experience freezing / ice due to thawing on roof and the fact that the water freezes as it descends the cooler (shaded) downspout on the building. Interior piped roof drains can experience the same issue. Heat tape / heat coils and/or salt blocks can help this situation.

3. CHECK YOUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE NEXT SNOWFALL

Downspouts and roof drains can become plugged – due to freeze/thaw cycles or debris. Remove debris from your downspouts. Having clear roof drains will allow moving water to stay off your roof, which will reduce the possibility of damage occurring. Culverts and underground piping can also experience freeze up in the spring / fall periods. If this happens – typically it is best to steam the pipes open.

NEXT STEPS:

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our team regarding this or any other question you may have about your building. We will help you in any way we can. Our main office number is (952) 469-2171, or click on the following links to contact our team via email:

For more information on building maintenance, please request our Commercial Building Maintenance Checklist here:

Image sources: “Icicles” via State Farm on flickr and “Free snow” via Teresa Boardman on flickr .

Information on County Road 70 expansion project

The Appro team would like to remind our clients and commercial property owners about the upcoming construction on County Road 70. The city of Lakeville plans for expansion on County Road 70 from Kensington Boulevard/ Kendrick Avenue to Cedar Avenue. The purpose of this project is to improve safety and operations due to increasing traffic volumes. The following is a list of the project goals, potential benefits and concerns, and time schedule. In effort to assist our clients on what they need to know about the upcoming expansion, we hope this information is useful for future business decisions.

This Project Intends to:

Expand the County Road from from a 3 to 4 lane highway
Improve drainage
Construct turn lanes at major intersections
Manage access(designates where and how vehicles access and exit a roadway)
Reconstruct signals to accommodate the additional lanes
Add capacity to the major truck and business area that is growing
Reduce delays
More details, including the opportunity to sign up for updates may be found HERE:

https://clients.bolton-menk.com/csah70/

Project goals:

Develop a plan that meets principle arterial access requirements with stakeholder support
Provide safety improvements for all users
Accommodate needs for the next 20 years of growth

Project schedule:

Design– 2018-2019
Right of way acquisition– 2019-2020
Construction– 2020-2021

The above is intended for general information purposes to accommodate for the upcoming construction

If you find any additional concerns or questions you may have about what this means for your business, please contact us! Our relationship with you is very important to us along with your business.

For additional information about the progress of this construction and how it may impact your business, please contact Jack Matasosky or Bruce Rydeen for additional information:

About the Author:

Jackson Matasosky is a guest author with the team at APPRO and CERRON. Jackson is a full-time student at the University of Kansas (KU), studying Finance and Economics in their School of Business.

1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges Explained

Our company would like to share some information regarding a 1031 exchange, also known as like-kind exchanges. This is very relevant to an industrial business owner and may be seen as very beneficial to look into further. 1031 exchanges have been a vital aspect of the tax code since 1921. It allows investors or business property owners to sell a property, buy a new property, and defer paying capital gains tax on the sale, as long as both properties are of like kind. In the future, the taxes will have to be paid because it is a deferral, not an exclusion. There are many rules for how the exchange must be carried out, so we provided some options that may be useful for business owners of industrial buildings.

Like-kind Properties

Refers to the nature or character of the property, rather than its grade or quality
Any real property held for productive use in trade or business, investment, whether improved or unimproved, is considered like-kind real property.
Personal property is excluded and not eligible for 1031 exchange tax deferral.

Pros of 1031 exchange

By deferring taxes, there is more money currently available for investment.
The option to exchange and replace properties for others with less responsibility, if you own several properties that are burdened with extensive maintenance costs or requiring more intense management.
More wealth and asset accumulation, compared to a real estate investor that chooses to sell and pay taxes each time a sale occurs.

Exchange types

1. Simultaneous exchange

Occurs when the replacement property and relinquished property close on the same day

2. Delayed Exchange

Occurs when the exchanger relinquishes the original property before he or she acquires replacement property.

3. Reverse exchange

Occurs when you acquire a replacement property through an exchange accommodation titleholder before you identify the replacement property

4. Construction/improvement exchange

Allows tax payers to make improvements on the replacement property by using the exchange equity

As you can see, there are many considerations when it comes to real estate investing, and the choice to utilize a 1031 tax deferred exchange is just one of many as you navigate the process of purchasing your next commercial property. The team at APPRO and CERRON is well versed in this and many other options available for real estate investing. Please contact our team with your questions and to let us know how we may help with your next commercial property investment.

