Article by Rick Hendershot

In its most recent report released Jan 24, The National Association of Realtors anticipates “solid” gains in the US commercial real estate sector.

David Lereah, NAR’s chief economist said “Even with a lot of new construction around the country, we are seeing healthy levels of commercial real estate space being purchased, rented and occupied.

As a result, vacancies are declining across the board – this is improving the fundamentals for commercial real estate sectors into the foreseeable future.”

The report also sees rising concerns at the Fed that commercial real estate is being concentrated in some banks. According to Federal Reserve Governor, Susan Bies, The Fed is considering issuing “supervisory guidance” on risk-management to avoid commercial real estate exposure that was typical of previous economic downturns.

According to NAR’s latest forecast vacancy rates are generally declining across most of the 57 metropolitan areas examined. This means rents are stabilizing in all four commercial market sectors: office, retail, industrial and multifamily housing.

Employment increases in all sectors is what is driving the lower vacancy rates. According to the NAR, these rates are expected to fall to 14.1 percent by the fourth quarter of 2005 and to 12.2 percent in 2006. This is down from 15.4 percent in 2004. They project that office space rent will grow 4.4 percent for 2005 and 4.9 percent next year That is up significantly from 2004 when the increase was just 0.4 percent.

Their analysis of specific metro areas for investment singles out New York, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco and Chicago as good targets for commercial real estate investment.

In the industrial sector vacancies are projected to go down to 8.8 percent by the end of 2006 compared to 10.9 percent last year. Industrial rents, actually declined slightly in 2005, but are projected to increase 2.5 percent in 2006.

Retail space vacancy is predicted to hit 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005, down from 7.5 percent the previous year. Rents are expected to rise 3.2 percent in 2006 after a similar increase in 2005. Increases in 2004 were 3.3 percent.

**Some Local Commercial Real Estate hi-lites**

The St. Louis region had an all-time high of .2 billion in commercial real estate transactions in 2005. Local real estate experts predict it will be even higher in 2006 – perhaps as high as .4 billion.

A Colliers report found that industrial vacancy rates in the region were at a five-year low, and demand for office and retail space had fully recovered from the recession a few years ago.

Part of what is driving the real estate boom is that investors have moved from the stock market to commercial real estate. Many investors prefer commercial real estate because it is more transparent and provides a steady cash return as well as a reliable rate of appreciation.

In the Bradenton, Florida area (Manatee County) commercial real estate is also going strong. Local experts say commercial development follows residential, so given the rapid pace of residential development in most of Florida over the last few years, there is little likelihood that commercial development is going to slow down any time soon.

Development here as elsewhere is also dependent on interest rates, but in Florida the cyclical nature of real estate development is somewhat mitigated by the unique location and climate, as well as a shifting demographic pattern.

Lack of convenient parking, and traffic on main downtown streets, as well as a limited number of downtown development sites are the biggest challenges facing commercial real estate developers in this smaller Florida city.

In the Marina Del Rey area of Los Angeles about .5 billion in commercial and residential improvements are underway. The county is encouraging leaseholders to make improvements to boost visitors and increase county revenue.

So far two shopping centers have been renovated and the marina’s shops and restaurants, called Fisherman’s Village, will be completely renovated.

Approximately 1,600 apartments are being added, at the same time as reducing the number of boat slips at the 40-year-old marina.

About the Author

Rick Hendershot does website promotion | Mortgage and Loan Information | Commercial Loans without banks

Article by Ken Poirier

By a margin of 4 to 0 The Airport Authority voted in favor of changing the name of Charlotte County Airport to Punta Gorda Airport. The name change was a marketing decision to help enhance the airports competitiveness.

Southwest Florida has long been recognized as a destination for travelers coming from the Northeast along with the Midwest. However Charlotte County Airport remained a mystery to most travelers. No one really knows for sure the impact the name had on lost business but in this competitive environment many felt it was time to change the name.

Punta Gorda has a long history, including its airport, originally built as a training facility for the military. Punta Gorda became a household name across the country after the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Charlie. No matter how people have come to know Punta Gorda, The Airport Authority is hoping the name change will help the marketability of the airport, in turn benefiting the entire county.

Why should residents of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte care, well numerous airport studies have been done throughout the US, pointing to many economic benefits such as……….

* Each dollar spent by aviation generates on average an additional .52 in economic activity.* Airport or related jobs are not only created but show a 40% higher pay rate than average.* Nearly 3 jobs are created in the visitor related sector for every airport job.* Aviation attracts new industry to the area.* Visitors spend money locally.* Tax revenue is generated (most airports pay for themselves).

So what’s this got to do with real estate, well as it turns out quite a bit. The experts will point to a number of intangibles all contributing enhance economic activity on some level. The long and short of it is, airports on a multitude of levels create a “rising tide for all ships” and this includes real estate values. A good example would be locals have a short commute to the airport, while travelers enjoy easy access to our beautiful area. Both activities generate revenue for the local economy.

No matter where you look Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte continue to move forward, constantly improving, striving to be unique and vibrant communities. If you’re looking for a place to call home in Florida you could not find a better place. To learn more about the incredible real estate values in Punta Gorda or Port Charlotte just visit Visit paradisinpuntagorda.com! or email ken@paradiseinpuntagorda.com if you would prefer don’t hesitate to call Ken at 941-661-9773.

About the Author

Ken Poirier is a local Punta Gorda Realtor specializing in waterfront property to learn more about this beautiful boaters community please visit http://www.paradiseinpuntagorda.com or email ken@paradiseinpuntagorda.com or call 941-661-9773

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Article by Fiona Livnat

A large number of prime real estate foreclosures have opened an amazing avenue for homebuyers and investors on the lookout for a good quality property at a great bargain price. With their low asking prices, one can avail the numerous benefits of foreclosures real estate by going through the right sources and make a great purchase.

Benefits

* Affordable prime housing – During the present times of economic crisis real estate foreclosures is the best platform by far to own a house that fits your budget without compromising on the location as well as the quality of the property.

* Reliable venture – With foreclosures properties flooding the US market, buying one is highly reliable and very low risk prone as they are mostly bank and government owned properties and have a direct and transparent purchasing process.

* High long term returns – The investment potential of real estate foreclosures are very promising as once the economic situation gets better which it will in some time, the resale value of the property will hit an all time high resulting in good returns.

* Instant profit – Apart from its long investment value one can earn immediate returns on foreclosures real estate by buying one at half the market rate and instantly selling it at a high return in the open market.

Best sources

In order to make a good purchase on foreclosures real estate it is very important to consider all the sources to ensure the best bargain offers available.

Bank and government websites – Searching through the websites of banks for foreclosed homes is one of the safest ways of buying properties. A unique advantage of bank owned foreclosures is that it is free of liens and therefore much more reliable.

Online listing services – Subscribing to online listings is also very resourceful as they provide you with round the clock updated and targeted information on the properties according to specific location and other such requirements.

Local journals and classifieds – Scouring through the local newspapers, business journals and classifieds is also a good source to find some very good deals on foreclosures.

County offices – By visiting the county office of regions directly in the region where you are interested in purchasing property you can get a list of the real estate foreclosures available in the area and carry on a targeted search.

Summary – Opting for real estate foreclosures has some great benefits like affordable prime housing, reliable venture, high long term returns and instant profit. Some of the best sources of finding foreclosures real estate include bank and government websites, online listing services, local journals and classifieds and visiting county offices.

About the Author

Fiona Livnat is an author with expertise in real estate foreclosures. She has over ten years of experience in writing about foreclosures.Her commitment to help people is reflected in her writing. For more details please visit real estate foreclosures.