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As U.S. commercial real estate prices have risen rapidly in gateway markets, where the science, technology, engineering, and new media sectors have driven employment growth, many investors are questioning whether these trends can continue over the long run.  We think that they will.  While a recession could occur, we believe that technology and knowledge-based markets—what we call Learned Locales– will post above-average growth regardless of economic conditions. Employment in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields is changing the nature of cities and real estate demand.  Industries dominated by STEM jobs, including professional and technical services, management and healthcare,…

There’s a new opportunity for innovation knocking on the C-suite door, but this time, it’s not from IT. Forward-looking corporate real estate (CRE) teams are looking to breathe new life into the way they manage their business globally, and their tech team counterparts have set an intriguing example. With small but mighty in-house teams, paired with one or two integrated vendor partnerships, big firms are fortified by their outsourced partners’ sweeping presence and cutting-edge infrastructure tools and market insight. We call this new approach Outsourcing 4.0. This revolution in CRE outsourcing has come none too soon. The motivation for C-level…

Rainbow Housing Executive Director Flynann Janisse offers insight into how impact investing is catching on and how to measure its success.

Cost, people and space data that integrates seamlessly with business and market data? Productivity measured and supported? Now it’s all possible. Real estate data integration has long been an enterprise ambition; now, it’s a reality. The integration platforms to achieve that goal have been missing, with siloed, function specific service providers running the technology development show—until now. Whether planning post-merger consolidations or developing realistic expansion scenarios, richer data, analytics and CRE-specific predictive tools inform stronger decisions at every juncture. Bold new big data and insights technology presents a major opportunity for real estate executives looking to transform the way they…

Despite the fact that information is readily available through Building Information Modeling (BIM), Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and Building Automation Systems (BAS), facility teams do not fully utilize data to help anticipate potential problems and needs within their department. Facility managers and owners lose money every day because they do not have a thorough understanding of the current condition of their facility. Although most facility operators view inaccurate building documentation as a major issue, they continue to operate in spite of it because of the difficulty in managing the rapidly changing information associated with remodels, expansions and regular maintenance….

The heat is on in corporate real estate (CRE) departments around the world.  From Singapore to London to Chicago, the C-suite is demanding more business intelligence from real estate executives – and more productivity from properties – than ever before. It’s a veritable pressure cooker, according to JLL’s 2015 Global Corporate Real Estate Trends report, which surveyed 544 CRE executives from 350 global corporations and 36 countries. More than half of the respondents report greater C-suite expectations in nearly every category, from improving the productivity of office space, to delivering better data management and portfolio analytics. Senior leaders are impatient…

More and more people understand the benefits of green living and integrate sustainable practices into their daily lives. From driving hybrid cars to reupholstering or repurposing furniture, shopping locally and carpooling, there are a lot of ways in which we can all contribute to saving the environment. While each individual action counts and can lead to a better quality of life, the impact of large-scale projects and initiatives is unparalleled. The global green building market rose in 2013 to $260 billion — including an estimated 20 percent of all new U.S. commercial real estate construction — and all signs point…

Multi-family is standing strong, according to Auction.com Executive Vice President Rick Sharga. Here’s his forecast for the rest of the year.

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…