If you would like to learn more about 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges, please click on the link below to learn more:

About the Author:

Jackson Matasosky is a guest author with the team at APPRO and CERRON. Jackson is a full-time student at the University of Kansas (KU), studying Finance and Economics in their School of Business.

Image Source: Man standing at window via Freepik.com (designed by Pressfoto); drone/aerial image via APPRO by Brandon Rowell Photography.

industrial land for sale - rosemount business park

Last Mile Logistics: Case Study, Rosemount, MN

Last mile logistics is a hot topic in today’s retail environment. We have seen the decline in the standard retail storefront over the past few years, with many of these storefronts have been replaced by Amazon Prime trucks zipping across the freeways, fulfilling orders placed online for items which used to be purchased at the neighborhood store. So, what do these changes in consumer habits, and therefore changes in supply chain logistics, mean for builders, commercial real estate practitioners, investors, and owner/operators? We offer a definition, considerations, a case study and additional resources to consult for logistics site considerations.

Definition of Last Mile Logistics

So, just what does the term “Last Mile Logistics” mean? According to Business Insider, “In a product’s journey from warehouse to customer doorstep, the ‘last mile’ of delivery is the final step of the process – the point at which the package finally arrives at the buyer’s door.”

E-commerce is driving the demand for these last mile logistic sites, and there doesn’t appear to be an end to the demand in the foreseeable future.

“Businesses have begun to develop new technologies and experimental supply chain models to increase parcel volume, expedite deliveries, and delight customers – all while trying to cut costs.” – Business Insider

E-commerce is growing at a steady rate of 15% per year. Current logistics portfolio for current retail is only 9.6% of the market – there is a lot of room to grow! Enter Industrial Warehousing.

What type of building is ideal?

According to information presented at this year’s 2018 Investment Real Estate Symposium, held on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018, the following building features are ideal, if not necessary, for successful logistics operations:

Clear heights of 40’
500,000 SF facility sizing
Mezzanines
Food Related / Cold Storage
Infrastructure for automation
Rapid delivery systems

During this symposium, the current state of the logistics industry was discussed. Currently, the availability of buildings with each of these features, is significantly down. Therefore, rental rates have risen in response to the current supply (or lack thereof). As a result, many logistics companies are turning to new construction to build what is needed for modern delivery systems. “The growing trend is for organizations to build or take advantage of urban warehouse space and have easy access to products for fast delivery,” according to SupplyChain 24/7.com. If new construction is your best solution, as an owner/operator, there are many considerations as you take that next step.

What are the ideal distribution center considerations?

According to AreaDevelopment.com, you need to ask the following questions when considering your next distribution center location:

Where should last-mile considerations fit into your site scenario?
Is there such a thing as an ideal number of last-mile DC’s?
Are there ideal last-mile DC venues?
Exactly how close should a company’s last-mile facilities be to its customers?
How important are traffic patterns?

Each business is unique as are the consumers they serve. As a result, a site that may work for one business, may not for another. As a result, our team created a case study on one site to illustrate the various considerations in the selection of a distribution center site.

Case Study: Rosemount Business Park – West, Rosemount, Minnesota

The Rosemount Business Park – West site is located at the southeast corner of Highway 3 and County Road 42 in Rosemount, Minnesota. It is situated on the west side of the established business park, which is already home to This is a +/- 35 acre site is zoned BP – Business Park District which allows for office warehouse, warehousing, wholesaling and distribution facilities. Additionally, the site offers the following features which would be of interest to a site selector for a distribution facility:

Transportation

Rail – This site is located on a Progressive (PGR) short line rail line (Class III).

Highway – in addition to being located at the intersection of Hwy 3 and CR-42, the site is located approximately seven (7) miles west of US Highway 52 (which runs north / south between St. Paul and Rochester) and is accessible to Interstate 35 via County Road 46.

Airport – The site is located approximately 15 miles south of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

Demographics / Workforce

(Data Source: City of Rosemount, Economic Development, Kim Lindquist, via this LINK)

Businesses can obtain customized training programs with Dakota County Technical College (DCTC), a part of the Minnesota State college system.

Approximately 80% of Rosemount’s population of almost 23,000 is in the workforce.

