News

Real Estate Premium Near Record to U.S. Bonds Signals Time to Buy Property
[ August 31, 2010 ]
U.S. commercial real estate yields are near the highest level relative to Treasury bonds on record, a signal to some investors it’s time to buy property. Capitalization rates, a measure of real estate yields, averaged 7.22 percent in the second q... Read article»

World Trade Center finance plan approved
[ August 26, 2010 ]
Port Authority unanimously passes a financial framework to fund Silverstein Properties' construction of two towers at the World Trade Center site. For entire story: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100826/REAL_ESTATE/100829840... Read article»

Danny Meyer's USHG Group to Open Three Restaurants in Battery Park City
[ August 5, 2010 ]
Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group will open its second Blue Smoke, a Shake Shack and a new, yet-to-be-named fine dining restaurant in Battery Park City in 2011. These new openings provide USHG with the opportunity to participate in the re... Read article»

Mortgage Rate Drop to 50 Year Low
[ July 9, 2010 ]
Refinancing Rates May Be Too Attractive to Ignore Ann Brenoff, People trying to trim their expenses these days would do well to put down their coupon-clipping scissors and instead focus on their mortgages. Mortgage rates have hit their lowest poin... Read article»

Tides up on downtown’s Water Street
[ June 21, 2010 ]
An ambitious plan to strengthen Water Street as a premier commercial corridor in Lower Manhattan will be unveiled Monday by The Alliance for Downtown New York. for entire story: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100621/REAL_ESTATE/100629990... Read article»

The Perils of Promoting Schools as Amenities
[ May 11, 2010 ]
Steve Shokouhi cannot help boasting. As he strides through billows of dust in his nearly finished luxury rental building, the Aire, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, he proudly points out the amenities like the tamo wood paneling from Japan for th... Read article»

America's costliest condo
[ April 16, 2010 ]
By Les Christie, staff writerApril 16, 2010: 12:30 PM ET NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- There's a condo for sale in Manhattan and if there's a more expensive apartment on the market, we'd like to see it. Seriously, we would really like to see it. ... Read article»

Lehman Bros. Bankruptcy Offers Prime Example of How Not to Grow a CRE Portfolio
[ March 17, 2010 ]
Doubling Down Proved Fatal at a Time When a Crisis was Brewing By Mark Heschmeyer March 17, 2010 As corporate post mortems go, the report compiled by the bankruptcy examiner of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., may go down as the standard in ba... Read article»

General Growth Responds to Simon's $10 Billion Acquisition Offer
[ February 17, 2010 ]
By Sasha M PardyThe country's largest retail property owner has made a bold move to acquire its largest single competitor, General Growth Properties ("GGP"). On the morning of Feb. 16, 2009, Simon Property Group (NYSE:SPG) for details go to: http:... Read article»

... and had money to invest, I would buy every foot of land on the island of Manhattan.
[ February 11, 2010 ]
Byline: Alex Ulam The Panic of 1837 was one of the worst years ever for property values in New York City New York City: see New York, city mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . Many New Yorkers lost their homes to foreclosure,... Read article»

APT DEMAND SLOGS ALONG
[ February 5, 2010 ]
By LOIS WEISS Friday, February 05, 2010 - More than a year has passed since the Wall Street collapse, and easing employment declines at the close of 2009 are expected to transition into job growth in 2010, according to the 2010 National Apar... Read article»

Strategic Defaults and the Foreclosure Crisis
[ January 19, 2010 ]
By Luke Mullins , On Tuesday January 19, 2010, 3:28 pm EST Nearly a year after the Obama administration unveiled its ambitious housing rescue program, foreclosure tallies continue to break records. Foreclosure filings were reported on more than 2.8... Read article»

New distressed Manhattan properties top $12B
[ December 14, 2009 ]
The November spike is seen to be driven by $3 billion in mortgage-backed loans for Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village that went sour. » Read the Full Story: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091214/FREE/912149991/1058... Read article»

Goldman Sachs Will Pay For Ruining Ice Skating, Hot Chocolate, Christmas
[ December 4, 2009 ]
Aside from mucking up traffic and startling nearby residents, Saturday’s accident also thwarted the opening of Battery Park City’s first ice skating rink, originally set for 10 a.m. that morning. The rink is installed in the Battery Park City ball fi... Read article»

TESTING THE WATERS: Wealthy Investors Remain Eager But Selective Real Estate Buyers
[ December 2, 2009 ]
More Than Two-Thirds of Respondents in Barclays Survey are Bullish on CRE, but Credit Availability is Still a Challenge for Potential Buyers Randyl Drummer December 2, 2009 Cash buyers are currently the supreme rulers of a sparse and rocky CR... Read article»

Ease in FHA's new condo loan guidelines offers NYC developers hope
[ November 24, 2009 ]
November 24, 2009 04:30PM By David Jones Steve Kliegerman, executive director of development marketing at Halstead Property, and Central Park Plaza at 1851 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard in Harlem, which just gained FHA approval todayA tempo... Read article»

Consumer confidence shows improvement
[ November 24, 2009 ]
New York City ( November 24, 2009 ) The Conference Board released its November 2009 Consumer Confidence Index on Tuesday, which showed a slight increase from 48.7 to 49.5. The Index is still well below its September score of 53.4. for entire story g... Read article»

10.2% Unemployment and the Impact on Commercial Real Estate
[ November 8, 2009 ]
I know what you’re thinking: Why is Knakal addressing unemployment yet again? Simply, it is because last week’s announcement that the official rate has climbed to more than double digits further illustrates that the administration is incorrectly focu... Read article»

Manhattan Retail Rents Drop Amid Rising Unemployment
[ November 4, 2009 ]
By David M. Levitt Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Store rents in Manhattan fell in the third quarter in seven of 10 districts measured by CB Richard Ellis Group Inc., the broker said today in a statement. Fifth Avenue from 42nd to 49th streets in Midto... Read article»

Hotels: Don't Buy Them Now, But Start Looking
[ October 21, 2009 ]
While Room Revenues and Occupancies Decline, Industry Sees a Coming Pipeline of Heavily Funded Properties in Need of an Exit Mark Heschmeyer October 21, 2009 While it might seem paradoxical to talk about hotel acquisitions at this point when t... Read article»

Global Investors Following Decline in U.S. Property Values with Growing Interest
[ October 15, 2009 ]
Global Investors Following Decline in U.S. Property Values with Growing Interest Chinese, Germans, Israeli Investors Among the First To Start Eyeing U.S. Properties Mark Heschmeyer October 14, 2009 While there has been a noteworthy decrease i... Read article»

STK Planning Italian Resto/Club for Gansevoort Park
[ October 7, 2009 ]
A tipster writes in to reveal that the owners of STK, the female focused trendy steakhouse in MePa, went before Community Board 5 last night to seek a liquor license for the ground floor restaurant space in the upcoming 19 story Gansevoort Park Hotel... Read article»

Signs of life seen in NY office market
[ October 7, 2009 ]
Decline in asking rents slows as leasing activity picks up, according to a Wednesday report from real estate brokerage firm CB Richard Ellis Inc. By Theresa Agovino Landlords in NYC are becoming less willing to lower their asking rents. Related S... Read article»

Its not a Real Estate Crisis, its a Debt Crisis
[ September 27, 2009 ]
Published September 27, 2009 The title of this post says it all. Real estate is rarely in a state of crisis unless an earthquake or other natural disaster disturbs the structual integrity of the building. Real estate becomes distressed when too ... Read article»

Ratner, Russian Fund Strike Arena Deal
[ September 24, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-With a $700-million bond sale in the offing to finance construction of the Barclays Center arena that will house the Nets basketball team, Atlantic Yards developer Forest City Ratner Cos. has brought in a financial partner in the form o... Read article»

Council Enacts Biotech Tax Credit
[ September 21, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-In a further step toward creating a commercial biotechnology sector, the City Council on Thursday enacted a tax credit for start-ups to base their operations here. The vote follows the state Legislature’s approval of the tax credit in J... Read article»

Construction costs tumble in NYC
[ September 16, 2009 ]
Drop of over 10% is first since early 1990s. Construction costs in the New York City area have recorded their first major declines since the early 1990s, according to the New York Building Congress on Wednesday. For the construction of office an... Read article»

Real Estate Exposure Poses Great Risk To Small Banks
[ September 8, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Commercial mortgage defaults, which are projected to reach unprecedented levels in 2011, pose an even greater risk for smaller, regional lenders than the nation’s more high-profile large banks. So says Dr. Sam Chandan, president of Real... Read article»

Chains Expand in NYC Despite Downturn
[ August 19, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Amid a rocky year for retail, including several bankruptcies that led to outright liquidation, the city has actually seen more chain locations open than close. That’s the conclusion to be drawn from a new report by the Center for an Urb... Read article»

America's Best Public Schools
[ August 18, 2009 ]
Top Schools by Region Despite news to the contrary, America is blessed with thousands of excellent public schools with outstanding students, teachers, and administrators. But where are these top schools, and is there one near you? NeighborhoodSc... Read article»

MINI LEASING BOOM
[ August 13, 2009 ]
By LOIS WEISS Thursday, August 13, 2009 - Dramatic increases in Midtown and Downtown office leasing highlighted the Manhattan market in July, according to the monthly MarketView Snapshot issued today by CB Richard Ellis. Midtown leasing activit... Read article»

Dog Days, Part II: Investors Still Reluctant to Buy Into Stormy Distressed Market
[ August 12, 2009 ]
By Mark Heschmeyer Steven Aberman, senior acquisition manager for WBS Properties in Boca Raton, FL, has watched the 43-acre lakefront development of Grand Oaks in Avon Park evolve from raw land that sold for $2.5 million three ago into finished lots... Read article»

Hopeful Signs for U.S. Jobs
[ August 8, 2009 ]
July Unemployment Rate Slips Unexpectedly to 9.4% as the Pace of MURRAY The U.S. unemployment rate dropped in July to deliver the labor market's best performance in a year, and while the decline was slight it was enough to raise hopes that the ec... Read article»

Retail rents plunge on Madison Avenue
[ August 7, 2009 ]
Retail rents plunge on Madison Avenue Rents on the famous retail corridor have dropped 30% to $829 a square foot this year, although tourist hot-spots are holding up, according to a real estate market report. The Upper East Side’s Madison Avenue,... Read article»

E&Y: ‘One-Off Deals’ Dominate Distress
[ August 3, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-While waiting for the pool of distressed assets to deepen, most buyers have just dipped their toes in the water in "one-off deals," says Ernst & Young in a study released this week. "We haven’t seen many portfolio transactions so far," ... Read article»

Pier 57 slated to get auction house, galleries
[ July 31, 2009 ]
Youngwoo & Associates' big plan to revitalize the decrepit structure at the end of West 15th Street could still face major financing hurdles. Share Print Email Add a comment By Theresa Agovino The board of the Hudson River Park Trust on Thur... Read article»

