Data science has taken a giant leap forward in the commercial real estate industry, especially in the past few years. Data strategies are evolving at a rapid clip as firms continue to develop best practices related to collecting, integrating and analyzing data to support better decision making. “There is so much noise around big data […]
During the early days of the pandemic, institutional investment activity in real estate — much like everything else — came to a virtual halt. “For 90 days, it was just pure lockdown,” recalls Pat Kendall, a managing director and partner at real estate private equity firm Ascentris. “If investors had deals that were close to […]
During the past few months, investors, managers and consultants joined the virtual Editorial Advisory Board meetings for each of Institutional Real Estate, Inc.’s regional publications, to discuss the most pressing issues facing the real estate investment industry. The 2021 editorial board of Institutional Real Estate Europe met virtually Feb. 15–18; the editorial board of Institutional […]
The year 2021 should be a year of recovery. At the same time, it will mark a transition period for the economy, for public health and for broader society as we adapt to a “new normal.” Real assets investors are now “coming off double mute” to articulate their plans for 2021 and beyond. Opportunities are […]
In early March, I officially became the new managing director of IREI’s Institutional Real Estate Americas platform. I currently continue to serve as the managing director of IREI’s Institutional Investing in Infrastructure (i3) platform. I don’t state this for a pat on the back, but for context on what an incredible opportunity it has been […]
It is pretty common to refer to institutional investors these days as “LPs” or “limited partners,” and to investment managers as “GPs” or “general partners.” But while an investor can become a limited partner, and an investment manager can serve as a general partner, the terms are not synonymous. A limited partnership, of course, is […]
U.S. industrial properties have seen leasing and sales velocity exceed pre-pandemic levels, as changes wrought by COVID-19, as well as investors’ flight to safety, have accelerated pre-existing trends in the segment. Experts note industrial leasing has continued to experience strong momentum throughout the pandemic. Unlike other property types, the industrial market has seen strong absorption […]
After a challenging 2020, retail market conditions improved in the first quarter of 2021, according to Cushman & Wakefield. As the quarter unfolded, government stimulus payments were distributed, the pace of vaccinations accelerated, shoppers became more active, and the retail sector began to improve. Cushman & Wakefield tracked negative net absorption of –740,000 square feet […]
Technology has become increasingly crucial for commercial real estate firms, according to Zain Jaffer, the founder and CEO of Zain Ventures, an investment firm with more than $100 million in assets under management. “Proptech used to be a value-add in the commercial real estate space,” says Jaffer. “Now, it’s a business imperative. Property technology as […]
Real estate owners selling some of the underperforming properties and streamlining their portfolios are finding plenty of buyers, with an increasing number converting distressed assets into new uses that are in high demand, such as affordable housing, behavioral health facilities and student accommodation, according to JLL. “The trend of opening up these distressed properties to […]
During first quarter 2021, the final closing of 30 real estate investment funds was recorded, representing an aggregate dollar volume of $26.5 billion. This is the highest number of fund closings since second quarter 2020’s 37 fund closings and the highest fundraising volume since second quarter 2020’s fundraise of $48.3 billion. It seems investors were […]
In April, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 266,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 6.1 percent, though the labor force participation rate also increased to 61.7 percent. Employment remains 5.4 percent below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level. Overall, recent employment activity fell short […]
The return for institutional investors as measured by the NCREIF Property Index (NPI) increased again during first quarter 2021, reaching pre-COVID-19 levels. The NPI reflects investment performance for 9,442 commercial properties, totaling $717 billion of market value. The quarterly total return was 1.72 percent, up from 1.15 percent in the prior quarter, higher than first […]