Mobile Home Parks: A Stable Investment?

Warren Buffet is known for loving all things low in cost but high in value, and mobile home parks seem to fit the criteria. Buffet is the largest owner of mobile home manufacturing and financing in the United States, and there is a reason why. He sees the lower end of the market as a stable investment.
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The End of Extend and Pretend?

If this article is on track in stating the market has bottomed out and banks will tend to release distressed loans and assets, will this finally allow our stalled industry to get back into business?

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Capital Markets Comeback in Full Swing

Even though this is a biased group, it definitely shows up the indicators toward more lending. George Smith Partners are a company that definitely has their pulse on the multi-family market. Lending is without question happening from the top end with the REITs and larger institutions but very stilted in the smaller asset size and secondary markets. That could easily change soon.


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CalPERS: New Strategic Plan Would Refocus Portfolio on Core U.S. Properties

CALPERS has done an abysmal job of investing and timing real estate investments. This could be another one of those timing issues. Click here

Break out the Shovels!

This is as good an indicator as any of the sentiment for 2011. Developers , investors and bankers have to feel good about the world to start on new construction. I am starting to see a sea change in my market. The stars don’t have to be perfectly aligned to get a deal done.
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ULI Panel Notes Growing Deal Flow

The great minds have decided that deal flow will pick up in 2011. I wish that we had come to the same conclusion...



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Trophy Investors Snag 9900 Wilshire for $148 million

The International players are back. This high profile property in Beverly Hills originally purchased by a British group in '07 for $500 million just sold for $148 million with a Singapore Buyer... read full article.

How Long Can the Cap Cate Compression Last?

A really good question, notables in the industry say not for too much longer... read full article

Signs of Recovery For Office Market

Subtle signs of recovery as the trophy office assets are moving. http://on.wsj.com/bt1dRz

Where the Heck is the Market Going?

We work in a firm that is predominantly a leasing brokerage. If you want to find out how the economy is really working, leasing is a true indicator. Lease up is generally happening for the wrong reasons, either because a better lease rate is going there, a sub lease, or a smaller space.

Paradoxically, the nationwide apartment market continues on a steady recovery. Effective rents increased or remained unchanged from last quarter in 29 out of 30 markets, as is occupancy. Decreasing cap rates followed the reduction in interest rates and increased buyer activity, while new construction was virtually nonexsistent.

San Francisco Bay Area Multi-Family parallels the nationwide market.

Multi-family Property Asking Price Index Trends

Fortress Takes Over San Francisco's Villas Parkmerced

Fortress Takes Over San Francisco's Villas Parkmerced Fortress Investment Group has taken over the owership entity of San Francisco's Villas Parkmerced apartment complex, after acquiring the mezzanine debt against the 3,221-unit property...read more.

SF Bay Area Multi-family Market

Nationwide apartment market continues on a steady recovery. Effective rents increased or remained unchanged from last quarter in 29 out of 30 markets, as is occupancy. Decreasing cap rates followed the reduction in interest rates and increased buyer activity, while new construction was virtually nonexistent. San Francisco Bay Area Multi-family parallels the nationwide market....Read more

2010 CMBS Modifications Outnumber the Last 2 Years Combined

Sign of further loan modifications for sellers and possibly buyers. http://bit.ly/cfxg4X

Renter Nation provided by Barron's

The recession and shifting demographics will swell the ranks of people who will rent, not buy, housing over the next five years.

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Buyers Turn Into Lenders

This is definitely a sign of things to come. With credit getting tighter sellers and buyers will have to be a lot more creative in order to close the deal.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870337410457533726220670251...

Apartment Leases, Rents Pick Up - WSJ.com

May and June have shown clear signs of a turnaround in the cycle. We saw the slide continue through March however as we enter July the arrow has changed direction.



http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870328000457530905391825977...

Multifamily Acquisition Market Heats Up as Cap Rates Fall

The rosy picture continues with multi-family as positive fundamentals push cap rates lower. The market is definitely heating up.

Read full article here --> http://bit.ly/bkQ9Hu

Rental Fundamentals Improve Overnight

Good news for rental rates and retention nationwide. Retention rates have hit record highs.
National fundamentals have made dramatic improvements in the first quarter of 2010.
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http://bit.ly/bFfJAA
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Increase in Distressed CRE Mortgages

The number of distressed commercial real estate mortgages has increased by 10% to a total of $187.4 billion. However the velocity of distressed mortgages has slowed down, possilby due to lender's willingness to "extend and pretend." Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Read More