RCA: Trillions in Assets on the Hook
[ July 30, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-More than $2 trillion in major commercial properties, traded during the peak of the current cycle, are at risk, says Real Capital Analytics in a report issued Wednesday. "Significant refinancing hurdles" and a rising threat of default a... Read article»

Residential complex to land on St. Vincent's site
[ July 10, 2009 ]
Residential complex to land on St. Vincent's site The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission voted in favor of the last portion of the healthcare system's plan—a residential complex on the site. Greenwich Village Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Ce... Read article»

Medical Tower Lines Up First Tenants
[ July 6, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-The developers of the forthcoming World Product Centre, a 60-story medical mart planned for Manhattan’s Far West Side, have lined up Cardinal Health and 10 other healthcare suppliers as their first "charter partners." As GlobeSt.com rep... Read article»

RCA: Sales Rise Along With Distress
[ June 29, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Sales in the major food groups across the US this spring have shown either an uptick or a leveling-off in decline, according to Real Capital Analytics. At the same time, however, troubled assets are on the rise. for entire story go to... Read article»

Renter affordability worsens over the decade
[ June 29, 2009 ]
WASHINGTON – June 29, 2009 – The financial plight of the nation’s 34 million renters has deteriorated rapidly since the beginning of the decade, yet they are rarely included in conversations about housing affordability. Research shows 50 percent o... Read article»

Where Are All of the Distressed Assets?
[ June 26, 2009 ]
Published June 26, 2009 Uncategorized 5 Comments Our economy has been in recession for more than 18 months now and for the past year our real estate fundamentals have been adversly affected. Investors are constantly asking me to show them all of ... Read article»

Will ‘echo boomers’ save the housing market?
[ June 25, 2009 ]
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – June 25, 2009 – Echo boomers, the children of baby boomers, will be the salvation of the housing market, Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies predicts. In its annual state of the nation’s housing study, the cent... Read article»

Canadians investing in U.S. real estate
[ June 24, 2009 ]
U.S. real estate values present opportunity to Canadians
 WASHINGTON – June 24, 2009 – The number of Canadian investors in U.S. real estate rose to 23.5 percent from 11percent over the last year, and condominiums account for almost half of t... Read article»

How Unemployment and Inflation Could Affect Commercial Real Estate Values
[ June 23, 2009 ]
The most common question I am asked these days is, “When will the good times return to the commercial real estate market?” That question is impossible to answer with accuracy as we are in unprecedented times with unprecedented government intervention... Read article»

Downtown Condo Goes LEED Platinum
[ June 3, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-The Albanese Organization’s 35-story Visionaire condominium has received LEED Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council, the developer announced Tuesday. It’s reportedly the only residential condo on the East Coast to ac... Read article»

Retailers look forward to car-free Broadway
[ May 22, 2009 ]
The thoroughfare will become a pedestrian walkway in Times and Herald Squares. By Adrianne Pasquarelli Sunday will usher in a new, car-free era for sections of Broadway in Times Square and Herald Square, as part of the city’s initiative to curb con... Read article»

Original Fulton Transit Center Design Returns
[ May 22, 2009 ]
With the stimulus funds, the transit center moves forward With the help of $424 million in federal stimulus funds, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced this week that the Fulton Street Transit Center is back on track. The orig... Read article»

Extell Launches Diamond District Tower powered by
[ May 20, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-A ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday featuring city officials and real estate executives marked the formal launch of construction on Extell Development Co.’s 34-story International Gem Tower at 50 W. 47th St. First announced three years ag... Read article»

Manhattan retail rents plunging
[ May 7, 2009 ]
Manhattan retail rents plunging All Manhattan neighborhoods showed a decline in asking rents for retail spaces, according to a new report from the Real Estate Board of New York. After seven years of booming growth, Manhattan’s retail asking rents... Read article»

NYC launches ad campaign to woo Spaniards
[ May 6, 2009 ]
(AP) - New York City tourism officials have launched a $1.7 million outdoor advertising campaign in Spain to woo residents to the Big Apple. The campaign also is intended to assure Spaniards that New York City is safe to visit despite the swine fl... Read article»

Deloitte: Sovereign Wealth Remains a Force powered by
[ May 5, 2009 ]
By Paul Bubny NEW YORK CITY-While there haven’t been many high-profile transactions lately, the lack of activity shouldn’t be seen as a sign that sovereign wealth funds have lost interest in commercial real estate, according to a Deloitte LLP repor... Read article»

Rise in Manhattan apartment vacancies slows
[ April 21, 2009 ]
Transaction volume has been buoyed by deals and freebies, and 1-bedroom rent came down nearly 7% in a year, according to a quarterly report from Citi Habitats. The Manhattan rental market may be showing signs of life sooner than expected, accordi... Read article»

Port Authority: 9/11 Memorial Deadline Is Firm
[ April 17, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-At a meeting of its board of commissioners Thursday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey gave assurances that the memorial and museum commemorating 9/11 will be open by the 10th anniversary of the event. Still, the agency’s ch... Read article»

Hyatt aims to open two new Manhattan hotels
[ April 17, 2009 ]
After 29 years of getting by with just one Manhattan hotel—the 1,311 room Grand Hyatt next to Grand Central Terminal—Hyatt Hotel & Resorts will open two properties here in the next year. The Chicago-based company is opening a property on 41nd St. ... Read article»

Empire State Building going green
[ April 6, 2009 ]
Environmental updates include replacing 6,500 windows to reduce summer heat load and winter heat loss. (AP) - The lights atop the Empire State Building already change colors. Now the building itself is getting a permanent green makeover. The g... Read article»

Manhattan condo sales plummet
[ April 1, 2009 ]
April 01, 2009 6:38 PM By Amanda Fung [+] Three residential real estate reports issued Thursday all showed broad declines but slim gains in prices as buyers and sellers continue their standoff. This year is looking even grimmer than its pre... Read article»

Vantone Signs 20-year Lease at WTC
[ March 28, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Vantone Industrial Co., Ltd., one of the largest real estate investment companies in China, signed a 20-year lease for 190,810 square feet of space at the future One World Trade Center. Following the signing on Thursday at the monthly m... Read article»

Defaulting Commercial Properties Hit Banks on Vacancy-Rate Rise
[ March 23, 2009 ]
March 23 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. banks, battered by record losses from the worst housing slump since the Great Depression, now must weather increasing loan delinquencies from owners of skyscrapers and shopping malls. The country’s 10 biggest banks ha... Read article»

$527M Brings New Subway Stop to Downtown
[ March 17, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-The four-year, $527-million renovation of the South Ferry Station in Lower Manhattan ended Monday as the revamped station was opened to the public. It’s intended to serve as an intermodal transit center linking ferry, subway and bus ser... Read article»

Bloomberg: NYC Will Rebound Faster
[ March 10, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Mayor Michael Bloomberg sounded an upbeat note at BOMA/NY’s Energy Action Day seminar Tuesday, saying that amid a challenging economy, the city remains "a magnet" for individuals and companies and will rebound more quickly than other ma... Read article»

Buffett: The economy has ‘fallen off a cliff’
[ March 9, 2009 ]
OMAHA, Neb. - Billionaire Warren Buffett remains confident that America’s best days are ahead, but he says the nation likely will face higher unemployment and eventually inflation because of the current economic crisis. Buffett said the nation’s l... Read article»

Extell Files Plans for Midtown Hotel/Condo
[ March 4, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Amid news of projects from other developers that are being postponed or curtailed altogether, Extell Development Co. has filed plans with the city for an upcoming residential-hotel complex. Reportedly totaling 830,000 square feet, the c... Read article»

Work Advances on Subway Extension
[ February 20, 2009 ]
NEW YORK CITY-The 100-ton tip of a tunnel boring machine was lowered into place on Thursday as city and state officials--including Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson--announced the next phase of the $2.1-billion Number 7 subway extension... Read article»

Treasury Eyes Public-Private Investment Fund
[ February 10, 2009 ]
WASHINGTON, DC-The $1.5-trillion program will also include support for purchases of AAA-rated CMBS.... Read article»

Treasury Eyes Public-Private Investment Fund
[ February 10, 2009 ]
WASHINGTON, DC-The $1.5-trillion program will also include support for purchases of AAA-rated CMBS. for entire story: http://www.globest.com/news/1344_1344/washington/176823-1.html... Read article»

Date set for permanent WTC memorial opening
[ January 29, 2009 ]
Date set for permanent WTC memorial opening The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey plans to allow public access to the Sept. 11 memorial by Sept. 11, 2011, and keep it open permanently. » Read the Full Story... Read article»

SURVEY SAYS: Foreign Investors Plan to Increase Stake in U.S. Real Estate
[ January 15, 2009 ]
After Spending 2008 Largely On the Sidelines, International Investors Believe U.S. Financial Markets Will Be Among First of Global Markets to Bounce Back Foreign investors expect to spend significantly more to acquire U.S. real estate this year t... Read article»

MORTGAGE RATES
[ January 5, 2009 ]
Rates on 30-year mortgages fell to a record low for the third straight week, to an average 5.1 percent, and borrowers took advantage of the drop, sending new applications soaring. Mortgage rates have plunged by about 1.3 percentage points since late ... Read article»

Thanks to foreigners, NYC sets 2008 tourism record
[ December 29, 2008 ]
About 47 million tourists visited New York City during 2008, up 2.3% from 2007, according city officials; however that growth is significantly slower than in years past. For Entire Story: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2008... Read article»

Last updated: December 2, 2008 04:53pm
[ December 2, 2008 ]
Bloomberg NEW YORK CITY-Thirteen of the city’s existing 59 Business Improvement Districts will have their budgets increased under a bill signed Monday by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The mayor also signed legislation establishing a new BID, which will ... Read article»

FOREIGNERS KEY TO REVIVAL?
[ November 24, 2008 ]
Miami real estate agent Tony Macaluso believes the federal government should implement a "Silver Card visa" that allows foreign retirees to stay in the United States. for full story: http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/l3-112108.cfm... Read article»

Mortgage rates drop for second week
[ November 14, 2008 ]
WASHINGTON (AP) – Nov. 14, 2008 – Mortgage rates dropped for a second straight week, reflecting the impact the weakening economy is having on financial markets. for entire article: http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n1-111408.cfm... Read article»

RETAIL ASKING RENTS UP AND DOWN
[ November 5, 2008 ]
By Lois Weiss Wednesday, November 05, 2008 - Retail asking rents for ground floor space along some of Manhattan’s prime shopping corridors have risen notably compared to last year, while others are seeing declines, according to a report relea... Read article»

Lending grows - first time since Lehman collapse
[ October 30, 2008 ]
CNNMoney.com, October 30 A key market for lending to major businesses and banks expanded for the first time in seven weeks, after the government bought nearly $144 billion in corporate debt this week, according to a Federal Reserve report released... Read article»

