November 20, 2025
First of all, THANK YOU! San Antonio for passing Bexar County Prop A and B! Well Done! 248,428 votes were cast and over 53% and 57% supported Prop A and B respectively. We are moving forward and not backward! Now that the Uncertainty for our local metropolitan area is settled, there are still plenty of […]
October 22, 2025
Photo credit goes to freepngimg.com The time to vote for Bexar County’s Prop A and Prop B is here. Early voting has begun and Election Day is November 4th. If you live anywhere in Bexar County, Alamo Heights to Alamo Ranch, Timberwood Park to Somerset, Castle Hills to Converse you need to vote. […]
August 20, 2025
Just suppose someone gave you the opportunity to invest $500 with the knowledge that you would make $9,000 in 30 years. Sounds pretty attractive, doesn’t it? Well, what if I sweeten the pot by your uncle giving you $350 of the $500? Now you haven’t even invested all your own money. Wow, sounds pretty awesome, […]
August 13, 2025
Congress recently passed the new tax law, and the President signed it into law on July 4th. It’s known as the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA). It effectively extends the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which at the time reduced the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, created a 20% deduction for pass-through […]
July 7, 2025
The Game of Tug-of-War Please imagine a tug-of-war between two giants; pulling and pulling against one another, sweating and groaning; one may get an advantage over the other, then, the other pulls harder and re-centers the center marker and maybe even pulls it to his side. These two giants are named Uncertainty and Resilience and they are featured daily in […]
May 7, 2025
THE RAUB REPORT Commercial Real Estate Newsletter for San Antonio May – June 2025 Investment Realty Company celebrates its Fiftieth Anniversary this year! This is a rare accomplishment and one of which we are very proud. Investment Realty Company was founded in 1975 to form investment partnerships so that San Antonio investors could invest […]
April 2, 2025
Last year in June I wrote about our most recent energy crisis, the one about AI versus AC. In this report I suggested that the increase in electricity requirements to energize new datacenters designed to support the AI revolution, may overwhelm our normal energy needs – like air-conditioning in the summer. Think brown-outs. I also […]
March 4, 2025
It’s a basic premise that before you can solve a problem you must first properly define the problem. If you don’t know where you want to go, you don’t know how to get there. If you are fighting a war, you need a strategy and a definition of victory. However, with housing, affordable housing and […]
February 5, 2025
Welcome New Texans! The U.S. Census Bureau says that Texas added the most new residents in 2024 to our state compared to the other 49. Texas now clocks in at 31.2-m residents compared to California’s 39.4-m. Texas added 562,000 to our population in 2024! Welcome, new Texans! This makes Texas the fastest growing state […]
January 8, 2025
While Christmas is the season to be jolly it’s especially true for retail stores, because they book 1/3 to ½ of their profits during the holidays. But also, just as true, January is the month for retailers to declare bankruptcy, because they just booked as much business as possible and with their balance sheets already impaired. […]
December 9, 2024
It has been said, that “Uncertainty may be uncomfortable, but certainty is absurd” (Voltaire). Period of Uncertainty We have struggled the past two years with the uncertainty of inflation [up and now lowering], with interest rates [up a lot, and now lowering] and then there was the very uncertain Election which has been decided and […]
October 17, 2024
When I started in the commercial real estate business in 1984 at IRC, I began keeping a journal of maxims and good advice to myself that I hope would help me along my career path. Here is a collection that I hope you might find helpful. Raub’s Rules of Real Estate And Favorite Words of […]
September 11, 2024
The lightening is a photo from Canva pro and the electrical lines are a credit to roa.cedia.edu.ec Commercial Real Estate and Energy An essential element of commercial real estate is energy, the thing that turns on the lights and make our economy and modern lives work. Our energy provider, CPS, is doing a good […]
August 20, 2024
Real Estate certainly seems in the doldrums. The market had surged strongly after Covid and peaked on April Fools’ Day 2022, but fell apart so fast that within six weeks buyers went from making above-asking-price offers to walking away from deals because real estate was no longer the hot asset class. The markets bottomed late […]
July 12, 2024
