In a recent article by Bloomberg titled ‘Starbucks Pushing Landlords for 25% Cut in Cafe Rents‘ Starbucks is still trying to cut operating costs. Their business model is changing and they no longer can sustain paying outrageously high rents and still turn a healthy profit. When their profits dipped down 69%, they began laying as [...]

On May 11, 2009, the Associated Press introduced its Economic Stress Index, which it describes as a service that “will provide monthly, multi-format updates on the economic stress of the United States down to the county level.” The index weighs three economic variables including unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcy to produce a score on a scale [...]

Arriving at a decision on the best strategy for how to successfully navigate the commercial real estate market during these challenging economic times is vexing to many an investor. Do I, or don’t I??? That is the conundrum facing most commercial real estate investors in today’s market. Do I, or don’t I liquidate my portfolio (or at least my non-performing assets)? Do I, or don’t I stand on the sidelines and wait-out these turbulent times? Do I, or don’t’ I get aggressive and take advantage of the decline in property values and the spike in acquisition cap rates? In the text that follows I’ll put forth counsel based not upon the emotions of the times, but rather the forthcoming advice is based upon my years of experience in successfully advising clients in both advancing and declining commercial real estate markets.

Do you think the collapse of the real estate market place is determinism (by design) or randomness (everything means nothing)? We can not deny that we have experienced a “bubble”. A bubble merely transfers a share of the future demand into the present. It’s linked with dramatic valuations and always debt funded. It is this [...]

The dislocation in the commercial real estate capital markets that exists today in the second quarter of 2009 has frustrated users of capital and left them feeling hopeless. The small universe of debt and equity providers that are willing and able to provide capital today want to advance less loan dollars on your deal while also taking on less risk. Most of the time that means that it’s a deal you cannot make. Thankfully, after successive quarters of bad news, most of us are past the denial stage and are making attempts to exist in a broken market. The leverage being offered by capital providers today would make sense if cap rates were closer to double digits, but unless and until that market correction happens, there will be further frustrations as both borrowers and lenders are fighting to preserve their equity and maintain returns seen earlier in the decade. The following are some survival tips that could help your deal:

According to the most recent Real Capital Analytics® Quarterly Retail Report the national retail asset sales volume at $1.9 billion (1st Quarter 2009) is down more than 74% from the same quarter one year ago. The only regional mall sale transaction in 2009 year-to-date (YTD) on a national level was the Cincinnati Mall which traded [...]

Jeffrey R. Shouse is the National Practice Leader of Self Storage Facilities for PGP Valuation, Inc. Jeff is located in the Sacramento California office and leads a group of appraisers located all over the United States. The National Practice group is able to appraise Self Storage Facilities located anywhere in the United States.
Jeffrey R. Shouse [...]

Bruce Nell is the National Practice Leader of Manufactured Home Communities (MHC) for PGP Valuation, Inc. Bruce is located in the Columbus Ohio office and leads a group of appraisers located all over the United States. The National Practice group is able to appraise any MHC located anywhere in the United States. 
Bruce has developed a [...]