The Slow Rise of Manhattan's Apartment Vacancy Rate
[ October 21, 2008 ]
The Slow Rise of Manhattan's Apartment Vacancy Rate New York Observer, October 21 The 16,000 jobs that Manhattan employers are expected to shed this year will help by the end of 2008 drive the borough's apartment vacancy rate up to 2.8 percent... Read article»

Wall St. shakeup leaves big banks ahead
[ September 21, 2008 ]
The street's fallout leaves a few winners still standing; boutique financial companies are coming out on top as well, targeting an increase in merger and acquisition activity. for full story: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A... Read article»

$180 Billion for Ailing Money Markets
[ September 18, 2008 ]
$180 Billion for Ailing Money Markets New York Times, September 18 Reflecting concerns about the health of the global financial system, the Federal Reserve and the world’s other major central banks significantly escalated their assistance to g... Read article»

WTC Planners Say Market Turmoil Won't Change Plans for Site
[ September 16, 2008 ]
WTC Planners Say Market Turmoil Won't Change Plans for Site Bloomberg, September 16 Anthony Coscia, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey chairman, and Christopher Ward, the authority director, said the shakeup in the financial industry wo... Read article»

Changes Sought in Plans For South Street Seaport
[ September 15, 2008 ]
New York Sun, September 15 Plans by the developer General Growth Properties to transform the South Street Seaport into a mixed-use retail, residential, and hotel destination are being targeted today by area residents and the local City Council mem... Read article»

Feds Seize Fannie, Freddie
[ September 8, 2008 ]
Feds Seize Fannie, Freddie News Tip? | Email | Print | Reprints Paulson WASHINGTON, DC-Yesterday Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced plans to take control of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and pledged to provide up to $200 billio... Read article»

Joint venture to buy distressed apartments
[ September 5, 2008 ]
GFI Capital Resources Group and The Carlyle Group formed a $300 million joint venture to buy distressed residential apartment buildings. The venture will leverage that cash to buy $1.2 billion worth of properties, said Michael Weiser, executive vi... Read article»

A New Goldman Sachs Headquarters Sneaks Into the Lower Manhattan Skyline
[ September 5, 2008 ]
New York Times, August 24 The new Goldman Sachs headquarters has not been a very highly publicized construction project, despite the fact that it is being built right around ground zero. The 43-story building will be the headquarters for Goldman S... Read article»

U.S. Jobless Rate Rises Past 6%, Highest Since ’03
[ September 5, 2008 ]
By LOUIS UCHITELLE Published: September 5, 2008 The unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 percent in August, its highest level in five years, pushing the troubles of American workers to the center of the political debate as the presidential campaign ent... Read article»

30-year mortgages fall to lowest level in 6 weeks
[ August 29, 2008 ]
WASHINGTON – Aug. 29, 2008 – Rates on 30-year mortgages fell for the second straight week, declining to the lowest level in more than a month. Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dropped to 6.40 ... Read article»

GOVERNMENT INSURED MORTGAGE APPS TRIPLE
[ August 22, 2008 ]
GOVERNMENT INSURED MORTGAGE APPS TRIPLE By Lois Weiss The government-insured share of mortgage applications tripled in the past year according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey. Of all mortgag... Read article»

Dollar May Boomerang on the City
[ August 21, 2008 ]
Currency Rise Could Have an Impact on Real Estate, Tourism By CANDACE TAYLOR, Staff Reporter of the Sun | August 21, 2008 A rapidly rising dollar is threatening to boomerang on New York City's real estate and tourism industries, economists and re... Read article»

Major Midtown Hotel-Condo Hybrid Set for Council O.K.
[ August 12, 2008 ]
Major Midtown Hotel-Condo Hybrid Set for Council O.K. by Dana Rubinstein This article was published in the August 18, 2008, edition of The New York Observer. A developer’s at least three-year-old plan for a 61-story Shangri-La hotel and condo pr... Read article»

Largest Chinese lender to bow in Manhattan
[ August 6, 2008 ]
The Industrial & Commercial Bank of China's first New York branch will likely be first of many by China-based banks. After a 15 year delay, the U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday has given the green light to China’s biggest lender, the Industri... Read article»

World's most expensive cities
[ July 30, 2008 ]
America’s cities don’t even make it into the top 20 most expensive in the world, thanks to the declining dollar. Moscow tops the list for the third year running. By Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Forbes.com More from MSN Real Estate and Forbes.com A... Read article»

Weak Dollar, Only Short-Term Benefits?
[ July 30, 2008 ]
7.30.08 NEW YORK CITY-The weakening dollar has created many issues for US consumers, but it also has helped the local economy, and will continue to do so as foreign investment continues to pick up. Yes, in the short term, there are multiple benefits... Read article»

Reasons To Be Bullish About City's Hotel Industry
[ July 24, 2008 ]
New York Sun, July 24 "New York City is one of the few destinations in the country that continues to benefit from the weak dollar, pent-up international demand, and limited additions to the supply of full-scale, high-end hotels," the chairman and ... Read article»

15 CPW announces retailers
[ July 21, 2008 ]
The Real Deal, July 21 Zeckendorf Development has officially announced the major retailers at uber-luxe 15 Central Park West. As expected, Chase Bank and West Elm will be joining Best Buy. The last open space is a 2,000-square-foot unit on Broadwa... Read article»

How To Survive, and Perhaps Even Thrive, In a Bear Market
[ July 16, 2008 ]
How To Survive, and Perhaps Even Thrive, In a Bear Market The Focus In Commercial Real Estate Right Now is on Finding Value, Not Growth All right, you may call me a 'nattering nabob of negativism' for labeling commercial real estate as in a b... Read article»

Oligarchs Buy Homes
[ July 11, 2008 ]
Oligarchs Buy Homes In Chic U.S. Enclaves; Rock Star's Two Condos By CHRISTINA S.N. LEWIS July 11, 2008; Page W1 The Russians are coming. As many of America's wealthy are roiled by the credit crisis and general financial gloom, a growing ... Read article»

Chrysler Building Bought by Abu Dhabi Fund
[ July 9, 2008 ]
Chrysler Building Bought by Abu Dhabi Fund Bloomberg.com, July 9 New York's Chrysler Building, the Art Deco icon that helps define the New York skyline, was bought by an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, the second purchase of a Manhattan landm... Read article»

Diamond District Tenants Worry About Spate of Building Deals
[ July 9, 2008 ]
Diamond District Tenants Worry About Spate of Building Deals New York Times, July 9 As slices of Midtown that catered to fur, flower and toy industries have all but vanished, the diamond district seems increasingly vulnerable. It is sandwiched... Read article»

We’re #1 with International Travelers
[ July 7, 2008 ]
New York Post, July 7 Foreign tourists love NY! The Big Apple remains the nation's No. 1 destination for international travelers - beating out Miami and Los Angeles as the most-visited city, according to federal statistics. Read more: http://ww... Read article»

The new Downtown: Nearly half will live in FiDi
[ June 27, 2008 ]
The new Downtown: Nearly half will live in FiDi Downtown Express, June 27 The Financial District is expected to be the most populous area in Community Board 1, overtaking Battery Park City, Tribeca and the Seaport. A report done for Board 1 by ... Read article»

Dynamic Tower Furthers Building
[ June 25, 2008 ]
Dynamic Tower Furthers Building InnovationBy Natalie Dolce Email | Print | Reprints Dynamic Tower Slide Show Dr. Fisher NEW YORK CITY-As GlobeSt.com reported Tuesday following a presentation at the Plaza Hotel, Italian architect Dr. David ... Read article»

Scooping up 'golden' certificates
[ June 20, 2008 ]
The Real Deal, June Issue While the pending June 30 deadline date has caused a critical drop in the value of undeveloped sites that will no longer qualify for 421-a abatements as of right, it has had the reverse impact in another market: the tradi... Read article»

DOT Project: The Flatiron Triangles Under Construction
[ June 18, 2008 ]
DOT Project: The Flatiron Triangles Under Construction Work is in full swing on DOT's public plaza initiative in the Flatiron district, to reconfigure traffic patterns at the intersection of Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd street. This new pro... Read article»

Silverstein To Begin Work on Tower 2 Foundation
[ June 12, 2008 ]
Silverstein To Begin Work on Tower 2 FoundationBy Natalie Dolce NEW YORK CITY-Just as Gov. David Paterson started to put pressure on the Port Authority's timeline and budget, the P.A. revealed that it will have completed 90% of the excavation and ... Read article»

5 NEW RULES FOR HOMEBUYERS
[ June 10, 2008 ]
Surviving and thriving in the real estate market these days means following a whole new set of rules. Explaining the following five items to your customers to help win friends and sales: 1. Gaming the market doesn't work. There's a chance that t... Read article»

Prepare For a Rebound
[ June 7, 2008 ]
Toll Brothers CEO Robert Toll told analysts that the foundation for a healthy housing market is in place: low interest rates, a low unemployment rate, a rising population and increasing wealth. With home prices at 2002 and 2003 levels, Toll says the ... Read article»

The Housing Crisis Is Over
[ June 2, 2008 ]
By CYRIL MOULLE-BERTEAUX Wall Street Journal The dire headlines coming fast and furious in the financial and popular press suggest that the housing crisis is intensifying. Yet it is very likely that April 2008 will mark the bottom of the U.S. h... Read article»

Manhattan retail rents surge in prime locales
[ May 16, 2008 ]
May 16. 2008 11:56AMBy: Elisabeth Butler Cordova Bloomberg News Landlords remain bullish about Manhattan’s retail real estate, despite the nation’s dismal outlook. Asking rents across Manhattan increased by 3% to $111 per square foot and soa... Read article»

Who Says Interest Only Loans Are Dead? Not GE Real Estate
[ May 15, 2008 ]
GE Real Estate's New York regional office completed a $960 million interest-only first mortgage financing with iStar Financial Inc., secured by 34 single-tenant office, R&D and industrial properties in 12 states. This financing for iStar represen... Read article»

U.S. Chain Stores Enjoyed Best Sales Month in A Long Time in April
[ May 15, 2008 ]
The International Council of Shopping Centers' Chain Store Sales Index showed April U.S. chain store sales rose 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. The gain, the best monthly posting in a year, was primarily due to the calendar shift of Easter, which mad... Read article»

Brooklyn Bridge Celebration is Coming
[ May 15, 2008 ]
BROOKLYN BRIDGE BDAY CELEBRATION COMING By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - More congestion will be coming to Brooklyn and Manhattan for a five-day period that will be celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge. Mayor Mic... Read article»

Madonna, Bono and Aykroyd are busy buying and selling property
[ April 30, 2008 ]
Material Girl Madonna, who shops for real estate the way some people shop for shoes, has finally purchased a third apartment in her Central Park West building, after a lengthy dispute with the co-op board, which tried to block the deal. After suing t... Read article»

