Retail News Blog

The Portland Metro Area (PMA) apartment market was experiencing low vacancy trends (5% and below in most areas) and increasing rental rates from 2005 through late 2008. Since that time; however, the rental market has seen steady decline in rental rates and increases in concessions and vacancy due to the national recession that has seen [...]

Woe is the market analyst who shoots from the hip. There is too much opportunity and rationale these days, or for that matter, at any time, for closer examination of the data, analysis, and conclusions set forth by appraisers reporting the decision-making processes of participants in the real estate market.
Who among us has not been [...]

Now that the reality of the credit market crisis, which really began in July 2007, has fully taken effect, 2009 has been a period of repositioning within the market.  Ironically, the repositioning will be a “return-to-the-old”.  Commercial real estate values are returning to the core fundamentals that always drove the market prior to the rise [...]

Commitment to the Arizona Market Highlights Continued Growth of Firm
PHOENIX, AZ – PGP Valuation, Inc. (PGP), the industry-leading real estate appraisal firm with offices worldwide, has announced that Phil Steffen, MAI, has been named executive managing director of the firm’s new office opening in Phoenix, AZ. Steffen is a recognized member of the valuation community [...]

Establishment of Senior Leadership Role Highlights Company’s Dedication to Expanding Services for Government, Institutional and Corporate Accounts
CARLSBAD, Calif. – PGP Valuation Inc., the industry-leading appraisal services firm with offices worldwide, has announced that Lance W. Doré, MAI, FRICS, has been appointed to the newly created position of Vice President, Client Services. In his new corporate [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Ask yourself this simple question:  What will the world look like for my children’s grandchildren?  This is not a question about politics or global warming. This is a question about the legacy we leave.
The real estate industry is responding quickly.  “Sustainability”, “LEED”, “carbon credits”, “cap and trade” are terms that are rapidly infiltrating our day [...]

How have the Capital markets affected lending for the manufactured home community industry?
The significant turmoil in the real estate capital markets has resulted in a considerable vacuum in financing opportunities for Manufactured Home Communities. Once a favorite of the now inactive CMBS/Conduit loan industry, the MHC asset class has become increasingly reliant on Fannie Mae, [...]

On April 15th, we posted an article that described some of the financial difficulties that Walgreens is experiencing, and how this company is retooling to ensure long-term sustainability given current economic conditions. The recent struggles with this company along with scarcity of loan dollars and decreased market demand for all triple net properties are causing [...]

Thank you for visiting our commercial real estate blog. The purpose of this blog is to share ideas and information about the industry that would otherwise not be immediately available to our readers. If you find the blog useful and informative, please share it with your peers, colleagues and clients. We are committed to expanding [...]

Recent events in the financial markets have led real estate investors to question the impact on the value of investment grade real estate. Uncertainty breeds risk and risk in real estate requires higher yields. This will lead to continued declines in values for the first quarter 2009. However, good quality industrial assets should fare well [...]

There were fewer sales in 2008 than seen in previous years. The reduced number of sales owes in some degree to the lack of credit available and the particular aversion to risk on behalf of lenders as well as investors in the current market. The uncertainty surrounding the ultimate fallout from the downturn in the [...]

A lot has changed in the past 12 months. A new president and a shift in the policies of Washington. The S&P fell 40% and then rebounded 25% in the last month. The Phillies win a world series; although the curse of the Billy Goat lives on in Chicago.
Unemployment has reached a level not seen [...]

Capitalization rates reflect the degree of risk associated with an investment. Net operating income divided by the capitalization rate equals value.
Beginning in 2008, and carrying over into 2009, market conditions have led to a noticeable increase in capitalization rates.  These trends are a function of increased risk perceived by investors and more stringent lending conditions [...]

Market Intelligently
Don’t Give it Away for Free
Leverage Zoning
Maximize Unit Efficiency
Image Is Everything
Put Your Best Face Forward
Track Your Performance
Know Your Neighbor
Utilize Security
Storage Income is not Everything

1.) Market Intelligently – Are you maximizing your marketing dollar?Are you thinking outside the box? A variety of marketing tools exist intoday’s self-storage industry. In addition to traditional media types such as [...]

How have the Capital markets affected lending for the self storage industry?
Like most other income property classes, with the exception of apartments, financing for self-storage properties has been hard hit with limited capital available in today’s market. Because of the management intensive nature of self-storage, lenders including banks and insurance companies who once were willing [...]

There have been fewer sales in 2008 than seen in previous years. The reduced number of sales owes in some degree to the lack of credit available and theparticular aversion to risk on behalf of lenders as well as investors in the current market. The uncertainty surrounding the ultimate fallout from the downturn inthe national [...]

(Info provided by Self-Storage SSA)
• At year-end 1984 there were 6,601 facilities with 289.7 million square feet of rentable self-storage in the U.S. At year-end 2008, there were 51,250 “primary” selfstoragefacilities representing 2.35 billion square feet. This represents an increase of more than 2.0 billion square feet.
• The top 5 self-storage companies, including the four [...]

As they say, timing and opportunity are everything!
James Murrett, MAI, SRA, an acknowledged expert in our field has joined PGP Valuation as the Director of Appraisal Standards. Jim has considered our firm to be a leading provider in the industry and has been intrigued by our service offerings, methodologies and overall standing. 
Jim [...]

Joe began his career with Anderson Consulting and BDO Seidman on the real estate side and also served as a director of marketing for Lee & Associates. He moved back over to the consulting world with a 7 year stint working for the major international brand strategy firm, Siegel & Gale. He ran their L.A. and Pacific Rim [...]

Walgreens is a national, retail drugstore chain that sells prescription and non-prescription drugs and general merchandise. General merchandise includes, among other things, beauty care, personal care, household items, candy, photofinishing, greeting cards, seasonal items and convenience food. Walgreens’ sales of pharmaceutical items account for approximately two-thirds of all sales.
Walgreens was founded in 1901, and as [...]