Ever hear of a monetary policy by which companies and households get paid to borrow and charged to save money?  Seemingly crazy, this negative interest rate policy (“NIRP”) continues to spread around the globe much like a virus, having already infected central banks in Europe, Japan and other countries accounting for 25% of the global economy. (Thus far, Federal Reserve Chair Yellen has indicated no plans to implement a NIRP in the USA.) A negative ... Read more

Interest rates and cap rates remain low Inflation and unemployment remain low at about 2% and 5%, respectively New tech jobs are coming as Google and Bizness Apps locate facilities in San Diego Despite low interest rates, low vacancy rates, and rising rents – record high prices, low cap rates and fears of a potential downturn have begun to hamper CRE investment. We still see promising (and less risky) opportunity in certain sectors though, ... Read more

U.S. real-estate sales to Chinese buyers fell for the first time since 2011, to $27.3 billion. U.S. realtors say China's capital controls and currency depreciation, resulting in a cheaper Yuan, have curbed potential buyers. Still, the National Association of Realtors reports the average price Chinese investors paid for homes in the U.S. rose by more than 12% between 2015 and 2016.  California receives about one-third of this foreign investment (compared to New York’s 10%), ... Read more