Benazir’s jinxed New York apartment
[ April 30, 2008 ]
The apartment of Benazir Bhutto in Manhattan, the city’s most expensive area, has a dark and mysterious history. For a visitor, it is a beautifully furnished penthouse, with panoramic views of the East River. But it has often been unkind to its buyer... Read article»

World's Highest Apartment Rents
[ April 23, 2008 ]
Globally, the average rent for executives was about $2,900. Moscow ranked second in cost, followed by New York, Tokyo and London. The survey said Karachi is the cheapest city in the world for expatriate executives to rent a three-bedroom apartment. ... Read article»

Union Square Project in Doubt After Groups Sue City
[ April 23, 2008 ]
With residents and community groups suing the city to prevent construction, plans to include a restaurant in a renovated pavilion in Union Square Park could be scuttled. On Monday, a state judge issued a temporary restraining order requiring the c... Read article»

Vornado to double size of Pier 94 site
[ April 22, 2008 ]
The revamped facility will expand to Pier 92 and more than double in size to 355,000 square feet from 150,000 square feet. April 23. 2008 3:35PMBy: Matthew Sollars Buck Ennis The city’s Economic Development Corporation announced today that V... Read article»

ONE BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK: THE LARGEST RESIDENTIAL CONVERSION IN BROOKLYN’S HISTORY
[ April 9, 2008 ]
*** BROOKLYN, NY – April 9, 2008 – Rich history, magnificent brownstones and breathtaking views of Manhattan have made Brooklyn Heights one of the most sought after neighborhoods to live. Available for spring occupancy is One Brooklyn Bridge Park... Read article»

Manhattan apartments: prices up, sales down
[ April 2, 2008 ]
The average sale price of a Manhattan apartment hit $1.7 million in the first quarter, up 33% from 1Q 2007, according to one report. Bloomberg News Apartment prices in Manhattan continued their sizzling pace in the first quarter, but one analyst re... Read article»

City Council approves congestion pricing 30-20
[ March 31, 2008 ]
Last-minute amendments to the bill helped it win approval with the City Council; the state Legislature has until April 7 to act. Bloomberg News The City Council this evening endorsed a congestion pricing plan that would charge cars $8 to enter Ma... Read article»

TOURISIM SURGE TO CONTINUE
[ March 27, 2008 ]
By LOIS WEISS Thursday, March 27, 2008 - U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez said that 2007 set an all time record for international tourism, with over 56 million visitors pumping $122.7 billion into the U.S. economy and supporting 8.... Read article»

Tishman Speyer frontrunner for Hudson Rail Yards
[ March 24, 2008 ]
With the highest bid for the Hudson Rail Yards, the politically connected developer is tipped to develop the 26-acre West Side site--even without a major anchor tenant March 24. 2008 2:32PMBy: Theresa Agovino Tishman Speyer submitted the hig... Read article»

Fed cuts funds rate by 75 basis points
[ March 18, 2008 ]
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues have now cut the funds rate six times since last September, with the reductions becoming more aggressive since January. March 18. 2008 2:49PM Bloomberg News (AP) - The Federal Reserve on Tuesday slash... Read article»

Silverstein: WTC Still on Track for 2012 Finish
[ March 13, 2008 ]
By Ian Ritter Silverstein NEW YORK CITY-Steel for the Freedom Tower on the World Trade Center site is now 70 feet in the air and should rise above street level in the next few months. Observers in the area will only see more of the same from th... Read article»

$1B Library Expansion Plan Includes New 'Hubs'
[ March 12, 2008 ]
By Natalie Dolce New York Public Library NEW YORK CITY-At a press conference Tuesday in Astor Hall here, New York Public Library chairman Catherine Marron and president Paul LeClerc revealed a $1-billion transformation plan. The plan will take a... Read article»

Foreign companies become NYC landlords due in part to weak dollar
[ March 9, 2008 ]
by lily hindy / associated press writer MAR 9, 2008 12:10 PM EDT NEW YORK (AP) -- For foreign companies in New York, it's a huge cost of doing business: Employees move to the city or come here on assignment, and the company has to put them up in ... Read article»

The Local: Rezoning Anxiety Rends Garment District
[ March 8, 2008 ]
No one knows what Manhattan’s Garment District will look like in 10 years, let alone whether the dwindling economy of designers, factories and suppliers who make up New York’s fashion industry will still be there. The media has been covering the ... Read article»

Offshore investors buy $10B of commercial real estate in '07
[ March 7, 2008 ]
Boom in building sales could slow if recession takes hold 2008 1:19PMBy: Cara S. Trager Renta Corp. of Barcelona, Spain, is shopping for New York real estate—and it's not just kicking the tires. After looking at more than 500 deals over the pas... Read article»

Construction To Begin on Green Residence
[ March 3, 2008 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Freestanding residential tower HL23 will rise from a site on West 23rd Street half beneath the High Line elevated railway bed, now slated for transformation into an urban park. Construction will begin in March on the 14-story building, ... Read article»

Times Square retail sets new records
[ February 29, 2008 ]
New retail records set where Broadway crosses Seventh Avenue By Catherine Curan The Real Deal, February Issue A row of denim-clad derrieres greets pedestrians thronging the corner of Broadway and West 44th Street. Advertising the new ... Read article»

Hotels: 'Solid' Sector Will Stay That Way
[ February 29, 2008 ]
By Paul Bubny Globe Street, February The deal between developer Larry Silverstein, chairman and CEO of Silverstein Properties, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to bring the chain to 99 Church St. ranks as a highlight of early 2008 for... Read article»

RENTAL RECRIMINATIONS NYC TO TAX CO-OPS AT LOWER RATE WHILE APT. ASSESSMENTS RISE
[ February 18, 2008 ]
NYC TO TAX CO-OPS AT LOWER RATE WHILE APT. ASSESSMENTS RISE By LOIS WEISS New York Post February 18, 2008 -- The Department of Finance is being forced back to the drawing board after the city's Law Department ordered the agency to recal... Read article»

Cirque du Soleil on NYC pier? Community says no
[ February 17, 2008 ]
By KAREN MATTHEWS amNY.com, February 17 Once upon a time, it was a cruise ship terminal. Now it's home to a parking garage and athletic fields. As might be expected in space-starved Manhattan, Pier 40 on the Hudson River is at t... Read article»

PRIME INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NORTHEAST
[ February 17, 2008 ]
While velocity slows, investors still eye prime investment opportunities in this viable region. Edward Jordan Despite a decline in commercial real estate transaction velocity throughout the Northeast in the wake of the summer 2007 credit crisis, ... Read article»

Congress Votes for a Stimulus of $168 Billion
[ February 8, 2008 ]
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN The New York Times, February 8 WASHINGTON — Moving with uncommon speed, Congress gave final approval on Thursday to a $168 billion economic rescue package, including rebates for taxpayers and tax breaks for business... Read article»

New Yorkers gather downtown for Giants parade
[ February 5, 2008 ]
New Yorkers gather downtown for Giants parade An estimated two million Giants fans swept into the so-called "Canyon of Heroes" to welcome Big Blue home after their Super Bowl win on Sunday. Around two million football fans crowded downtown Tuesda... Read article»

Survey Says: Foreign Investors Still Prefer U.S. Real Estate
[ January 30, 2008 ]
China Makes a Big Splash, Making Up Half the Top 10 Most Attractive Markets For Foreign Investment Although U.S. investors may be wringing their hands over the domestic real estate market, American property markets remain the envy -- or at le... Read article»

Four Seasons inks deal for downtown hotel
[ January 29, 2008 ]
The hotel will take up 22 stories of developer Larry Silverstein's planned 80 story tower at 99 Church St., one block north of Ground Zero. January 29. 2008 12:37PMBy: Lisa Fickenscher Silverstein Properties Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts... Read article»

Proposed mortgage plan could aid markets
[ January 25, 2008 ]
WASHINGTON – Jan. 25, 2008 – A component of the government’s tentative economic stimulus package announced Thursday would give an immediate lift to buyers and sellers in higher-priced housing markets. The package agreed upon by Democratic and Repu... Read article»

30-year mortgages rates decline
[ January 25, 2008 ]
Mortgage Rate Trend Index A majority (64 percent) of mortgage economists polled by Bankrate.com this week think rates will rise over the next 30 to 45 days. Only 9 percent predict no change in rates, with the remaining 27 percent expecting further... Read article»

Fed Cuts Rate 0.75% and Stocks Swing
[ January 22, 2008 ]
By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM and JOHN HOLUSHA New York Times, January 22 The Federal Reserve, responding to an international stock sell-off and fears about a possible United States recession, cut its benchmark interest rate by three-quarters of... Read article»

City Intends to Renovate Landmark Pier as a Hub
[ January 22, 2008 ]
City Intends to Renovate Landmark Pier as a Hub By PATRICK McGEEHAN New York Times, January 22 City officials have decided to try again to have a 122-year-old pier near Battery Park restored so that it can serve as a hub that links pa... Read article»

NEXT WEST THING
[ January 17, 2008 ]
By KATHERINE DYKSTRA New York Post January 17, 2008 -- LOOK north from 57th Street on the far west side of Manhattan, and you'll see one of the city's final residential frontiers. Where once the skyline was low - sweeping down from the Time Warn... Read article»

Port Authority Cites Progress on WTC
[ January 16, 2008 ]
Friday, January 16, 2009 - Eight of the nine major rebuilding milestones on the World Trade Center have been achieved, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a report issued Wednesday. The authority also announced completion of the fi... Read article»

Arts groups keep building through recession
[ January 14, 2008 ]
A new report finds that construction projects such as the expansion of Lincoln Center will have an economic impact of $2.2 billion on the city over four years. For full story: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090114/SMALLBI... Read article»

Arts groups keep building through recession
[ January 14, 2008 ]
A new report finds that construction projects such as the expansion of Lincoln Center will have an economic impact of $2.2 billion on the city over four years.For Entire story: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090114/SMALLBI... Read article»

Coming to America: Foreign Investments
[ January 10, 2008 ]
Foreign investors leverage a weaker dollar to go on multifamily buying sprees. By Joe Bousquin Multi-Family Executive Magazine, December Issue At first blush, 47 buildings in East Harlem might not seem like an obvious choice for a forei... Read article»

Westfield Returns: Wins Bid for $1.45B WTC Retail Project
[ January 9, 2008 ]
Mall Developer Expected to Create World Class, Iconic Shopping Destination at World Trade Center A long-awaited announcement came out of the Port Authority last Friday. Aussie-based mall developer, Westfield Group, and The Port Authority have ... Read article»

