The 85 richest people on Earth now have the same amount of wealth as the bottom half of the global population, according to a report released this week by the British humanitarian group, Oxfam International.  “It is staggering that in the 21st century, half of the world’s population owns no more than a tiny elite, whose members could all sit comfortably in a single train carriage,” said Winnie Byanyima, Oxfam’s executive director. The bottom half of ... Read more

California’s Assembly Bill (AB) 1103 energy benchmarking and disclosure law became effective as of January 1, 2014.  Implementation of the requirements begins on January 1, 2014, for a building with total gross floor area measuring more than 10,000 square feet, and on July 1, 2014, for a building with a total gross floor area measuring more than 5,000 square feet. The law requires certain non-residential business owners to input energy consumption and other building ... Read more

Changing office trends toward increased densification, more efficient use of space, greater integration with technology, and a shift toward more collaborative work spaces, as well as greater acceptance of remote access, hold major implications for developers, investors and building owners. Tenants are downsizing their offices, particularly larger public firms, as they increasingly adopt policies for sharing non-dedicated offices, and implement technology to support their employees' ability to work anywhere and anytime, according to Norm G. ... Read more

The insatiable investor appetite for fast food restaurants persists, as evidenced by the increasing volume and average price of sales in 2013. Cap rates averaged 6.9% for fast food transactions in the third quarter of 2013, compared to an average of 6.5% in the second quarter, and 7% a year ago.  Upper-tier fast food properties are generally moving with cap rates below 6% nationally; with some higher quality assets in great locations with more desirable long-term ... Read more

As of January 2014, some homebuyers will have more difficulty qualifying for a mortgage.  Under Dodd-Frank, lenders must scrutinize a borrower's income and assets more diligently to confirm his or her capacity to make the monthly mortgage payments, including any second mortgage, property taxes, insurance and homeowner association fees.  Additionally, any child support and alimony obligations must be factored, and the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio must be lower than 38 percent to meet the definition ... Read more

Please join Regal Properties in an effort to build much-needed children’s housing for Hogar Infantil, near Tijuana.  Currently, when the children reach the age of about 12-13 they have to be turned away from the existing home and split up from their siblings because of insufficient resources and facilities.  Some of them are quickly recruited and exploited for illicit purposes like prostitution.  Therefore, Hogar Infantil has a goal to build 4 large houses on its property, at a cost of ... Read more

Heading into 2014, a robust demand for retail space continues to drive down vacancy rates and drive up rents across the nation, according to CoStar. After closing some stores in 2010, many national tenants have begun expanding again, seeking space to open new stores. For example, less than two years ago many commercial real estate analysts predicted the demise of Starbucks while the company braked growth and even closed some stores; but now Starbucks has resumed ... Read more

Less than one year after closing one of the largest retail purchase transactions in the United States, in 2013 Regal Properties has already successfully closed: (1) the purchase of a 40,000 square foot retail center on Cave Creek Road in Phoenix, (2) the purchase from a bank of a broken residential subdivision in Kerman, California, (3) the purchase of a 12,600 square foot automotive center in Phoenix, and (4) the office lease negotiations, on ... Read more

In a collaborative effort with a commercial real estate workout firm, Regal Properties announced on December 18, 2012 that, after the owner successfully restructured $183MM portfolio of primarily retail properties located in six states, Regal Properties sold the distressed Lake Havasu Mall in that portfolio for less than $16MM. Completed in September 2008, the center includes 704,164 square feet of retail space located on Hwy 95, across from the Havasu airport. JC Penney, Dillard’s and Wal-Mart anchor the center, with ... Read more

Approximately $362 billion of commercial real estate debt will mature in 2012, and approximately $1.73 trillion (about the size of California’s economy) over the next 5 years, through 2016.  How the market will address this tremendous demand remains to be seen, especially in light of the fact that about two-thirds of these maturing loans are under water.  Many banks remain concerned about their balance sheets and limiting their commercial real estate exposure, and the ... Read more