Industry analysts predicted the collapse of U.S. commercial real estate but it never materialized in reality. Of course, the market is just coming out of an economic downturn. Recently, a Federal Reserve executive told a congressional committee that commercial real estate was close to bottom. Yet an even greater crisis had been predicted by many observers. It was believed that commercial real estate would fall, drag the economy back to a reces... [More]

The football team whose city has the most commercial real estate vacancies will win the Super Bowl. That is the prediction of Roger Staubach who led the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories in 1972 and 1978. At present, Staubach is the Americas executive chairman for Jones Lang LaSalle - a global financial and professional services company specializing in real estate. Based on his expertise and experience in sports and property, the forme... [More]

2011 is shaping up to be the "Year of The Landlord." As many people face the winter winds, we are reminded of a wise old saying. "It's an ill wind that blows no good." ~ John Heywood (1497-1580) In the case of the winds of change in real estate, falling house prices and slow sales have challenged many sellers but benefited more than a few apartment building landlords. More people are choosing to rent but others can find no suitable alternati... [More]

Most likely, the majority of real estate predictions fall somewhere in the middle - based on more than a crystal ball and less than empirical research. Maybe there might be one or two people who put predictions out there without any thought. Yet most real estate predictions are the result of studying trends and statistics. Accurate Predictions Apparently, a few of these predictions can have a high accuracy rate. For example, the Globe and Ma... [More]

Ok, Google fans, no need to panic, you can still search for everything though your favorite search engine. You can no longer search for real estate listings, however, on its Maps portal. Everyone can continue to find real estate websites and related content via Google. Maybe that's even how you found this blog! Discontinued Actually, interested parties can still find real estate listings on Google Maps - until February 10, 2011. After that da... [More]

It is probably not just a coincidence that renowned architect, Richard Meier, designed twin towers near New York City's waterfront. The luxurious apartment buildings were built in 2002 – a year after the World Trade Center disaster. The construction period coincided with a time in which New York City was searching for renewed hope. In fact, Meier admitted that he wanted to bring life back to the area. Not A Twin No doubt the two tall Pe... [More]

Let's face facts! When someone is thinking about buying a home, they are more interested in the news about local real estate than global real estate trends. They care about the price of the house across town. Interested buyers pay less attention to long-term predictions or the housing market in another state. The buyer has eyes only for the dream home around the corner. Yet the truth is that the overall picture affects that dream as wel... [More]

Many potential home owners in Canada are reeling from recent mortgage changes introduced by their federal government. Yet the Canadian administration believes that the modifications will make a positive difference in people's financial health. The regulatory changes are meant to save consumers from themselves in terms of debt load. The government is hoping to discourage potential home owners from taking on debt that they cannot handle in realit... [More]

Cold weather makes us long for the warmth of hearth and home. The desire for a cozy spot in front of the fireplace works to the advantage of the real estate market. Cold weather and the real estate market seem to be the perfect match. Longing for Home For most people, the thought of curling up by the fireplace with a good book and a warm drink is a comforting image. Do we have a positive reaction to that scene just because of the human need f... [More]

Many U.S. home sellers saw dollars vanish in front of their eyes during the past year. Although the vanishing act was really an illusion as the money never existed – except in an over-zealous home seller's mind. Pricing homes outside the realm of reality holds no magic; it just ends with disappointed sellers. All the dollars disappear because home buyers move on to another dream (and price) within their reach. During the past year, no ho... [More]