NY joins system to track mortgage brokers
[ January 8, 2008 ]
Over 40 other states have committed to join the program, which creates a uniform application for mortgage brokers and a database for tracking them. January 02. 2008 2:00PM (AP) - New York regulators joined six other states Wednesday to launch an ... Read article»

Downtown will remain hot real estate in 2008
[ December 27, 2007 ]
Real estate experts say the city's commercial market will remain resilient in 2008 with Lower Manhattan expected to be a big draw. December 27. 2007 3:23PMBy: Kira Bindrim Top Commercial Projects for 2008 Slideshow Buck Ennis The city’s comm... Read article»

Dirhams for Dollars:
[ December 19, 2007 ]
Written by Randyl Drummer Dirhams for Dollars: Diversifying Gulf State Investors Flock to U.S. Markets Flush With Revenue From Oil Prices Approaching $100/Barrel, Mideast Governments and Monarchies are Buying U.S. Office, Industrial, Apartmen... Read article»

Priciest home sales of 2007
[ December 16, 2007 ]
Housing prices around the country may be sliding, but the ultra-high-end market is a world apart. Fueled by Wall Street bonus money, Manhattan dominates this year's list of most expensive home sales. By Matt Woolsey, Forbes.com More on MSN and... Read article»

Is Your Broker an NYRS?
[ December 15, 2007 ]
Is Your Broker an NYRS? by Mark Wellborn The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) has created one more way for brokers in the city to distinguish themselves from the pack. The trade association recently announced that it will offer an advance... Read article»

Fed cuts interest rate a quarter point
[ December 12, 2007 ]
WASHINGTON – Dec. 12, 2007 – The Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate by one-quarter of a percentage point Tuesday, trying to keep the country out of recession. The reduction in the federal funds rate to 4.25 percent marked the third rate cut i... Read article»

NY tourism added $46 billion to state economy
[ December 11, 2007 ]
(AP) - A new study has found that New York's tourism industry contributed $46.6 billion to the state's economy in 2006 — a 7.2% increase from 2005. The study found that the hotel industry's growth rate in New York was twice the national average, w... Read article»

Broadway bounces back post-strike
[ December 9, 2007 ]
Dec. 9, grosses topped $19.7 million and attendance reached 254,081, a decline of less than 8% from the same period a year ago. Buck Ennis Attendance at Broadway shows has bounced back following a crippling 19-day strike by the stagehands union t... Read article»

Monthly Feng Shui Tip and News
[ December 8, 2007 ]
by Kathy Mann - Feng Shui Consultant, Author, Educator Flowing with Feng Shui As we transition into the holiday season, the winter season and the new year, we can use Feng Shui to flow with new energies. The changes we experience affect all ... Read article»

Rentals Cede Space to Condominiums on John Street
[ December 7, 2007 ]
BY BRADLEY HOPE New York Sun, December 6 John Street, once home to the headquarters of insurance companies such as Travelers and AIG, and later to rental apartments for Wall Street employees, is undergoing another transformation, this time to... Read article»

BACK TO EARTH: Skyrocketing Property Prices Returning to Regular Orbit
[ December 6, 2007 ]
Brokerages are predicting 2008 will bring a chilly, turbulent market driven largely by capital availability and a back-to-basics approach to market fundamentals -- especially if the economy tilts into recession. Property prices, one of the main i... Read article»

Analysts: White House plan to lower foreclosure rate may not go far enough
[ December 5, 2007 ]
WASHINGTON – Dec. 5, 2007 – A government proposal to freeze interest rates on home loans made to borrowers with weak credit would have limited impact in stemming a surge of foreclosures, analysts say. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is hashing ou... Read article»

More Money For Real Estate
[ December 5, 2007 ]
By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - Despite the disruption in the European and North American credit markets, the overall outlook for investment in real estate remains solid due to strong fundamentals, and institutional investors are ... Read article»

25% of NYC construction jobs are 'off the books'
[ December 5, 2007 ]
The fiscal costs to taxpayers were $489 million in 2005 and are likely to reach $557 million in 2008, according to a report. December 05. 2007 11:20AMBy: Tom Fredrickson Buck Ennis At least 50,000 New York City construction jobs, or 25% of t... Read article»

Congestion pricing plan shifts gears
[ December 3, 2007 ]
December 03. 2007 10:08AMBy: Erik Engquist Bloomberg News The commission reviewing Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal is likely to overhaul it by moving the northern boundary from 86th Street to 60th Street and simplifying ... Read article»

Construction to Begin on 50 West Street
[ November 28, 2007 ]
Construction to Begin on 50 West Street NEW YORK CITY — Time Equities is set to begin construction in early spring 2008 on 50 West Street, a 580,000-square-foot hotel and residential building in the Greenwich South neighborhood of Manhattan, New Yor... Read article»

Record Braking Averages
[ November 28, 2007 ]
By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - The average sale price of Manhattan apartment buildings has broken the $500 per square foot barrier for the first time, according to a new report by Massey Knakal Realty Services. The overall m... Read article»

WTC Work Moves Forward With Foundation Contracts
[ November 21, 2007 ]
By Melissa Kress Globe Street, November 21 NEW YORK CITY-Work on World Trade Center Towers 3 and 4 has taken a step forward now Silverstein Properties has awarded Yonkers Contracting Co. of New York the contracts to build the foundation for t... Read article»

Hines Unveils 75-Story Building Design
[ November 20, 2007 ]
By Natalie Dolce Hines project NEW YORK CITY -Hines has formally selected Paris-based architect Jean Nouvel as the designer of a new 75-story building slated for a key parcel in Midtown Manhattan, adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art. Nouvel’... Read article»

Second Avenue Subway Gets $1.3B Boost
[ November 20, 2007 ]
By Natalie Dolce NEW YORK CITY-Gov. Eliot Spitzer, along with James Simpson, administrator for the Federal Transit Administration, revealed an agreement that guarantees $1.3 billion in federal funding for the construction of the first phase of ... Read article»

Rates on 30-year mortgages unchanged after 3 weekly declines
[ November 16, 2007 ]
WASHINGTON – Nov. 16, 2007 – Rates on 30-year mortgages were unchanged this week after posting three consecutive declines. Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages remained at 6.24 percent, the same a... Read article»

Dollar's woes give property buyers a Manhattan bargain
[ November 16, 2007 ]
Dollar's woes give property buyers a Manhattan bargain Autor: Rebecca Knight - The Financial Time November 16, 2007 Steven Toumbas, an equities investor from London, has always wanted to own a second home in the US. "America is the engine for... Read article»

Al Gore to lease green space at Bryant Park
[ November 13, 2007 ]
Al Gore to lease green space at Bryant Park November 13. 2007 6:02PMBy: Theresa Agovino Mr. Gore's investment firm will lease 5,000 square feet at One Bryant Park, hoping to get green certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Bloo... Read article»

A New ‘Green’ School for Lower Manhattan
[ November 13, 2007 ]
Governor Eliot Spitzer, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced plans to build a new elementary/middle school in the Battery Park City area of Lower Manhattan that will add 950 seats to serve pre-kindergarten t... Read article»

Bloomberg unveils Coney Island plan
[ November 9, 2007 ]
November 08. 2007 3:32PMBy: Kira Bindrim The rezoning would create a 15-acre outdoor amusement park east of KeySpan Park, thwarting plans by developer Thor Equities to build condominiums on the land. NYC Economic Development Corp. Mayor Mich... Read article»

THE $150M CASTLE
[ November 8, 2007 ]
THE $150M CASTLE MOGUL'S RECORD DEAL ON E. 77TH By BRADEN KEIL SETTING A NEW 'MARK': Real-estate tycoon Leonard Blavatnik has signed a letter of intent to buy a triplex at The Mark hotel.November 8, 2007 -- A billionaire buyer has signed a letter... Read article»

W Hotel Downtown NYC
[ November 7, 2007 ]
Developer Joseph Moinian applied for $147 million in tax-exempt bonds for a 53-story W Hotel and residential condominium at 123 Washington St. The $240 million development includes 220 hotel rooms and 180 residential condo units. The bonds would be u... Read article»

New York City Home Sales Price Jump
[ November 6, 2007 ]
20 PERCENT IN LAST YEAR --City’s Housing Market Still Strong-- NEW YORK, November 6, 2007 – The average sale price of all homes in New York City, including condominiums, cooperatives and one- to three-family dwellings, jumped by 20 percent in t... Read article»

Developer Would Include Low-Cost Units in East Side Towers
[ November 5, 2007 ]
By CHARLES V. BAGLI New York Times, November 5 A developer seeking to build seven high-rise buildings on a former Con Ed property by the East River has agreed to set aside hundreds of apartments for poor and working-class tenants, as well as... Read article»

Foreign Buyers Take Manhattan
[ November 4, 2007 ]
Foreign Buyers Take Manhattan Autor: Christine Haughney - New York Times November 4, 2007 KENNY TIMMONS has spent three long weekends in New York City since 2003, catching up with friends he knew in Ireland, visiting ground zero, restocking hi... Read article»

Mortgage Rates Near Six Month Low
[ November 1, 2007 ]
Mortgage Rates Near Six Month Low McLEAN, VA -- Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.26 percent with an average 0.4 point for t... Read article»

PlaNYC 2030 not what it seems
[ October 29, 2007 ]
PlaNYC 2030 not what it seems By David Freedlander amNewYork, October 29 It ain't all about congestion pricing. PlaNYC 2030, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to radically reshape the city, is a far-reaching document that co... Read article»

All Signs Pointing Up in Downtown Manhattan
[ October 27, 2007 ]
All Signs Pointing Up in Downtown Manhattan BY MICHAEL STOLER New York Sun, October 25 In Lower Manhattan and nearby TriBeCa, every segment of the real estate market is hot as a pistol. Thousands of tourists from around the world, yuppies a... Read article»

PACE OF DOWNTOWN GOOD
[ October 24, 2007 ]
PACE OF DOWNTOWN GOOD By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, October 24, 2007 - The Pace Downtown Index found that the small job cuts at large Wall Street firms do not mean the economy of downtown Manhattan is headed for a fall. That bullish forecas... Read article»

Cushman chosen to lease Freedom Tower
[ October 18, 2007 ]
Cushman chosen to lease Freedom Tower Kira Bindrim October 18. 2007 3:38PM Brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield Inc. was selected, as expected, by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to be the main leasing company for the remaining offic... Read article»

STERN DESIGN FOR CHURCH
[ October 17, 2007 ]
STERN DESIGN FOR CHURCH By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - Silverstein Properties has selected Robert A.M. Stern to design what will likely be a very classical take for a new residential and hotel tower at 99 Church Street in Low... Read article»

Trumping the Soho skyline
[ October 15, 2007 ]
Trumping the Soho skyline Jaw-dropping prices at controversial hotel-condo top $3,000 a square foot By Steve Cutler The Real Deal, October Issue A rendering of Trump Soho The Donald appeared to lead with his chin at the press conference for th... Read article»

