Was Fed's Dramatic Rate Cut Best Call for the Long Haul?
Just as we were putting this issue to bed, news broke that the Federal Reserve had extinguished a fire in the global stock markets by lowering its federal...
Which Wild Cards in 2008 Will Impact Real Estate?
Announcements of write-downs tied to mortgage-related debt at some of the nation's top financial institutions continue to roll off the newswires like...
It's Time to Take Off the Old Blinders
In June 2001, I wrote a column arguing that the commercial real estate industry was in denial about the weak state of the economy and its potential debilitating...
The First Phase of the Credit Storm Is Over, But Expect More Turbulence
While optimists are confident that the current credit crunch is merely a blip, pessimists are convinced that the subprime mortgage contagion can only...
British Invasion of Grocer Tesco To Shake Up U.S. Marketplace
Forget about rock'n'roll and low-mileage compact cars. The latest competitive threat from overseas could be a food fight with Britain's international...
Goldilocks Economy for Real Estate Gives Way to More Volatile Climate
Much like a powerful HBO special, the commercial real estate industry produced plenty of drama in the first half of 2007 — even without Tony Soprano. The first nail-biter ended in early February when shareholders of Equity Office Properties approved a $39 billion takeover offer by The Blackstone Group following a fierce bidding war with investors led by Vornado Realty Trust....
Defining Sustainability Takes Energy
Ask any 10 real estate professionals to define one of the biggest buzzwords of the 21st century, and almost assuredly you'll get 10 different answers, ranging from renewable energy sources to environmental management to eco-efficiency....
Could the Subprime Mortgage Meltdown Become Contagious?
The news continued to go from bad to worse on the residential mortgage front in late March. A Federal Reserve official testified before the House Financial Services Committee in Washington, D.C. that borrowers of subprime mortgage loans will experience more delinquencies and foreclosures over the next one to two years....
Unique assets, difficult projects are Strategic Hotels' Cup of Tea
Spend a few minutes talking with Laurence Geller and you get the distinct impression that he's part personal motivator and part entrepreneur. ...
Hotel Growth Spurt Coming to India
With a population of 1.1 billion, a GDP that's projected to grow about 8% annually until 2020, and a burgeoning middle class, India is on the radar screen of several hotel companies....