This image is a free use photo by American Public Power Association on Unsplash. The Roman saying Carpe Diem, which means Seize the Day, could apply to some real estate companies in this age of AI and energy transition. One company in particular is Prologis, the largest industrial real estate investment trust with a market cap […]
June 5, 2024
This image is a free use photo by antonioespana. AI is on everyone’s minds and lips these days. Wall Street sees it as the only thing that will grow our economy and national output. Every CEO must mention AI a dozen or more times in his earnings call to not be considered backward and […]
May 11, 2024
Interest rate decrease – Not Happening We were expecting a decrease in interest rates to bail out the commercial real estate community by mid-year, but that’s not happening. Now, we suspect there will probably be one rate cut before the election in November, […]
March 21, 2024
The photo of the poker chips was modified and the original photograph can be found here. The Pillars of Property Ownership Every real estate investor knows that property ownership is built on two pillars: equity and debt. Equity is your investment with your own dollars, or dollars from friends and family. This is also called […]
February 22, 2024
God Blessed Texas! Says the song by the band, Little Texas. So, let’s count our blessings. France-Texas-Italy Texas would be the ninth largest economy in the world, if we were a sovereign nation, with the 2023 state GDP of $2.52-trillion, which is ahead of Italy’s at $2.3-trillion and just behind France at $3.2-trillion. Texas is […]
January 3, 2024
“Hooray” as we ring in the New Year 2024! At this time of year we like to make resolutions on how we pledge to improve our behavior and our decision-making skills. However, we also need to remember that there is an old saying, “The more things change, the more they are the same.” Which is […]
December 11, 2023
Photo Credit Stackoverflow. At this time of year, we often pause and reflect on our lives and our families. Here I offer you a well-known poem by Rudyard Kipling that may help us to focus on the “golden mean” of moderation in a world that seems so divided now. Kipling wrote this to his son, but I […]
November 16, 2023
Photo Credit Bloginnova. When Worlds Collide: How the Internet Has Disrupted Real Estate. While I was preparing a presentation to the San Antonio Executive Association, a club of 150 small business owners in San Antonio it hit me the tremendous extent that each real estate sector has been disrupted by the internet. Here’s what happened when worlds collide. […]
October 18, 2023
Photo Credit CUTRER PHOTOGRAPHY. In the wise prose of Merle Haggard, “If we make it through December, everything’s going to be all right I know…” That is the way I see the commercial real estate market just now. Recessions Past At a lunch recently with another real estate broker and company owner, the question came up, […]
September 13, 2023
Photo credit goes to Vagueonthehow We should call this the Fall of Uncertainty. We are uncertain as to falling or rising inflation; uncertain as to higher interest rates, one of the largest factors in valuing real estate; uncertain as to true new values of real estate; uncertain as to whether we are now in a […]
August 24, 2023
Photo is Public Domain. In the June and July Reports, I tried to address Artificial Intelligence and the impact it may have on Commercial Real Estate as a whole. This month I would like to look at AI’s impact on a very specific class of commercial real estate in San Antonio, and that is Data […]
July 6, 2023
This photo is Public Domain. Last month we covered the background of Artificial Intelligence, which has actually been with us for a long time, but its evolution burst on the scene recently with the Generative AI chatbot called ChatGPT. This was developed by OpenAI, a San Francisco-based firm and you can access it by going to […]
June 24, 2023
Photo credit goes to Geralt. Artificial Intelligence (AI) In the past few months Artificial Intelligence (AI) has sprung from just “important” to “crucial” in the business news. Everyone is discussing AI and how it will change our lives. Will it eliminate your job or make your life better? Before I touch on the probable effects […]
May 9, 2023
This photo was captured by Austinrailnow.com Slammed by Bank Failures The Marketplace has been slammed in the past two months with four U.S. bank failures, then add Credit Swiss to that crowd. No one knows if this is the worst of it, or if it is the “tip of the iceberg” or the “first shoe to […]
April 12, 2023
This photo of Austin was captured by George Miquilena. The original photo was cropped, text added and then combined with a photo of San Antonio that was purchased for use by IRC. Gross Domestic Product You undoubtedly have heard of the term “GDP”, meaning Gross Domestic Product. It’s a standard measure of a country’s output […]
March 23, 2023
February’s Letter was about the Tug-of-War between worker shortages we are facing and the need to tamp down high inflation. Let’s now talk about the places where about one-third do their work – offices. Fast Fact – Women comprise about 70% of the office workforce and men 30%. Commercial Property Price Index Green Street Research […]
