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Prudential market experts were largely optimistic in their prognosis for the global economy during yesterday’s annual forecast. Strategists from the fixed income, retirement, quantitative management, international investment and annuities groups predicted moderate growth despite some concerns—mainly about oil prices, upcoming elections in Greece and Spain, the European Central Bank president’s expected decision to begin quantitative easing on or around Jan. 22 and Japan’s economic performance. They focused a lot on high-yield assets as the real investment opportunity today, which pretty much kept real estate out of the discussion. That is not to say they don’t like real estate. In fact,…

Most developers have been there a few times.  You found a great property, it’s well priced, and perfect for your newest development; be it a flip or an income property. You’ve deposited your earnest money, you’ve cleared all contingencies, you’ve begun work with your architect, engineer and subs, and closing is imminent.  But … the seller has begun acting erratically, alternating between refusing to close escrow and stating they would complete the transaction.  Maybe they are even trying to get more money out of you, thinking that they sold too cheap.  You, or your broker, have explained, and threatened, the…

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…

It’s clear from the agenda for this year’s CoreNet Global North American Summit in Washington, D.C. that corporate real estate has become part of the C-suite’s larger quest for productivity. It’s a journey that today’s advanced data tools can expedite now more than ever. As one global head of real estate for a major corporation recently observed, “data is power.” Many of the corporations represented as end-users in the CoreNet Global community have a long and successful history of using data and analytics in areas such as marketing their products or managing their supply chains. But for some, the real…

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…

High-tech companies are seeking reasonably-priced labor and real estate near their customers in new frontiers, giving smaller cities and suburbs a second economic wind. JLL’s latest

Shopping online just keeps getting easier. As deal sites abound, shipping prices fall away, inventory endlessly expands and it begs the question: “Does anyone load the kids up in the family car and drive to the mall anymore?” Turns out they do—and especially when school’s about to start. A recent survey shows that 90 percent of American households plan on doing their back-to-school shopping at physical retail stores this year, according to research from the International Council of Shopping Centers. The explanation for this anomaly may have less to do with the convenience of the shopping itself than with the quirks…

  Facility management has an aging workforce (average employee age of 49, six years above the U.S. general working population average)—but it doesn’t have to be that way. A recent JLL survey shows that only one percent of Millennials are studying facility management, yet they report values, skills and aspirations consistent with a career in this industry. The research reveals a critical disconnect: an industry offering meaningful careers, young people seeking jobs that make a difference in the world—and a lack of awareness of one another. As companies face a Baby Boomer retirement wave, the demand for facility management jobs…

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…