Each Wednesday, The Wrap presents a compilation of recent noteworthy commercial real estate stories from a variety of publications. Below are links to five stories that caught our eyes in recent days.
• Environmental and Economic "Green" Go Hand-in-Hand by Amanda Smith of CBRE.
Key Excerpt:
“In the not-so-distant past, the idea of “green” real estate was sometimes met with trepidation by investors, who envisioned cost increases, decreased functionality and wasted time. These common misconceptions still linger, though they continue to fade with each passing year. The reason? A simple truth is sinking in: Eco-friendly real estate is neither a business nightmare nor a tree-hugger’s dream—and it will soon be everyone’s reality.”
• How to Create a Well-Themed Apartment Asset by Gary A. Haygood for Multi-Housing News.
Key Excerpt:
“Theming is critically important to making a project successful. The key is to set the theme from the beginning and carry that through all aspects of the project from the name and logo to the physical appearance of the project, to marketing collateral and even the leasing documents.”
• Apartments' Occupancy: Then And Now by Amy Wolff Sorter for Axiometrics.
Key Excerpt:
“Apartment rental properties took a beating in the immediate aftermath of the Great Recession. Occupancy, especially took a hit. Five years later, the economy has definitely improved. And, according to Axiometrics, so have multifamily metrics: especially occupancy.”
• U.S. Commercial, Multifamily Mortgage Originations Continue Strong Pace in Q2 by World Property Journal.
Key Excerpt:
“According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations, second quarter 2015 commercial/multifamily mortgage loan originations were 29 percent higher than during the same period last year and 16 percent higher than the first quarter of 2015.”
• Construction spending growing at fastest levels since 2006, says contractors group by Real Estate Weekly.
Key Excerpt:
“The June total was the highest level since July 2008 and was 0.1 percent higher than the May total following an upward revision of $28 billion in that figure. The April total was also revised higher, by $18 billion.”