Branford, CT Journal

Pundits and Predictions...contradiction abounds

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:01 -0800

Pink Magazine a business women's publication wrote in the May issue that investing in REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) is a great idea for women without the time to buy property and watch it themselves. Did the writer of that article read ANYTHING

Direct From the Yale Daily News....

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:01 -0800

It only took Forty Years to reverse a Bad Decision that seemed Avant Garde in the late 60's. I think of the people who hold an Oak Street Neighborhood Reunion every year. Imagine seeing your neighborhood returned after being plowed under for a highway

Counting on CNN and the rest of the media to be behind the curve on insight

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:01 -0800

CNN is reporting the widely known fact that $700 Billion in commercial real estate loans that will mature in the next two years. Surprise! With rising vacancy, dropping rental rates and stricter underwriting standards, their pundit Don Peebles thinks

Turbulant Commerial Real Estate Market Nationally, Locally

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:01 -0800

Since the start of the Commercial Real Estate crash of 2009, Connecticut Commercial Real Estate owners have been living in the eye of the real estate storm. Landlords in CT read the news as REIT stocks tumbled on the heels of hedge fund implosions.

TALF Launched. Will Commercial Real Estate Investment Bounce Back?

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:01 -0800

In California, the tax rolls of many counties are negative. The national economic downturn and falling commercial real estate values throughout the state are at the heart of tax revenue loss. While homeowners are getting relief through government programs

Where is the Recession Going?

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:01 -0800

Economists are all over the time space continuum when they speak about the economic downturn and project a recovery. In November, and economist from Tulane was projecting a start of recovery at the end of this quarter. At the other end of the spectrum

CRE values will see a bumpy road well into '09 yet Connecticut stays strong.

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:01 -0800

There's no call to toll the bell for CRE, as we discussed extensively at the Fall 2008 SIOR world conference in Minneapolis, there are dollars and financing available for smaller development projects (though not retail projects) and there is a market

Time To Buy...here, there and every where

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:01 -0800

No one can agree on how long the recession will last or how deep it will go. But the one thing that real estate professionals DO agree on is that it's time to invest in real estate. According to Herb Krumsick, SIOR of Wichita, KS., the most money was

Investing in uncertain times: TIC perils

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:01 -0800

About a year ago, my company's founder was quoted in the press, talking about real estate and sex. Before I had a chance to read the paper, there were six messages on my voice mail. Customers and competitors laughing hysterically, asking how he had

Sinking Dow Jones & Real Estate Pricing, good news?

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:01 -0800

Last year ULI predicted 2008 would be a year of uncertainty and that investors operating on debt would be the hardest hit by tougher underwriting standards and companies giving back space. Lehman proved them right by folding largely due to a REIT portfolio

Warnings: Deflation, Steel demand down, the Dow down, China down. Still the Economy can Rise.

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:01 -0800

We are in uncharted territory. Never before has the government owned so much of the "private" banking industry. World stock markets continue to fall. Each small gain is corrected by a loss two times as deep. What began as bad lending practices in

Borrowing from ourselves: reverse mortgages the next honey trap

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:01 -0800

Originally intended to give elderly homeowners without mortgages or with a lot of equity in their homes, a vehicle to liquidate some of that equity into cash for use in their twilight years, whether they use it for home health aides, hospice or dream

And the Dow jumps back

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:01 -0800

The rally was fueled by confidence. Confidence in the government working to improve economic policy and implement bank safe guards, such as guaranteeing bank to bank loans, as well as European governments working to shore up their banks fueled the bounce

Rock Beats Paper this time. Real Estate beats stock paper

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:01 -0800

Treasury Bills are down, the fed is talking about depression era adjustments to interest rates and the buy back of commercial paper. But, landlords who have owned property, bricks and mortar for the long term aren't in a panic. They don't want to see

Meanwhile, back in Connecticut

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:01 -0800

The Dow rose Tuesday, regaining nearly half of Monday's record losses. Bank stocks were up as was confidence that a solution to the economic crisis might be at hand. Connecticut Banking Commissioner reported that Connecticut's banks are stable but

The greatest drop in points at 778 points down but not the greatest percentage fall.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:01 -0800

The House didn't pass the bailout, but take the Government's advice - Don't Panic. In the immortal words of Woody Boyd "Noooo, sudden movements" If you're not a Cheers fan you'll have no idea what I'm talking about, but it's a lot more fun than a

Congratulations America, it's a bi-partisan bailout. (born Sunday, September 28, 2008)

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:01 -0800

It was just two Sundays ago that all of Lehman Brothers options dried up and Monday morning it declared bankruptcy. Last Friday, the bailout was announced and congress immediately began working out the details. They worked on it all weekend so that

Save the Insurance Company (AIG)...Save the World

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:01 -0800

In the biggest government intervention in history to stop the biggest potential financial collapse in history, the Federal Government stepped in at the eleventh hour to save American International Group, A.I.G. from bankruptcy. Why AIG and not Bear

Wall Street's Hangover - Lehman and Merrill Lynch headed for the History Books?