Exchange Rates Give Foreigners
[ October 15, 2007 ]
Exchange Rates Give Foreigners The Edge in U.S. Housing Market By Ben Casselman From The Wall Street Journal Online One group hasn't soured on the U.S. real-estate market: foreign buyers. With the dollar at historic lows against the euro... Read article»

MORTGAGE MARKET IMPROVING
[ October 10, 2007 ]
MORTGAGE MARKET IMPROVING By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - Conditions in the mortgage market are improving for consumers, which should help to release some pent-up demand in early 2008, according to the latest forecast by the Nation... Read article»

Manhattan Housing Boom Continues
[ October 3, 2007 ]
Manhattan Housing Boom Continues Even though the rest of the country may feel the squeeze of the housing slow down, it hasn't fazed the Big Apple. Autor: Keisha Lamothe - CNNMoney.com October 2, 2007 Despite a housing slump across the rest of ... Read article»

Manhattan Home Prices Rise 2.3% on Luxury Condo Sales (Update2)
[ October 2, 2007 ]
Manhattan Home Prices Rise 2.3% on Luxury Condo Sales (Update2) 2007-10-02 09:02 (New York) (Adds broker comment in 10th paragraph.) By Sharon L. Crenson Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Manhattan apartment prices rose 2.3 percent in the thir... Read article»

NYC prepared for economic downturn
[ October 2, 2007 ]
NYC prepared for economic downturn Kira Bindrim October 02. 2007 2:22PM With the Dow Jones industrials hitting a new record amid investor optimism that the credit crisis is nearing an end, economists say New York City is well positioned to w... Read article»

How to Profit in the Foreclosure Market
[ September 30, 2007 ]
How to Profit in the Foreclosure Market by Bob Corcoran The numbers are staggering. And stacking up, too. Foreclosures are sweeping across the nation like a fall cool and brisk breeze. National foreclosure activity is up a whopping 93 ... Read article»

New Law Encourages Affordable Construction
[ September 28, 2007 ]
New Law Encourages Affordable Construction By Natalie Dolce Globe Street, August 28 NEW YORK CITY-Gov. Eliot Spitzer has signed bills that will encourage housing construction throughout the city, with an emphasis on the construction of... Read article»

Trailblazers Heading to a New Shopping Destination
[ September 26, 2007 ]
Trailblazers Heading to a New Shopping Destination By CLAIRE WILSON The New York Times, September 26 The wealthy have been synonymous with Wall Street since before the New York Stock Exchange was founded in 1792. But a prosperous group of poten... Read article»

$2 Billion Approval Brings JFK Rail Link a Little Closer
[ September 24, 2007 ]
$2 Billion Approval Brings JFK Rail Link a Little Closer by Raanan Geberer Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 24 BROOKLYN — The approval of $2 billion in tax credits by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee for the JFK-Lower Manhattan rail link was h... Read article»

Opulence Everywhere
[ September 23, 2007 ]
Opulence Everywhere By JOSH BARBANEL Published: September 23, 2007 THE boundaries of the luxury Manhattan real estate market, once confined to a few discrete blocks on the Upper East and West Sides, have been continually expanding during the c... Read article»

Al Gore seeking green office in NYC
[ September 20, 2007 ]
Theresa Agovino September 20. 2007 4:31PM Former Vice President Al Gore’s investment firm is looking for office space in New York City. Not surprisingly, there are some considerations that go beyond the rental rate. Generation Investment Manag... Read article»

Near Ground Zero, a Mixed-Use Revival
[ September 9, 2007 ]
Near Ground Zero, a Mixed-Use Revival By PATRICK McGEEHAN The New York Times, September 9 Six years ago, in the aftershock of the terrorist attack that reduced the World Trade Center to a smoldering pile, local officials wondered wheth... Read article»

Final Designs Push Start for Three WTC Towers
[ September 8, 2007 ]
Final Designs Push Start for Three WTC Towers By Melissa Kress Email this story | Printer-friendly | Reprints 200 Greenwich St. (Foster + Partners, SPI)NEW YORK CITY-One year after revealing conceptual plans for three new towers at the Wor... Read article»

New York’s Gap Between Rich and Poor Is Nation’s Widest, Census Says
[ August 29, 2007 ]
New York’s Gap Between Rich and Poor Is Nation’s Widest, Census Says By SAM ROBERTS The New York Times, August 29 From 2005 to 2006, the rich grew richer in the New York region and the poor, over all, remained poor, producing the wides... Read article»

The New 30 Is Now 50
[ August 23, 2007 ]
The New 30 Is Now 50 By Josh Barbanel The New York Times, August 19 THE uncertainties on Wall Street may be sending shivers down the backs of hedge fund titans and their real estate brokers, but so far the upper reaches of the Manhatta... Read article»

Mortgages test Muslim faith
[ August 21, 2007 ]
Mortgages test Muslim faith NEW YORK – Aug. 21, 2007 – Most people leave their finances in the hands of brokers, bankers and planners, but Muslims often turn to their religious leaders. Soulemaine Konate knows: As imam of the 1,500-member Masji... Read article»

U.S. Allocates $354 Million to Reduce New York Traffic
[ August 21, 2007 ]
U.S. Allocates $354 Million to Reduce New York Traffic By Anahad O’Connor and William Neuman New York Times, August 14 The United States Department of Transportation announced today that it has allocated $354 million to help Mayor Mich... Read article»

Accenting the international: Foreigners buy condos in bulk
[ August 21, 2007 ]
Accenting the international: Foreigners buy condos in bulk Bulk purchases make up big part of new development sales By C. J. Hughes The Real Deal, August Issue Ariel East has attracted sizable numbers of foreign investors who are bu... Read article»

Downtown Manhattan's population grows
[ August 16, 2007 ]
Downtown Manhattan's population grows The Real Deal, August 16 More people are moving to Downtown Manhattan, and most residents there are couples, according to the Alliance for Downtown New York's first Lower Manhattan Retail Market Overvi... Read article»

GREEN PET SHOP MEANS MORE THAN REPTILES
[ August 16, 2007 ]
GREEN PET SHOP MEANS MORE THAN REPTILES By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - The Shops at Atlas Park will be welcoming the first ‘green’ pet store in New York City. Crazy For Animals, a family-owned and operated boutique specializing... Read article»

SEVEN MANHATTAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO WATCH
[ August 10, 2007 ]
SEVEN MANHATTAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO WATCH By STEVE CUOZZO New York Post August 10, 2007 -- HERE are major Manhattan de velopers with planned office building projects that could be affected by credit-market turmoil. None has... Read article»

Transit center is downtown draw
[ August 7, 2007 ]
While the promise of lower rents is luring office tenants to lower Manhattan, retailers and residents are moving there because of the potential of the Fulton Street Transit Center. Slated for completion by 2010, the $888 million hub will connect 1... Read article»

Seven Steps To A Credit Score Makeover
[ August 4, 2007 ]
Seven Steps To A Credit Score Makeover You can mitigate the effect of tighter mortgage underwriting standards by improving your credit report profile and, as a result, your credit score. Just don't expect that your knee-jerk reaction to tig... Read article»

Consumer confidence climbs to a six-year high
[ July 31, 2007 ]
WASHINGTON – July 31, 2007 – Have U.S. consumers turned a corner? Consumer confidence for July surged 7.3 points over June numbers to reach its highest level in six years. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had dipped in June, n... Read article»

Hot for housing: Development in the city vs. the nation
[ July 7, 2007 ]
Hot for housing: Development in the city vs. the nation NYC among top cities in U.S. for total residential development; first for multi-unit buildings By Alison Gregor Real Deal, July Even as residential real estate sales and development... Read article»

Secrets About Buying A Second Home
[ July 4, 2007 ]
Secrets About Buying A Second Home "Top," "Best," and "Most" lists rarely tell the whole story, but they do serve a useful purpose. As literary distillations of larger stories, lists offer the kind of on-the-go information we need so we can... Read article»

Co-ops Slip, but Condos Lead Rise in Manhattan Apartment Prices
[ July 3, 2007 ]
Co-ops Slip, but Condos Lead Rise in Manhattan Apartment Prices By CHRISTINE HAUGHNEY New York Times, July 3 While housing prices are falling in many parts of the country, the cost of a Manhattan apartment is continuing to rise over all... Read article»

THE MOINIAN GROUP TO CONVERT OFFICE TOWER INTO LUXURY APARTMENT COMMUNITY
[ June 22, 2007 ]
A 500,000-square-foot office tower in Manhattan, New York City, will be converted into a luxury apartment community. THE MOINIAN GROUP TO CONVERT OFFICE TOWER INTO LUXURY APARTMENT COMMUNITY NEW YORK CITY — The Moinian Group will convert a 50... Read article»

Construction Costs Could Rise as Mega-Projects Increase Demand
[ June 21, 2007 ]
Construction Costs Could Rise as Mega-Projects Increase Demand By ELIOT BROWN New York Sun, June 21 Developers could see construction costs rise at an even faster rate in coming years, as the city's megaprojects substantially increase dem... Read article»

FACTORS IN THE SALE/LEASEBACK
[ June 20, 2007 ]
FACTORS IN THE SALE/LEASEBACK Lease term, credit standing and condition of real estate are major factors in consideration of sale/leaseback. By Mark McConnell, regional director with First Industrial Realty Trust Companies of all shapes and ... Read article»

Important Questions to Ask Before You Sign a Remodeling Contract
[ June 19, 2007 ]
Important Questions to Ask Before You Sign a Remodeling Contract Remodeling projects can cost tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars and more. With that kind of investment the best advice is to ask questions before you hire a co... Read article»

NICHE NEIGHBORHOODS
[ June 14, 2007 ]
NICHE NEIGHBORHOODS New York City neighborhoods revitalize. Stephanie Mayhew As cities and towns look to bring new businesses to their area, many are developing plans that focus on the revitalization of once viable neighborhoods. In no area of t... Read article»

Brooklyn waterfront put on endangered list
[ June 14, 2007 ]
Brooklyn waterfront put on endangered list Published: June 14, 2007 - 2:22 pm The National Trust for Historic Preservation on Thursday placed the industrial waterfront of Brooklyn on its list of 11 most endangered historic places. It is the... Read article»

Tax Benefit Falls From Favor
[ June 13, 2007 ]
Tax Benefit Falls From Favor Fraud Claims, High Prices for Commercial Properties Curb Use of '1031' Strategy By KEMBA J. DUNHAM Wall Street Journal, June 13 Some smaller real-estate investors are turning away from a popular tax-deferral s... Read article»

This Summer, No Cooling Off for Manhattan Residential Market
[ June 12, 2007 ]
This Summer, No Cooling Off for Manhattan Residential Market Spring was already unseasonably warm in New York, compared to the rest of the country By Tom Acitelli New York Observer, June 12 Look to the spring we’re in and to history ... Read article»

