Blog

PKF Consulting USA, LLC (PKFC)’s recently released results of its annual Hospitality Investment Survey revealed that hospitality investment indices continue to operate at optimal performance levels. According to the survey results, hotel profits are up, debt is more readily available at attractive terms, capitalization rates are stable and values are expected to increase in the near term. Conducted in the spring of 2014, the current edition of the Hospitality Investment Survey tracks changes in investment and financing criteria over the prior 12 months. With supply growth forecast to remain below the long-run average, the outlook for exceptional returns on hotel…

Ongoing evolution in the retail industry—including near-global access to the Internet and speedy adoption rates of smartphones—is forcing retailers to create a brick-and-mortar shopping experience that rivals the convenience and immediacy of the Internet. As a result, hundreds of retailers in thousands of locations are committing capital to renovating stores for an enhanced overall customer experience. This week at ICSC ReCon in Las Vegas, attendees discussed how omni-channel shopping, technology and big data are shaping how retailers approach the customer experience and their consequent renovation programs. Retailers should consider these three key questions when defining the type and magnitude of…

In the pursuit of “the next big thing,” tech firms are now prioritizing access to talent in software development site selection. Unlike the early days of tech offshoring, when shifting operations abroad was undertaken primarily to cut costs, today the industry is scooping up and occupying commercial property in a range of markets, from low to moderate to expensive, with the goal of harnessing programmer power wherever it may be. Growing appetite for geographic diversity The shift toward tapping into more global markets is a new one, according to new analysis from JLL. From 2003 to 2006, India and China…

Michael Fried, founder & CEO of Phoenix Realty Group L.L.C., blogs about how his company is striving to connect with the Millennial generation. Look for regular video commentaries from Fried and president Keith Rosenthal.

Is your workplace—or your client’s workplace—in a smart building, controlled by automated “intelligent” systems that maximize occupant comfort and energy efficiency? In the not-too-distant future, we expect smart building technology and building operating systems to become a standard item in broker-landlord discussions. As evidenced in a new report from JLL, The Changing Face of Smart Buildings: The Op-Ex Advantage, the competitive advantage of buildings operated with smart systems is becoming increasingly evident. Smart buildings are not only more energy-efficient and cheaper to operate than facilities with legacy systems, but also are ideal for supporting today’s mobile workforce and flexible office…

For a growing percentage of the workforce, “going to work” no longer translates as “going to the office.” With most corporate office space vacant for nearly half of an average day—according to numerous industry studies—and nearly a billion square feet of U.S. office space sitting empty, it is clear that mobility is king. With 79 percent of U.S. companies planning to increase mobile workplace options, the question for commercial property decision-makers is not whether to embrace mobility, but how and when. A new approach to aligning work and place can help balance supply and demand in the corporate real estate portfolio,…

By James Breitenstein, CFA Single-family rental investment is a relatively new but fast-maturing sector, and investors today are beginning to sort out the alternatives within the SFR category. What are some measures by which to evaluate those offerings? In the aftermath of the recession many investors are apprehensive about investing in real estate, but in today’s environment the strength of the real estate recovery — in certain sectors and markets — is attracting once-skeptical investors. And for SFR, there’s the added layer of understanding this “new” category. But as with all real estate opportunities, the key is to do proper…

Keith Rosenthal, co-founder & president of Phoenix Realty Group L.L.C., blogs about middle-market America’s insatiable demand for multi-family housing, and how best to cater to that. Look for quarterly video commentaries from Rosenthal and CEO Michael Fried.  

By Elizabeth Cooper and Tom Doughty Concessions and rent breaks in law firm office space are going, going—and close to gone, even as a few prominent cities prove the exception to the rule. According to Jones Lang LaSalle’s annual Law Firm Perspective, rents have increased an average of 2.1 percent overall across the 41 U.S. designated “law firm markets” in the last year—up more than 14 percent from 2009. While law firm relocations this year included downsizing by an average 15.2 percent, the legal sector is collectively leasing more space nationwide. Furthermore, law firm lease negotiations now favor landlords in…