Available housing for a growing workforce is growing at an average rate of 73 new units per year, with ample commercial options (250+) for residents, an excellent education system, and recreational areas.

Utilities

Natural Gas – MERC, MN Energy Resources
Electric – Xcel
Fiber is available to the site
Water/Sewer are both available to the site

Economic Incentives (via State of Minnesota)

Many economic incentives exist, but you will want to consider which incentives (if any) make sense for your business. Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and Tax Abatement programs exist, but may require a specific number of new hires within an allotted timeframe. As more automation occurs, a company may want to weigh the pros and cons of tapping into these incentives.

Affordable land pricing – currently listed at $3.75/SF, this is an affordable option for a warehouse / distribution center, ideal for cold storage, logistics, and more.

Build-to-Suit (BTS) – This site is currently divisible to a customer’s needs and the owners are offering a build to suit option on this site.

Design/Build – APPRO Development is a trusted resource to assist with all design build scenarios (including working with an owner through city process). Our expert team has been working on projects like this for more than 30 years. A variety of options exist for this site (including dividing the lot).

Learn more about this site at: Rosemount Business Park, Rosemount, MN

As you can see, there are many features of a site to consider. We hope that this example helps you in your search process. If you would like additional information on the site referenced in this Case Study, or links to any of the articles referenced, please see the resources section below, or feel free to contact our team with any additional questions you may have.

Resources

APPRO Development, Inc. has been building office warehouse, industrial and a variety of other commercial buildings throughout the Midwest since 1987.
Business Insider, “The Challenges of last mile logistics & delivery technology solutions” Shelagh Dolan, May 10, 2018.
CERRON Commercial Properties, LLC, founded in 2002, is able to provide comprehensive commercial real estate solutions including site selection, site feasibility studies, sales and leasing, among many other services available.
Rosemount Business Park West – 30+ Acre Site For Sale
City of Rosemount Economic Development Summary Page
State of Minnesota Incentive Programs

Meet the APPRO and CERRON Team: Dalton Swager

Meet the APPRO and CERRON Team: DALTON SWAGER

We would like to introduce you to Dalton Swager, who will be working with our team to provide drafting / design help to our team. We hope you enjoy learning more about us and our great team at APPRO & CERRON.

Name: Dalton Swager

Role: CAD Technician, CERRON Commercial Properties & APPRO Development, Inc.

The APPRO and CERRON team helps businesses find and/or create great spaces – what about that do you appreciate or enjoy?

The way that the two companies work in tandem to find a building site and then to show the client the potential of that site through site sketches and illustrations to convey available options.

Why should someone who doesn’t know APPRO and CERRON, choose our companies?

They are able to provide a full package for the client – with the ability to sell the lot, build a building, or sell an existing building.

What is your earliest memory of selling, designing or building something?

At about age 4 or 5, I realized I loved to design and build things out of just about anything I could get my hands on.

What do you do outside of the office for fun?

I love to go for bike rides in the summer; snowboard in the winter; and, draw or play video games throughout the entire year.

What is something people might be surprised to know about you?

I am actually very artistic and love to learn just about anything I can.

Where is one place you have not been, but would really like to go?

I would love to go to Japan

We are excited to have Dalton as a member of our design team. He is always upbeat, flashing a smile in your direction, and eager to tackle the next project that comes our way. We look forward to seeing his contributions to our design build team.

View more team member links HERE.

If you would like to consider joining our team, be sure to check out our CAREERS page for current open positions.

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Meet the APPRO and CERRON Team: BEN PETERS, AIA

View other Miracle League projects:

Contact our team for similar projects:

How to prepare

Where to find a commercial real estate loan

Deciding to buy versus lease

Assembling expert help

This Project Intends to:

Project goals:

Project schedule:

About the Author:

Like-kind Properties

Pros of 1031 exchange

Exchange types

About the Author:

Case Study: Rosemount Business Park – West, Rosemount, Minnesota

Meet the APPRO and CERRON Team: DALTON SWAGER

Contact Us

About Us

At APPRO Development and CERRON Commercial Properties, creating real estate solutions for our clients is our life’s work. We truly understand that a new commercial building facility, expansion or purchase is a major investment of not only time, but hard-earned money.

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APPRO DEVELOPMENT

(952) 469-2171

CERRON PROPERTIES

(952) 469-9444