Perspectives
Zombie Malls – Part 3: Bringing Dead Shopping Venues Back to Life Through Multifamily Development – A Hypothetical
Abstract As more retail activity goes online with Ecommerce and given the fact that the U.S. is over retailed, mall owners/developers are looking for ways to revitalize and monetize their real estate by adding multifamily to create a mixed-use environment. One of the main drivers of this effort is parking reduction, as developers and retailers… Read more
Perspectives
Finding the Direction of Future Sales Prices In a Residential Market Analysis Using the Months-of-Supply Indicator
Abstract The Months-of-Supply market statistic combines indicators of residential demand and supply to determine market trends and their impact on future transaction prices. It is available from local real estate, government, and selected university sources, or calculated using data typically found in the office. The interaction of demand and supply trends shows a shortage or… Read more
Rebuilding Ukraine
As someone who has lived and worked through the destruction of a country, first hand seen the rebuilding of one country, Serbia, twice and seen the redevelopment of several other countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia) I feel compelled to give my thoughts on the rebuilding of Ukraine. The war in… Read more
Features
The Future of Affordable Housing in the US: Global Solutions for a Local Problem
Introduction Amidst an ensuing cost of living crisis in many geographies, a higher for longer interest rate environment, and the sustained shocks of inflation resulting from the pandemic years and the return of interstate war in Europe, a feeling of economic insecurity pervades many societies today. Remarkably, in an economy which is expanding over 3%… Read more
Lessons I Learned from Ray Torto
Ray Torto was an important teacher and mentor for me. His recent passing has put me in a reflective mood about the things I learned from him. I owe much of the success in my career to his ability to teach. In 1996, I packed up my life in Chicago and drove out to Boston… Read more
Resource Reviews
REVIEW: New Guide to Ground Leases
Joshua Stein’s New Guide to Ground Leases, published in 2024 by ACRE Press, is a comprehensive resource for anyone dealing with ground lease transactions. The Guide consists of three volumes which include: Volume 1: Encyclopedia of Ground Leases - This volume covers a wide range of topics related to ground lease transactions. It delves into issues that arise during negotiations, including rent adjustments, financing, and dealing with... Read More