Even though Washington, D.C.’s economy is driven in large part by the federal government, when it comes to multifamily deals, the government entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are often losing out. More
The Washington, D.C., market is hot. And it’s easy to see why. Driven by federal spending, unemployment is at 6.3 percent in the nation’s capital, while unemployment hovers at 9.6 percent in the rest of the country. The disparity has created powerful demand in D.C. and its suburbs. More
If you have a distressed loan, and your lender is still talking to you, there’s probably a simple reason why—your lender doesn’t want that loan. But as panelists at last week's ULI Fall Meeting pointed out, the attitude of the lender could largely be traced back to what sector of the commercial lending spectrum they were in, as well as how much oversight they faced. More
There are a lot of private and institutional investors chasing multifamily right now. But securing this money in the form of an acquisitions or development fund takes more than owning a couple of units. In fact, with the economic meltdown and the legacy loan problem that many commercial real estate owners are facing, equity sources haven’t been eager to hand out the cash. More
The economy and jobs are reshaping the household picture, a ULI panel says, as Gen Yers delay buying and boomers age in place. Among all groups, walkability and transit dominate the wish list. More
For many American consumers, the recession has put interest in sustainable housing on hold. More
It’s no secret that the push for more transit-oriented development (TOD) has been a priority of the Obama administration. The administration created the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities under Director Shelley J. Poticha to allow HUD and the U.S. Department of Transportation to focus on the problem. More
For more than a year now, multifamily equity funds, owners, and brokers have complained about the “extend and pretend” policy in the banking industry that have allowed owners with troubled loans to keep their assets. Yesterday, at the 2010 ULI Fall Meeting, Shelia Bair, Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) defended that policy. More
For small developers like Jair K. Lynch, president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Jair Lynch Development Partners, and Robert J. Lalanne, president of San Francisco-based Lalanne Group, the mid-2000s were heady times. More
"Bay Area Burden" report and companion housing and transportation calculator revealed in call for better integration of housing, land use, and transit policy to encourage multifamily-type development near job centers and transportation nodes. More