February 16, 2023
Jobs and the Workforce Permit me please to digress a moment from commercial real estate in San Antonio and look at a larger issue – jobs. This certainly bears on commercial real estate, because, after all, that is where jobs get done and where people work. We are all well familiar with the Pandemic Two-Step: […]
January 18, 2023
Photo by Brad Barmore on Unsplash Predictions and Resolutions It’s the New Year! Time for predictions and resolutions. We can predict 2023 will be a different sort of year from 2022, and we can all resolve to not make the same mistakes, again, and make better decisions. However, while the questions and uncertainties that surround […]
December 8, 2022
The Holiday Season has embraced us and the end of the year is not far ahead. The winds of uncertainty and change have certainly buffeted us these recent years, have they not? At IRC we have been doing our end of year clean up throwing out many old paper records and, for me, some nostalgia, […]
November 17, 2022
As we approach the end of a very, very rocky year, it is fair to ask “Where are we and where are we going?” In fact, I get asked this question all the time. Obviously, we are not at the end of the rate-hiking cycle by the FED and that dominates the conversation. Real Estate […]
October 9, 2022
Photo credit goes to: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Shalev97 First the Contraction, Then the Snap Back Is the market cooling off? Yes, like San Antonio cools from 103 degrees in August down to 90 degrees; still pretty warm, but not blazing hot. That’s how to look at our local economy. Most people agree we are beginning a Recession with 3 down […]
September 15, 2022
Build-to-Rent Communities, all the Rage So, why don’t I like Single Family Rentals communities? They are all the rage. At least a half dozen new Build-To-Rent (BTR) communities are going up in San Antonio. This trend began in the Great Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 when there were massive foreclosures by the banks and FNMA/Fannie Mae. […]
August 24, 2022
Are we on the brink of a Recession? We have had two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, and that is the definition of a recession. However, DC says “don’t mind that because job growth is still strong.” On the other hand, this is coming from the same folks who said inflation is transitory before […]
June 6, 2022
Can San Antonio skate by the on-coming Recession? Retail sales are declining. U.S. home sales are down 16% in April alone, the fifth straight month of declines. The stock market has fallen apart with interest rates edging higher and higher. Inflation may be peaking, but will likely remain high for some time to come. Gross […]
May 10, 2022
You may remember the movie series, Men in Black. In MIB 3 there is a pleasant space alien named Griffin who has the talent of seeing the future, but he goes one step further by seeing all possibilities of futures outcomes! He intones, “So many possibilities!” Sort of like where we are now. Economic Standing in […]
April 12, 2022
Commercial Real Estate Prices And the race is on! Which will go higher faster? Gas Prices? Inflation? Interest Rates? Property Appreciation? Property Values were in the lead, up by 21% annualized over the past 12 months, but are these returns sustainable? “Commercial property prices have stopped going up,” said Peter Rothemund, Co-Head of Strategic Research […]
March 9, 2022
We all know the saying, “Buy land, they aren’t making any more of it!” It’s the uniqueness of land and the improvements on it that make it valuable and may make it increase in value as it becomes more highly prized, or as inflation takes hold. Well, not so fast. Now we have the Metaverse […]
February 11, 2022
Commercial Real Estate This is the time of year when everyone tallies how good/bad things were last year and how they expect them to be this year. All in all, San Antonio looks pretty good! Housing « Starting close to home on the personal housing front, San Antonio Business Journal announced that San Antonio ranked […]
January 6, 2022
The Turning of the Year from old to the new, a finished episode on to promising expectation, is a traditional time for both reflection and anticipation. Each year Urban Land Institute and PWC (formerly Price Waterhouse Coopers) compile an extensive study of Commercial Real Estate entitled Emerging Trends in Real Estate. Their methodology is an […]
December 7, 2021
For this discussion I went back to the Raub Reports in February and March 2009 as the stock market crash ended and inflation was a big topic then, too. Inflation Rate in 2021 Inflation has become a significant issue on our national economy in the past 6 months with the October reading a shocking 6.2% […]
December 1, 2021
