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Although foreign investment in United States commercial real estate doubled in the 1st half of 2010 compared with 2009, activity is still sluggish, thanks to the slow economy and a lack of trophy properties offered for sale.  Currently, the United Kingdom is the hottest international destination for investment, according to Jones Lang LaSalle research.  So […]

Although construction in the United States has been slow since the financial meltdown of 2008, there is one niche segment that is thriving – green construction.  According to McGraw-Hill Construction, green buildings now comprise one-third of all new construction, an increase of two percent over 2005, a surprise in an industry that is historically slow […]

It’s not your imagination.  Chicago’s weather is getting warmer and climate scientists, botanists and zoologists have collected evidence that show real-time changes in seasonal timing and weather patterns that are altering the region’s ecosystems.   Writing in the Chicago Tribune, reporter William Mullen says “This is what experts say we should expect in the future:  Shorter, […]

High-end residential sales in Chicago rose – somewhat unexpectedly — during the first eight months of 2010. This is primarily a result of sellers reducing their asking prices and closings at some high-profile condominium developments.  Even with the uptick in sales, there’s still an excess of houses and condos on the market that likely will […]

Global banking regulators have agreed to implement new rules that will make the international banking industry safer and avoid future financial meltdowns. Known as Basel III — after the Swiss city in which the agreement was worked out — the new requirements will more than triple the amount of capital that banks must have in […]

The alternative investment management business will undergo major changes, thanks to passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  Although no specific rules have yet been written, the Wall Street reform law could impact investment returns, leverage and risk-taking, innovation and transparency of private equity, real estate and hedge fund managers. “This […]

Chicago’s initial Green Office Challenge honored 34 property-management firms, companies and buildings in a contest to determine who has accomplished the most in terms of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Sponsored by Mayor Richard M. Daley, the city’s Department of Environment and the non-profit ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the competition is part […]

Yields on United States commercial real estate are nearing record levels compared to Treasury bonds, a sign to investors that the time to buy may have arrived.  Capitalization rates, which measure real estate yields, averaged 7.22 percent in the 2nd quarter, according to the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF).  That translates to […]

Are housing prices about to experience a double dip?  Existing home sales fell 27 percent in July to the lowest level reported since 1995.  The plunge occurred even though mortgage rates are at their lowest levels in decades and houses in most regions are priced to sell.  July sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual […]

Washington, D.C.’s commercial real estate market – including its Virginia and Maryland suburbs – continues to be the nation’s most stable with vacancy rates far below the national average.  The area’s vacancy rate stood at 10.4 percent at the end of the first quarter, far below the 17.3 percent national average, according to Reis, a […]