Across 110th
[ June 12, 2007 ]
Across 110th By MAX GROSS New York Post, June 14 A year and a half ago, New York magazine asked real-estate appraiser Jonathan Miller to estimate what Central Park was worth. The figure Miller came up with - more than $528 billion ... Read article»

THERE’S GOLD IN THE GOLDEN YEARS
[ June 7, 2007 ]
THERE’S GOLD IN THE GOLDEN YEARS As the oldest baby boomers plan their retirements, many cities are introducing programs to attract these retirees and their considerable economic assets. People over age 50 control 80 percent of savings and loan as... Read article»

Schumer Calls for National Green Standard
[ June 6, 2007 ]
Schumer Calls for National Green Standard By Katie Hinderer Email this story | Printer-friendly | Reprints Schumer NEW YORK CITY-In Midtown yesterday Senator Charles Schumer called for a national standard to significantly reduce emissions f... Read article»

NYC construction spending to top $25B
[ June 4, 2007 ]
NYC construction spending to top $25B By: Catherine Tymkiw Published: June 4, 2007 - 12:49 pm Construction spending in New York City will top $25 billion this year as the Big Apple reaps the benefits of strong office space demand and an influ... Read article»

Downtown Landmark Makes a High-End Play
[ May 30, 2007 ]
Downtown Landmark Makes a High-End Play By ALISON GREGOR New York Times, May 30 In a leap of faith in the Lower Manhattan office market, a group of real estate developers is creating what would be the financial district’s first office tower ... Read article»

In a City Known for Its Renters, a Record Number Now Own Their Homes
[ May 27, 2007 ]
In a City Known for Its Renters, a Record Number Now Own Their Homes By SAM ROBERTS New York Times, May 27 New York, a city of renters since immigrants began jamming lodging houses and tenements early in the 19th century, has reached two mile... Read article»

Urstadt Calls for 50-Acre Battery Park City North
[ May 18, 2007 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Charles Urstadt, vice chairman of Battery Park City and chairman of Urstadt Biddle Properties, spoke at the Associated Builders and Owners luncheon on Thursday and called for the creation of Battery Park City North. Although he admits t... Read article»

Luxury Seems To Be Set For the Lower East Side
[ May 17, 2007 ]
Luxury Seems To Be Set For the Lower East Side By MICHAEL STOLER New York Sun, May 17 Edited Ultra-luxury five-star hotels, the largest supermarket in the Northeast, apartments renting for $80 a square foot, condominiums selling for $1,... Read article»

Bill Clinton Stresses Green Agenda
[ May 17, 2007 ]
Bill Clinton Stresses Green Agenda By Katie Hinderer Clinton NEW YORK CITY-Former President Bill Clinton stressed the importance of thinking toward the future, toward sustainability and said that on our current path we are not creating a susta... Read article»

MORE GREEN CONSTRUCTION ON HORIZON
[ May 16, 2007 ]
MORE GREEN CONSTRUCTION ON HORIZON By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - Nearly two thirds of real estate professionals said green construction would be in their development plans but still, more than one-third said it would not be in th... Read article»

NY commercial building topped $6B in 2005
[ May 15, 2007 ]
NY commercial building topped $6B in 2005 By: Julie Satow Published: May 15, 2007 - 11:21 am Almost $6 billion was spent on the construction of office buildings, warehouse and other non-residential construction in New York state in 2005. The s... Read article»

Time To Jump On the Office Condo Wave, or Jump Off?
[ May 10, 2007 ]
Time To Jump On the Office Condo Wave, or Jump Off? Building Boom Has Some Developers Speculating Whether or When the Party Will End "Nobody has a handle on the depth of the market," said Jim Riggs, chairman and CEO of Scottsdale, AZ-based SA... Read article»

WORTH A MILLION
[ May 3, 2007 ]
WORTH A MILLION The number of U.S. millionaire households has risen to a record high of 9.3 million as of mid-2006, up 5 percent from 2005, according to TNS Global’s annual Affluent Market Research Program. The millionaires’ mean net worth, not in... Read article»

Lower Manhattan Hot, Hot, Hot!
[ May 3, 2007 ]
Lower Manhattan Hot, Hot, Hot! By Tom Acitelli New York Observer, April 30 Lower Manhattan’s apartment inventory rose 19 percent in the last two years, according to a new report. In 2006, 12 fresh residential developments spilled 1,718 new ... Read article»

A Warning on Risk in Commercial Mortgages
[ May 2, 2007 ]
A Warning on Risk in Commercial Mortgages By TERRY PRISTIN New York Times, May 2 Spurred by the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, the leading bond rating agencies are beginning to crack down on what they see as risky lending practi... Read article»

Don’t underestimate power of over-40 set
[ May 2, 2007 ]
Don’t underestimate power of over-40 set CHICAGO – May 2, 2007 – Not only do high numbers of the over-40 set go online for information, but they’re also one of the most active groups in the word-of-mouth marketplace, says a recent study conducted ... Read article»

Dog Parks Emerging "Must Have" for Pet Loving Home Buyers
[ April 15, 2007 ]
Dog Parks Emerging "Must Have" for Pet Loving Home Buyers by Mark Nash Home buyers across the country are adding in rising numbers a walk-to dog park to their new home search parameters. I first reported this trend in my annual survey; "What'... Read article»

Colossal Plans for Hudson Yards
[ April 13, 2007 ]
By ELIOT BROWN New York Sun, April 13 The city is about to unveil its preliminary proposal for the 26-acre Hudson Yards site over the MTA's rail yards, a colossal development that is said to include about 13 million square feet of an undetermi... Read article»

State Approves Downtown Tax Abatement
[ April 5, 2007 ]
State Approves Downtown Tax Abatement By Katie Hinderer Downtown NEW YORK CITY-The New York State Legislature has approved another three-year extension of the Commercial Revitalization Program. The bill was originally passed in 1995 and has b... Read article»

Sell Your Home for More Money
[ April 4, 2007 ]
All sellers want to make more when they sell their home, but instead many literally throw away thousands of dollars. It's a problem that has a very basic solution. "The key to understanding how to get your house sold quickly and for top dollar is... Read article»

High Line Park Spurs Remaking Of Formerly Grotty Chelsea
[ March 30, 2007 ]
By John Koblin New York Observer, March 30 The mission of the High Line, the future park that will rest on an elevated train platform slicing across 22 Manhattan blocks, is to slow down. The park’s designers want the experience of it to be medi... Read article»

New York City stays afloat while rest of U.S. sinks
[ March 19, 2007 ]
New York City stays afloat while rest of U.S. sinks By Philana Patterson Real Deal, March While real estate agents and brokers in other markets around the country have faced slowing sales and falling prices, the New York City market has hel... Read article»

Is a recession coming? Profits hold the key
[ March 13, 2007 ]
By Rich Miller Bloomberg News, March 13 The disagreement between Alan Greenspan and Ben S. Bernanke about where the U.S. economy is headed boils down to one word: profits. For Greenspan, the 81-year-old former Federal Reserve chairman, a pea... Read article»

REAL ESTATE AD BUBBLE COULD BURST
[ March 7, 2007 ]
REAL ESTATE AD BUBBLE COULD BURST The real estate advertising bubble is about to burst for U.S. newspapers, several newspaper analysts say. Even as the real estate market has cooled during the past two years, newspapers’ 2006 real estate ad sales ... Read article»

BROOKLYN PRICING UP
[ March 7, 2007 ]
BROOKLYN PRICING UP By LOIS WEISS Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - Sale prices of all Brooklyn apartments and one, two and three family dwellings, including townhouses, showed solid gains in 2006, according to the Real Estate Board of New York’s (... Read article»

Wall Street Area Joins Historic List; Landlords Get Tax Edge for Renovation
[ March 3, 2007 ]
By ALEX FRANGOS Wall Street Journal, March 3 NEW YORK -- Nearly 400 years after Dutch explorers settled the tip of Manhattan, the illustrious hub of commerce -- now better known as a home to fancy condominiums -- is finally getting the official a... Read article»

Housing Market Heats Up Again in New York City
[ February 19, 2007 ]
Housing Market Heats Up Again in New York City By TRACIE ROZHON New York Times, February 19 Since the new year began, a burst of activity has broken out in Manhattan and several Brooklyn neighborhoods as New Yorkers frenetically hunt for co... Read article»

NYC Drops in Rank of Most Expensive Office Markets
[ February 15, 2007 ]
NEW YORK CITY-Midtown Manhattan ranks ninth on a list of the most expensive cities in the world to rent office space. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s Office Space Across the world, London’s West End ranks number one, followed by Tokyo, Hong Kong, ... Read article»

Overseas investors still find U.S. property hot
[ February 14, 2007 ]
Overseas investors still find U.S. property hot NEW YORK – Feb. 14, 2007 – Foreign countries continued their American commercial property shopping spree in 2006, providing more than 5 percent of the record $336 billion spent on U.S. office towers,... Read article»

Realtors Say Reports of a Market Crash in NYC are False and Misleading
[ February 2, 2007 ]
Realtors Say Reports of a Market Crash in NYC are False and Misleading Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 2 MANHATTAN — Dorothy Herman, CEO and president of Prudential Douglas Elliman, told an audience of industry leaders that any reports of... Read article»

The ‘Tremendous Revitalization' of Lower Manhattan
[ February 1, 2007 ]
The ‘Tremendous Revitalization' of Lower Manhattan By Michael Stoler Sun, February 1 Like a just-opened bottle of Champagne, development is effervescent in Lower Manhattan in the wake of the finalization of a more feasible plan for the fo... Read article»

How Long Can Hotel Industry Stay in High Gear?
[ January 21, 2007 ]
How Long Can Hotel Industry Stay in High Gear? By Alison Gregor New York Times, January 21 THE hotel industry has made a stellar comeback since bottoming out about five years ago, with occupancy and room rates rising sharply nationwide. Anal... Read article»

Housing Cost Takes a Bigger Leap Upward
[ January 19, 2007 ]
Housing Cost Takes a Bigger Leap Upward By Patrick McGeehan New York Times, January 19 The cost of putting a roof over one’s head in the New York metropolitan region rose faster last year than at any other time since Edward I. Koch was ... Read article»

NYC rental market ranked top in the nation
[ January 17, 2007 ]
NYC rental market ranked top in the nation By Julie Satow Crains, January 17 All signs point skyward for New York City’s booming apartment rental market, according to a new ranking report from brokerage firm Marcus & Millichap. New York Ci... Read article»

East River Science Park Takes Step Forward
[ January 10, 2007 ]
East River Science Park Takes Step Forward By Katie Hinderer Bloomberg NEW YORK CITY-The East River Science Park, a bioscience research campus, took an important step toward development today when a ground lease was signed. The New York City H... Read article»