“To lease or to buy, that is the question.” Many businesses in San Antonio have been considering whether it is better to continue to lease their business location or to buy their own building. After all, why “throw away” all of that rent every month when you could be investing it in your own property? […]
November 9, 2021
San Antonio Nears a Full Economic Recovery San Antonio has now nearly recovered to the economic level where we were prior to the pandemic with September’s unemployment rate down to 4.5%, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. We were actually near 3% in early 2020, which is pretty much full employment and we could be […]
September 23, 2021
Photo by myHQ Workspaces on Unsplash The Days of COVID First, the days of COVID; now we are nearing the Days After Covid and the Next Normal. The term New Normal is just so, well, Pre-Covid. Hardly remember it. But what’s up ahead? The Nature of Work The nature of work is now being […]
Key Phases of New Home Construction New Home Construction consists of 3 main phases including, Pre-Development, Construction & Project Completion. Phase 1 The Pre-Development stage encompasses several key steps which are recommended before construction should begin: Market Analysis, Site Analysis, Conceptual Plans, Cost Analysis & Permits. Pre-Development is critical to the rest of the development […]
Purpose of a Mixed Economy In the United States of America there exists a careful balance allowing freedom of economic advancement and capital use along with government controlled sectors such as the department of education, court systems, hospitals, postal service and road systems (Investopedia). In theory this is to ensure that proper systems are in […]
Impact of COVID-19 on Commercial Real Estate So we are still in the grasp of Covid-19, and in San Antonio it seems we have all come to grips with this Next Normal. Many vaccinated, many not, many new infections, and thankfully, fewer deaths. What impact is this having on Commercial Real Estate? The big lockdown […]
August 16, 2021
Photo credit goes to “American Money” by 401(K) 2013 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 The Inevitables: Death and Taxes Death and taxes, the two inevitables. In a capital-intensive industry like commercial real estate, taxes and interest rates are the two largest expense factors driving the returns for all properties and property types. Of course, […]
August 13, 2021
Photo credit goes to https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pearl_Brewing_Company,_San_Antonio,_Texas,_September_2017.jpg The Decade of Downtown In the year 2010, Mayor Julian Castro declared San Antonio was entering “The Decade of Downtown,” declaring that “Great Cities have Great downtowns”. We were coming out of the recession that followed the 2008 Financial Crisis and he felt our city needed a new goal. […]
Photo Credit goes to Zereshk and the original copy can be found here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alamo_quarry_SA.jpg The development of the mixed-use property is on the rise in San Antonio. There are plans for new developments downtown near the Riverwalk, in the Pearl District, as well as in other parts of the city. Should you consider […]
May 25, 2021
Pandemic brought forth the Recession You will recall, with perhaps a little effort, the past ten years was the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, which came to an abrupt end when the Pandemic brought us the Recession that we had been waiting for. Then, thanks to the Federal Reserve’s quick and shockingly awesome response […]
May 17, 2021
SAN ANTONIO, TX – Foresite Commercial Real Estate (“Foresite”), a commercial leasing and investment sales firm and one of the largest property management companies in San Antonio, announced today that it has acquired the leasing, sales and management portfolio of Investment Realty Company (“IRC”). Founded in 1975, IRC is one of the longest serving commercial […]
May 14, 2021
In the past, San Antonio may have been in the shadows of other major Texas cities like Austin, Houston, and Dallas, but that’s beginning to change. San Antonio real estate statistics show that the city has had a resurgence of investment in its business district downtown. The new excitement is in part due to an […]
May 6, 2021
Investing in real estate can be a great way to build wealth and generate passive income. However, if you’re a budding real estate investor, you might be overwhelmed by the amount of information on how to get started. While the path to becoming a successful real estate investor does come with its own set […]
April 23, 2021
Taking into consideration what characterizes a thriving community and strong company culture, human connection plays a vital role. That being said, work-from-home is definitely trending and some say it’s here to stay. What does that mean for overall office use? Rather than downsizing, companies are adjusting the use of their current space to better suit […]
