Commercial Real Estate Archives

Paying attention to economic trends may be helpful to those in Pennsylvania who are looking to invest in commercial real estate. Changes in demographics, geopolitical issues, decreased lending and shifts in consumer spending are just some of the factors that can influence commercial real estate prices. Unemployment statistics and the income levels of middle class households are other factors to consider.

Bank branches in Pennsylvania and across the nation look much the same today as they did in decades past, but the financial sector has been undergoing huge changes behind the scenes. Banking assets have increased from about $209 billion in the mid-1950s to an eye watering $15 trillion today, and the financial sector has gone from accounting for less than half of the nation’s GDP in 1955 to making up 83 percent of today’s economic output. However, perhaps the biggest change in American banking has been the shift from commercial and industrial loans to real estate-based lending.

Commercial real estate investors in Pennsylvania may be interested in some trends around retail real estate that are bucking typical expectations. Usually, restaurants can reliably act as anchors in shopping areas that are on the decline. They bring in more foot traffic and spending. However, for several quarters now, foot traffic and sales in the restaurant industry have been weaker.

Commercial real estate investors in Pennsylvania have probably heard about the suffering retail sector. With the popularity of e-commerce, consumers are buying their clothing and electronics online rather than in department stores and malls. While e-commerce is taking customers away from most brick-and-mortar retail, the restaurant sector has been growing, and landlords are now using food to lure shoppers back to retail spaces.

Pennsylvanians who are interested in investing in real estate may not know where to begin. Real estate investments can be a good way for people to grow their money over a number of years. However, there are several things a potential investor should do before they put down capital on a property.

The commercial real estate landscape in Pennsylvania is experiencing some major movement in recent months. The Washington Crown Center mall south of Pittsburgh is under an agreement to be sold by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, who is also seeking a buyer for another western Pennsylvania commercial property, the Beaver Valley Mall.

Commercial real estate investors and developers in Pennsylvania may already be aware of the ways in which augmented reality technology is expected to impact the industry. The technology is already growing by leaps and bounds, thanks in part to the game Pokémon Go, which utilizes augmented reality technology to create the game in the real world around the player, via the camera of his or her mobile device. The game has seen rapid success. Nintendo, which owns the rights to Pokémon, has increased its market cap by $20 billion since the game was released July 6.

Commercial real estate investors in Pennsylvania have probably noticed that prices are beginning to go sideways. After the recent real estate boom caused prices to increase to more than double what they were at in 2009, commercial real estate price increases started to slow down. Some of the factors that may be contributing to the leveling off of real estate prices are decreased job growth, increased supply from new construction and talks of higher interest rates.

A local medical company is planning to erect a new tower to house its operations in Philadelphia. The first phase of construction will yield an eight-story, 250,000-square-feet, building for housing business operations, while a second phase will add another 290,000-squre-feet to the complex, expanding Philadelphia’s state of the art medical offerings.

Pennsylvania entrepreneurs planning on starting a new business or have a lot to think about when it comes to the facilities they operate from. The question of whether to lease or purchase space involves many important considerations. Small business owners should assess their cash flows before making a final decision.