The Art of House Hunting: 8 Tips to Help in Your Search
[ January 4, 2007 ]
The Art of House Hunting: 8 Tips to Help in Your Search Armed with your down payment and your pre-approved mortgage loan, the next step is finding the house that will best meet your family's needs. With realistic expectations, patience, and ple... Read article»

Putting Condo Myths to Bed
[ January 4, 2007 ]
Putting Condo Myths to Bed What do you think of when you hear the word "condominium?" If you're like most people, you'll visualize either a high-rise apartment or a row of low-slung, garden-style walk-ups. And you'll be wrong. Of the nation's n... Read article»

Home Prices Fall Just a Bit; Brokers See ‘Soft Landing’
[ January 3, 2007 ]
Home Prices Fall Just a Bit; Brokers See ‘Soft Landing’ By Josh Barbanel New York Times, January 3 Sale prices for Manhattan apartments fell in the last quarter of 2006, while the pace of sales was reported to be strong and the backlog o... Read article»

Wave of Development, Cleared for Takeoff
[ January 1, 2007 ]
Wave of Development, Cleared for Takeoff By Sam Roberts New York Times, January 1 City, state and federal agencies granted final approvals last month to a half-dozen wide-ranging projects in a political aligning of the stars that will pr... Read article»

Wall Street Bonuses Flood NYC's Economy
[ December 19, 2006 ]
Wall Street Bonuses Flood NYC's Economy By Adam Goldman Associated Press, December 19 NEW YORK-- When Michael Aaron learned that Wall Street investment banks were going to be shelling out record bonuses this holiday season, the savvy wi... Read article»

NYC touted as safest big city nationwide
[ December 17, 2006 ]
NYC touted as safest big city nationwide By Catherine Tymkiw Crains, December 18 New York remained the safest big city in the nation during the first six months of 2006, according to a preliminary crime report released Monday by the Federal... Read article»

Problems with real estate? What problems?
[ December 7, 2006 ]
NEW YORK – Dec. 7, 2006 – Recent broad declines in prices have slightly dented the outlook of U.S. homeowners, as a new poll published Wednesday shows they remain mostly optimistic about the value of their property. A nationwide poll conducted b... Read article»

Manhattan apartment sales prices rise
[ December 6, 2006 ]
Manhattan apartment sales prices rise By Kira Bindrim Crains, December 6 The median sales price for Manhattan apartments jumped 6% during the latest quarter, while the average sale price leveled off, according to a report released Wednesday... Read article»

Is Luxury Housing the Silver Lining in a Stormy Market?
[ November 30, 2006 ]
by Jim Remley, ABR, ALHS Pro Performer Seminars The days of kicking over a rock in your office parking lot and finding three buyers ready, willing, and able to write a full price offer on your new listing may be a distant memory but for many ag... Read article»

Realtors adapting to new reality
[ November 15, 2006 ]
NEW ORLEANS – Nov. 15, 2006 – With home sales and prices falling in many parts of the country, real estate agents are having a tough time dealing with the new reality. After all, it’s been more than a decade since the last housing market slow... Read article»

Bidding War May Be Moving to Rental Front
[ October 11, 2006 ]
Bidding War May Be Moving to Rental Front Applicants Begin to Employ One-Upmanship Approach as Apartments Gain Appeal By Christine Haughney Wall Street Journal, October 11 Bidding wars, once waged by prospective home buyers in a red-... Read article»

New Designs for WTC Towers Completed
[ October 4, 2006 ]
New Designs for WTC Towers Completed credit: SPI, dbox Plans have been unveiled for Towers 2, 3, and 4 of the World Trade Center. Three striking designs by world-renowned architects will create a bold new skyline for Downtown. Tower 2, by Lor... Read article»

Super-luxury homes go on the market for $100 million and more!
[ October 2, 2006 ]
Super-luxury homes go on the market for $100 million and more PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Oct. 2, 2006 -- Donald Trump's property for sale here has all the big-time extras one might expect. Pricey marble and 24-karat gold fixtures decorate bathrooms. There'... Read article»

Home-Wrecked
[ September 26, 2006 ]
Home-Wrecked By Janet Whitman and Braden Keil Post, September 26 As home prices across the nation dropped more than they have in a decade, the often-sizzling New York real estate market is bracing for a chill. The median price for a... Read article»

Experts See Midtown Tenants Looking Downtown
[ September 18, 2006 ]
Experts See Midtown Tenants Looking Downtown By Ian Ritter Globest.com, September 15 NEW YORK CITY-Only days after the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, real estate professionals pondered the future of Downtown Manhattan... Read article»

Manhattan Starts Q3 Strong
[ August 31, 2006 ]
Manhattan Starts Q3 Strong By Tom Sosnowski Text appended by Research Services Globest.com, August 31 NEW YORK CITY-Final data for July indicate a Manhattan real estate market that has experienced a decline in overall vacancy rates a... Read article»

New Vision Are Arising in Lower Manhattan
[ August 28, 2006 ]
New Visons Are Arising in Lower Manhattan By David Lombino Sun, August 28 Five years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, ground zero is a pit, a monument to intergovernmental feuds that have stalled construction. But steps away, a gi... Read article»

Helter Skelter Market shift continues to roil housing
[ August 28, 2006 ]
Helter Skelter Market shift continues to roil housing By Braden Keil Post, August 28 Not only is the inventory of available housing in New York at a 10-year high, prices for properties are sliding in the opposite direction, as the se... Read article»

Realtors: Home sales now a 'buyer's market'
[ July 25, 2006 ]
Sales fell for third straight month in June; nearly flat prices make double-digit gains seem like a distant memory. By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer July 25 2006: 3:27 PM EDT NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- It's official - even the nati... Read article»

How to Profit From a Cooling Real Estate Market
[ July 13, 2006 ]
How to Profit From a Cooling Real Estate Market by Robert Kiyosaki Utility Links Printable ViewEmail this PageTuesday, June 13, 2006 All over the U.S. there are stories of a rise in real estate foreclosures. Many people who took those exotic mo... Read article»

So, where is the paperless mortgage?
[ July 6, 2006 ]
WASHINGTON -- July 6, 2006 -- How far away is the paperless mortgage closing? Experts say the mortgage industry is still a long way from the day when paper doesn’t pass between lender and consumer -- and it is possible that the paper-free mor... Read article»

How to Profit From a Cooling Real Estate Market:
[ July 6, 2006 ]
How to Profit From a Cooling Real Estate Market by Robert Kiyosaki Utility Links Printable ViewEmail this PageTuesday, June 13, 2006 All over the U.S. there are stories of a rise in real estate foreclosures. Many people who took those exotic mo... Read article»

U.S. Population to Hit 300 Million in 2006
[ June 25, 2006 ]
U.S. Population to Hit 300 Million in 2006 By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, AP WASHINGTON (June 25) - The U.S. population is on target to hit 300 million this fall and it's a good bet the milestone baby - or immigrant - will be Hispanic. Talk About It: Post... Read article»

Plan to Move Garden Augurs Change for Midtown
[ June 20, 2006 ]
Plan to Move Garden Augurs Change for Midtown By Charles V. Bagli New York Times, June 20 Steven Roth, the chairman of a company once known for operating suburban shopping centers, made a startling move nine years ago when he plunked dow... Read article»

Manhattan Hotel Deals, With Foreign Accents
[ June 11, 2006 ]
Manhattan Hotel Deals, With Foreign Accents By Alison Gregor New York Times, June 11 The New York City hotel market, which struggled after the dot-com bust and then after 9/11, has been steadily rebounding: occupancy rates now hover arou... Read article»

Living it up on Wall Street
[ March 15, 2006 ]
The world's financial capital is becoming a very pricey bedroom community. By Oliver Ryan, FORTUNE reporter March 15, 2006: 10:12 AM EST NEW YORK (FORTUNE Magazine) - First-time visitors to Wall Street often stand in front of No. 23, the once-... Read article»

Front Street Redevelopment. Fishmarket Gone!
[ February 20, 2006 ]
Front Street Redevelopment Called the Historic Front Street Project, a development initiative that will bring 95 new apartments and 13 retail spaces to the South Street Seaport area is nearing completion this fall. The project included renov... Read article»

15 Broad Street
[ February 5, 2006 ]
15 Broad Street The former headquarters of JP Morgan, comprised of a 42-story tower at 15 Broad Street and an adjoining five-story building at 23 Wall Street, are being converted into the first luxury high-rise condominium on the block, known ... Read article»

East River Waterfront Study Area from Battery Park to East River Park
[ January 28, 2006 ]
East River Waterfront Study Area from Battery Park to East River Park Overview This planning and urban design study proposes short-term improvements and long-term strategies to reconnect Lower Manhattan's diverse communities to a two-mile ... Read article»

20 Pine Street by Armani Casa
[ January 20, 2006 ]
January 2006 Boymelgreen hopes buyers like cut of Armani condos Units at 20 Pine The Collection to offer rugged Wall Street aesthetic; too many high-end condos Downtown? By Eric Marx A typical unit at 20 Pine Street, designed by Giorgio Arman... Read article»

World Trade Center Transportation Hub
[ January 15, 2006 ]
World Trade Center Transportation Hub « back The image of a bird in flight is not one normally associated with an underground transportation center, but architect Santiago Calatrava has perfectly managed to marry the two. As designed, the W... Read article»

The principal units of the building are 45-foot glazed cubes, each of which contains four floors of
[ December 19, 2005 ]
The building will be Mr. Calatrava's first residential project in the United States. The principal units of the building are 45-foot glazed cubes, each of which contains four floors of residential space. Twelve cubes are cantilevered, in steplike fa... Read article»

The 80 South Street Tower as a whole is 835 feet high and will contain 175,000 square feet of space.
[ December 10, 2005 ]
The building will be Mr. Calatrava's first residential project in the United States. The principal units of the building are 45-foot glazed cubes, each of which contains four floors of residential space. Twelve cubes are cantilevered, in steplike fa... Read article»

From Beverly Hills to TriBeCa
[ December 5, 2005 ]
What's in a ZIP? In this case, some of the priciest real estate in the country. From Beverly Hills to TriBeCa, from notorious enclaves of mansions and lush lawns to little-known niches of wealth, we looked at ZIP codes around the country to find t... Read article»

Downtown Incentives for Businesses
[ September 28, 2005 ]
Commercial Real Estate News LOWER MANHATTAN INCENTIVES By Lois Weiss Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - The Alliance for Downtown New York has launched a technical assistance program for those businesses seeking to take advantage of the ... Read article»

Tribeca
[ June 18, 2005 ]
TriBeCa OUTLOOK What's new: Brokers describe the neighborhood as "essentially done"—nearly everything convertible has been converted. Among the final few: 73 Worth Street, with 30 condos, and 50 Murray Street, a high-rise rental ... Read article»