International
North American Investor Optimism Leads the Way at MIPIM 2012 Despite Uncertainties
Senior industry leaders gathered at the exclusive pre-MIPIM 2012 event hosted by CREOpoint CEO J.C. Goldenstein to share both their expectations for the week and their sentiments on the global real estate environment.
The mood among participants was mostly positive. After sitting on the sidelines for several years, yield-starved investors are eager to find new opportunities. Howard Roth, global real estate leader for Ernst & Young L.P., was “cautious but positive, even in Europe, thanks to the recent stimulus,” he said. “There’s plenty of equity looking for a home this year.”
Demitrios Louziotis, senior vice president of global real estate solutions at ARGUS Software, may have best summarized the mood. “This time last year, the champagne glass was half full,” he said. “When we got to the fourth quarter, we realized the bottle was empty. Now the question is where is the next bottle coming from — and who’s bringing it.”
Cushman: Global CRE Investment Rose 14 Percent in 2011
According to services firm Cushman & Wakefield Inc., global property markets saw a stronger-than-expected end to 2011, with all regions experiencing robust demand for well-let assets. Activity worldwide increased by 14 percent, hitting the $808 billion mark — an increase of 83 percent from the lows of 2009.
Economy Watch: Athens Burns, but Bailout Deal Might at Last Be Done
The Greek Parliament enacted new austerity measures to appease the EU, and citizens took to the streets in protest. Details of President Obama’s fiscal 2013 budget leaked over the weekend. And a Reuters poll showed a small retreat in customer sentiment in mid-February.
Blackstone Takes 3.5 MSF of U.K. Industrial from Prologis
Blackstone is no stranger to huge deals, and its latest transaction makes it the owner of 3.5 million square feet of industrial space in the United Kingdom after making a $335 million, 13-property purchase from Prologis.
Notes from Davos: Taking a Global View
After spending time at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Jones Lang LaSalle’s CEO of the Americas, Peter Roberts, sees flexibility as a key for the commercial real estate industry.
ULI: Emerging Trends in Europe Bearish for '12
“Debt” is going to be the name of the game for the European real estate markets in 2012, according to Emerging Trends in Real Estate Europe 2012, the industry forecast published by PwC and the Urban Land Institute.
Hines, DLF Ltd. Begin Construction on 800 KSF Office Space in New Delhi
Capitalizing on the increased need for both office and retail space, Hines has partnered with DLF Ltd. to begin construction on One Horizon Center, which will be located southwest of New Delhi in Gurgaon.
JLL Adds to Tenant-Rep Side with Purchase of Australian Firm
Jones Lang LaSalle has acquired Sydney-based tenant advisory firm MPS Properties, adding approximately 43 million square feet of Australian office space to the company’s management rolls.
Carlson Hotels, Rezidor Align to Create Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Carlson Hotels and The Rezidor Hotel Group have come together to form the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, a separate hotel entity created to be a global force in the hotel industry.
Canadian REIT CANMARC Buys Three Properties for $213M
Less than two years after CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust completed its initial public offering, there appears to be no end in sight to its shopping spree. The REIT has committed to the purchase of three commercial properties across Canada for a total $213 million investment.