Mary Ann Tighe, CEO at CB Richard Ellis

Women are increasingly finding professional opportunity in commercial real estate, according to a study commissioned by Commercial Real Estate Women and administered by the Cornell University program for real estate, Real Town reported.

There was a 7 percent increase in the number of women entering professions related to commercial real estate between 2005 and 2010, the report shows. Overall, more women in commercial real estate, about 11 percent in 2010, are earning between $100,000 and $250,000. That’s a jump from only 8 percent in that bracket in 2005. In 2010, 31 percent of men were receiving that degree of compensation, down from 34 percent in 2005.
The number of women reporting less that $75,000 in compensation dropped from three times the number of men, to only twice the number. [more]

A look at CREW Miami’s “Thinking Outside the Retail Box” event last week

From left: Suzanne Amaducci-Adams, president of CREW-Miami; Holly Cohen of J Crew; Michael Comras of the Comras Companies; Joy Medlock of Jones Lang LaSalle; Mindy McElroy of Terranova

Top real estate executives gathered in Miami last week for a panel discussion on the current retail market hosted by Commercial Real Estate Women at the InterContinental Hotel. Speakers included Holly Cohen, senior vice president of real estate at J Crew; Michael Comras, principal at the Comras Companies; and Mindy McElroy, executive vice president at Terranova. To submit your event photos for The Real Deal South Florida’s newest feature, “The Photo Gallery,” e-mail southfloridanews@therealdeal.com. TRD

[more]

From the New York December issue: When the economy sours, one of the few sectors to profit is usually
postgraduate education. Laid-off employees, or simply scared ones,
historically have flocked to school to beef up their résumés in the
hopes of better positioning themselves in the job market. But for some real estate professionals, this recession is different.
At New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate Continuing
Education Program, which offers over 500 classes each year, enrollment
dropped 10 to 15 percent between fall 2008 and fall 2009. The Real Estate Board of New York has also seen a 5 to 8 percent
decline in their for-credit continuing education program participants,
who typically register in order to maintain their licenses.
[more]

Commercial loans are defaulting at record-high rates, and many industry insiders believe the pace will only worsen, both in South Florida and nationwide. As revenues drop amid a severe recession, savvy commercial property owners in the region are working with banks — some more than others — to avoid default now before market conditions worsen.

According to a recent report from Real Estate Econometrics, the default rate of commercial real estate bank loans has reached its highest level in 15 years. And momentum is moving toward worsening default rates, which more than doubled nationally in the second quarter, up to 2.88 percent from 1.18 percent year-over-year, the report shows. And the company expects the default rate to rise to 4.1 percent by the end of the year, and to 5.2 percent by the end of 2010.

Rising vacancy rates, falling rents and increased operating expenses are contributing to the default surge. But the inability to refinance, sell or meet balloon payments also plays a part. Legal experts suggest commercial property owners looking to avoid default should get honest and aggressive about trying to find a middle ground.
[more]

Commercial Real Estate Women-Miami and the Urban Land Institute will costs a cocktail and networking reception starting at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 22 at the Miami City Club at the Wachovia Financial Center, 200 South Biscayne Blvd., 55th Floor. Scheduled speakers include Tere Blanca, president & CEO of Blanca Commercial Real Estate; Edgar Jones, vice president of Rockefeller Group Development Corporation; Jack Lowell, vice president of Flagler Real Estate Services; John Sumberg, managing partner of Bilzin Sumberg; and Bernard Zyscovich, president of Zyscovich Architects. They will discuss their “top tips” for surviving — and thriving — in today’s challenging market. Cost for attendance: $45 for CREW-Miami and ULI members, $55 non members and walk-ins. RSVP by Friday, September 18th online at www.crewmiami.org. TRD [more]

Thomas Nealon, general counsel with LNR Partners, one of the largest
servicers of commercial loans, will address the Commercial Real Estate
Women-Miami chapter at an August 25 luncheon. He will discuss how
lenders are adapting to the tighter commercial loan market and how
borrowers must adjust. The event, at the Four Seasons Hotel at 1435
Brickell Avenue, starts at 11:30 a.m. and costs $45 for CREW-Miami
members, $55 for non-members and walk-ons. Participants can register by
Aug. 21 at www.crewmiami.org. TRD [more]

Thomas Nealon, general counsel with LNR Partners, one of the largest servicers of commercial loans, will address the Commercial Real Estate Women-Miami chapter at an August 25 luncheon. He will discuss how lenders are adapting to the tighter commercial loan market and how borrowers must adjust. The event, at the Four Seasons Hotel at 1435 Brickell Avenue, starts at 11:30 a.m. and costs $45 for CREW-Miami members, $55 for non-members and walk-ons. Participants can register by Aug. 21 at www.crewmiami.org. TRD

[more]

Thomas Nealon, general counsel with LNR Partners, one of the largest servicers of commercial loans, will address the Commercial Real Estate Women-Miami chapter at an August 25 luncheon. He will discuss how lenders are adapting to the tighter commercial loan market and how borrowers must adjust. The event, at the Four Seasons Hotel at 1435 Brickell Avenue, starts at 11:30 a.m. and costs $45 for CREW-Miami members, $55 for non-members and walk-ons. Participants can register by Aug. 21 at www.crewmiami.org. TRD

[more]