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:01 -0800

To say it was a tough weekend on Wall Street would be an understatement. The face of Wall Street has changed again. The phrase New Financial World Order is being spoken and not lightly. Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers Holdings are suddenly gone,

Whatever Happened to Good News?

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:01 -0800

In May, Connecticut?s Labor Force Grew. The new casino: The MGM Grand at Foxwoods began hiring for June?s grand opening and the bottom did not fall out of the home sales market as it has in other parts of the country. Robert DeNiro was in Connecticut

Everyone is Going to Disney World!

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:01 -0800

Despite News of a Recession, Inflation, Food Shortages, Gas Hikes and an end to the United States? National Spending Spree of the last 10 years, Disney is Booming! Its stock has risen 3% and the parks are full. Affordable hotels and an influx of European

Retail Bust? Will New Haven County feel the pinch?

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:01 -0800

The New York Times reports today that several retail chains are tightening their belts and may be heading to bankruptcy courts. The trend should come as no surprise to many economy watchers. Midsize chains are being hit the hardest. While economic

Railroad Rebirth?

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:01 -0800

Much of this movement may well be driven by Asia, where many of our consumer goods are now produced. The surge in railroad use coincides with a major surge in the importing of consumer goods from Asia in 2003. The railroad is a major mover of product

SubPrime Panic

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:00:01 -0800

It's true, HSBC Holdings, one of the largest players in the subprime market and New Century Financial are halting loans to subprime borrowers and according to Wharton Real Estate professor Susan Wachter, this may cause residential sales to drop off this

The Next Big Thing in Connecticut�s Commercial Market?

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:26:46 -0800

Here on the East Coast, we often say all trends begin in California. What would fashion be without the surfer look, Haight Ashbury�s quintessential peasant top and of course, Jeans, made indespensible first by the gold rush and then by James Dean in

Commercial Real Estate 2007

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 11:02:15 -0800

Home sales were off 14% last quarter. A spokesman for the National Association of Realtors stated that he thought that was the bottom of the Real Estate Market correction. On February 7, 2007 the most hotly watched Real Estate Investment Trust buyouts

A smattering of Acronyms

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:57:23 -0800

naiop - the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties is a trade association for developers, owners, investors, asset managers and other professionals in industrial, office and mixed-use commercial real estate. Their research foundation

The coliseum is coming down, will Long Wharf and Gateway Rise?

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:39:18 -0800

The New Haven Coliseum is set to implode on the 20th of January 2007. The escalators that we stomped on and slapped, when we were teenagers leaving concerts, hockey games, or monster truck rallies, have been dismantled and taken away. The Coliseum

At holiday time, thoughts on economy.

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:18:06 -0800

I sat down with the Chairman of the Economic Development Commission for North Haven recently. We discussed the changing economy of North Haven. In the past several years, North Haven has seen major employers leave town, beginning with Pratt & Whitney

Slower Home Sales and Branford�s Commercial Real Estate Market

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:37:55 -0800

Every national media outlet from MSN�s homepage to The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Cable Money Managing shows have been talking about a bursting housing bubble for the past two months. In the fine print, they often mention that the bubble

New Haven's Commercial Real Estate Market. Booming?

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 07:55:36 -0800

Investors, Developers and other believers have been snapping up commercial real estate in New Haven's central business district for several years now. Vacancy is down, construction is on the rise. Office buildings revamped into upscale housing complexes

Basic Commercial Real Estate Terms

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 13:55:42 -0800

Net Lease or Triple Net Lease: Refers to the Tenant�s financial share of the operating expenses of the real estate. Lease Rates are often quoted on a dollar per square foot basis. Leases can be �plus utilities�; Net, Net, Net or a combination of the

Is it Time for Industrial Landlords to Offer Perks to prosepective Tenants?

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 04:24:41 -0800

The New Haven Industrial market remains, for the most part, the domain of the smaller user company. Though 80,000sf of the former Bic Headquarters and manufacturing facility were recently leased to a Furniture design and manufacturing company, leases

Cap. Rates

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 13:52:25 -0800

The definition of a Cap Rate is, quite simply, the Capitalization Rate of the income generated by real estate. Originally defined by the Appraisal Industry, for all its mystery it�s a measurement. A measurement by which institutions or large investors

The Rise of Full Service Real Estate Agencies, again

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 08:22:52 -0800

The Real Estate Market appears to be slowing .Economic indicators point to the trend continuing. Soon, a For Sale By Owner sign on a 7,000sf building in Branford isn�t going to make the phone ring. Knowledge of companies looking to expand or contract

Environmental Site Inspections 101 ? Blog Style

Thu, 25 May 2006 07:41:24 -0800

Commercial Real Estate in Connecticut is closely monitored by the Department of Environmental Protection. It is very rare that a commercial property in New Haven County is sold without an Environmental Assessment being conducted. As a matter of fact

The Internet has Changed Real Estate Market Place Forever.

