1. EMBRACE THE OMNI-CHANNEL EXPERIENCE: More and more retailers are striving to build a true omni-channel experience that merges at-home, in-store and mobile commerce into one seamless experience. In other words, if a customer wants to view an item online, purchase it using their phone and pick it up in-store, they can do so in a smooth and effortless way. Omni-channel provides the perfect example of merging digital insights with in-store physical experiences. The experience of every channel, from mobile to desktop to in-store, should feel the same to the customer. 2. BUT…IN-STORE EXPERIENCES MATTER: With a recent U.S. Census…

1.      DARE TO BE DIFFERENT – Enhancing a retail center with unique tenants creates synergy and healthy competition. New experiences drive traffic, repeat visits and sales. Keep your center fresh with new and different shops; develop relationships with local and regional boutiques so you’ll be their first call when they’re ready to expand. Offer competitive and flexible lease terms to entice retailers and incubate their concepts and support them with  marketing and retail expertise. 2.      COMMON BONDS: Maximizing common area space can yield high rewards, it’s a delicate balance to improve the customer experience while preserving and increasing the value…

Liquidity in the debt markets is pushing core pricing and strong activity coupled with aggressive lending and competitive structures on the debt side. Banks, life companies and CMBS lenders will all become increasingly competitive, driving growth across more markets and products.  Foreign investors and lenders alike are expanding their presence in the U.S. by acquiring assets and placing capital in gateway cities. Here are the top five things to know about foreign financing: Foreign Financing: Moving Along the Risk Spectrum: Offshore investment into the United States reached $298 billion in 2014 with foreign investors and lenders alike pursuing core, trophy,…

Halloween comes only once a year, much to the disappointment of costumed, candy-hoarding kids — and much to the relief of their parents. For years, retailers and mall owners would’ve largely sided with the kids: Halloween brings increased sales, but only for one month a year and only for certain kinds of shops. These days, however, the retail sector is embracing the business version of a sugar high: using temporary leases to lure pop-up Halloween shops that open between September and November. Far from fly-by-night operations, these short-lived stores are a big reason why Halloween spending is expected to hit approximately $11.3…

Is your office a “Best Place to Work”—and a green one? The two should go together. The World Green Building Council and JLL’s Health, wellbeing and productivity in offices: The next chapter for green building report provides “overwhelming evidence” that indoor air quality, thermal comfort, access to natural light and other elements of green office design make employees not only feel better, but also more productive. According to the report, these are five secrets to creating a greener, more productive place to work: 1)  Tired or inspired? Check the air quality. Improving air quality can make a big difference in…

“How much do we spend on real estate globally?” “How many leases do we have across the world?” “Which buildings could we exit in the next 12 months?” If you are a typical corporate real estate executive, these simple questions may be difficult to answer because the data is not easily available. Today, data lets real estate talk in a whole new way. It tells us more about productivity, growth opportunities, talent retention and sustainability. It helps real estate communicate with business strategy, sales, operations, HR and IT. Most companies are not fully exploiting this potential. Yet, top-performing companies excel…

Global shifts in the life sciences landscape may be rewriting the global map, but U.S. cities continue to lead the world in biopharmaceutical resources and enterprises. The 2014 JLL Global Life Sciences Cluster Report analyses top U.S. life sciences clusters, ranks the cities for their prominence in the industry and also offers an analysis of global trends in 17 countries. U.S. life sciences clusters with a large presence of small start-ups, mid-tier biotech firms and specialty companies flourished in 2013, with moderate increases in year-on-year employment and establishments. Conversely, clusters with a major-tenant base, such as large headquarter campuses or…