Wed, 17 May 2006 13:15:05 -0800

Knowledge and Information used to be every agent�s ace in the hole, now, skill and knowledge of neighborhoods, schools, the accessibility of clubs and community amenities, the ability to navigate home inspections, paperwork detailing underground tank

The Bidding War

Sat, 06 May 2006 07:36:58 -0800

Everyone calls a �Seller�s Market� a hot market, and a �Buyer�s Market�, a slow market. In a �Hot Market� where real estate is at a premium, home buyers try to bide their time, wait for the market to cool, the housing bubble to burst, or a correction

Economy Questions and Concerns

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:04:11 -0800

Stuart Varney, former co-anchor of CNN's Moneyline Newshour, now a Fox News Business Reporter spoke at the Spring Conference of S.I.O.R. (Society of Industrial Office Realtors http://www.sior.com/about.asp)in La Quinta California last week. He predicted

the next hot property

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:00:01 -0800

The next hot market in Connecticut? Follow the shoreline home sales. The I-95 Corridor from Madison to Old Saybrook The definition of New Haven business is going to be expanded to include Middlesex and New London Counties. Commercial Real Estate is

Home Sales are Slowing

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

So say the pundits. New housing starts were off in January and February and residential real estate brokerage firms are seeing attrition among the ranks. What does it mean for the commercial industrial real estate market, particularly the Commercial

Vacancy Rates, Net Absorption, CBD, what are all the acronyms?

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0800

And what do they really mean to CFO's, Presidents, Entrepreneurs and Business People searching for Commercial Real Estate in Connecticut, Office Space in New Haven, or any Real Estate in Connecticut?

Vacancy Rate refers to the percentage of the total

Commercial Real Estate in New Haven's Central Business District is going to the homes.

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Luxury Apartments and Condominiums continue to spring up in New Haven. A new small luxury development in Wooster Square is among the latest projects to continue New Haven's housing boom. Looking for a New York Loft in Connecticut? Check out the Johnson

Looking for Commercial Real Estate in Connecticut?

Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Looking for Commercial Real Estate in New Haven County? It's a different market than Fairfield County.

In Stamford, Office Vacancy, runs at about 4 million square feet. In New Haven the entire office market is 4 million square feet. Royal Ahold

Connecticut real estate: what's hot and not.

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

The Commercial Real Estate Investment Market in Connecticut especially on the I-91 and I-95 corridors is as hot as ever. Entrepreneurs buying new homes for their businesses keep the purchase market hopping. Small suburban offices and flex spaces top

The Connecticut Real Estate market breaks into multiple sectors

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

The Connecticut Real Estate market breaks into multiple sectors: Greater New Haven, Fairfield County, The Hartford Region, New Haven Shoreline, New London and the Casino areas, and each of these markets breaks differently. Hartford, commercially, is

2006: What will happen?

Mon, 26 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

The housing market is cooling in many sectors, but not in towns like of Madison, Guilford, Branford, Clinton Essex and everywhere in between. In the commercial market, soothsayers predict another 18 months of moving and shaking. The investment and

Multifamily Landlords

Wed, 14 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Is there a rule of thumb for mutli-family ownership and profit potential? Redbrick Partners, the leading managers of investment funds comprised of single-family houses say that there is a quick look rule for residential rental property.

It is not

So you're looking for commercial real estate!

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0800

So you're looking for commercial real estate! You're kid's piano teacher sells houses on the weekends, why not just ask him to find you a new office building?

Residential Real Estate and Commercial Real Estate are two very different businesses. Simply

Where is the commercial real estate market going?

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Where is the commercial real estate market going? Not just New Haven, but all of Connecticut

Connecticut declared its recovery from the recession, but at the same time lagged behind the other 49 states in jobs creation. Everyone in the state, from

The Housing Bubble

Sat, 24 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0800

It's all over the papers: The New York Post has written about it. The Hartford Courant.

Everyone agrees, from East Haven to Old Lyme...there is no bubble. It's a stampede of New Yorkers and Fairfield County residents buying every last view of water

Buying Real Estate In New Haven County? Commercial Real Estate is as hot as ever.

Sat, 10 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Looking for a good investment opportunity? Be prepared to compete and act fast.

Investors are trading very quickly in real estate. They accept Lower Returns on Equity or Lower Cap Rates (overall capitalization rates) than last year. Taking it

Summer Slowdown

Sat, 03 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0800

This summer has seen the first real slowdown in real estate transaction activity in the past couple years. August will be very quiet with Tenant companies waiting for vacations to end before making major moves. And Investors have taken their money

Real Estate Booms in and around New Haven for Investors.

Wed, 22 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Large Developers and first time two family home buyers alike, think New Haven County is the place to be. Developers continue to move out of New York City, Westchester and Fairfield Counties to place their money in New Haven County's ,""Flex,"" Light

What is a REIT?

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:01 -0800

REITs are a form of security that trades like stock, yet gives the investor the advantage of participating in multi-million square foot commercial real estate projects.

Congress created REITs in 1960 to give average investors the opportunity to invest