March 29, 2021
Inflation is once again in the headlines. Is it here yet? Just around the corner? Those questions come from investors who remember the 10% inflation of the 1970’s, with gas lines, and mortgage rates peaking at 16% in 1981 in order to squash inflation and the economy along with it. Now, if you are asking […]
February 10, 2021
Let’s continue our January conversation about the Austin-San Antonio Corridor, a title coined by John Naisbett in his 1982 book, “Megatrends.” Remember the scene in White Christmas that went “Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters.” Could this possibly apply to San Antonio and Austin, sister cities on the I-35 corridor? Right now, Austin […]
February 4, 2021
Thoughts inspired by strategic coach, Dan Sullivan Move Forward and Leave the Past, in the Past There is an excitement in the air surrounding the New Year as we enter into 2021. To make this year the best yet, it is imperative to remain positive no matter the circumstances and take on a fresh perspective. […]
January 7, 2021
Happy New Year! We are happy that the year is new, because the old one we just left is best viewed in the rearview mirror. Goodbye Year Too Zero and Hello Year 2021 – Year Number 1. Now is the time of year for resolutions and forecasts. One very clear trend that will be affecting […]
December 17, 2020
Its December, it’s the Holiday Season and Santa is comin’ to town! Next year, that is. And he’s “beginning to look a lot like” Amazon! This ubiquitous giant is buying up land, right here in River City. Now this does NOT come from the professionals involved in these transactions, all of whom have signed ironclad […]
December 2, 2020
While there may not have been as much foot-traffic this Black Friday, stores that have established a pickup in-store or curbside option have seen a substantial online sales volume. According to Market Watch “Sales at big stores surged by 403% on Thanksgiving and Black Friday compared to the daily average in October, but sales at […]
November 25, 2020
District 10 City Councilman Clayton Perry, commented that San Antonio has experienced a 34% decline in small businesses due to COVID. This is the worst hit of any city in Texas, illustrating how dependent SA is on small entrepreneurs. Then, our City Council has $75-million available from the CARES Act that he felt should have been […]
October 15, 2020
Photo by Jan Antonin Kolar on Unsplash I can only imagine that we are all very glad that we have reached the fourth quarter of 2020. In a football analogy, we are all still in the game, but glad this one will be over soon. However, unlike a football game, time will keep marching on. […]
September 8, 2020
Finding the right commercial builder for construction projects in San Antonio Texas isn’t always an easy task. A quick Google search will pull up plenty of options, but can you count on them for completing the job on budget, in time and with a high standard of quality? Having a general contractor on whom that […]
September 1, 2020
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash While our days seem in a vortex of negative news, pandemic fears, election uncertainties (will there be a credible result by Wednesday November 4th?), etc., let’s step back a moment and look at what we actually know is going on in our area. Here is a collage of news […]
August 3, 2020
Green Street Advisors, the premier commercial real estate analysis firm, covers properties across the globe. They are highly respected for their depth of analysis and breadth of coverage. Their best estimate on impact that the Days of Covid have had on commercial real estate across the board is a reduction in value of about 10 […]
July 16, 2020
Photo by Matthias Zomer from Pexels What is an Exclusive Listing? There are a number of ways to sell a property, but which one is the best? It depends on the situation and who you ask, of course. But there are some distinct advantages to choosing an exclusive agency listing. What is an exclusive agency […]
July 9, 2020
Photo by Morgan Housel on Unsplash Remember inflation? That is what happens when prices go up, and buying power of your dollar goes down. That has been generally flat the past few years and off everyone’s radar screen. In Commercial Real Estate, it is generally accepted that the rate of inflation is about 2%. For […]
June 29, 2020
Photo by Unsplash More Good News for the San Antonio-Austin Corridor! First Toyota’s Tundra Truck Plant, then NaviStar breaks ground this week on their new plant for electric trucks on San Antonio’s southside. Now, Tesla announces its new manufacturing plant for east Austin! These are great Wins for South Texas, and there will be more […]
June 18, 2020
Image by Pixabay 1. Help others, and they will help you. Understand their side and be certain that they understand yours. 2. Don’t be mediocre, strive for excellence – it’s the little details that make big things happen. 3. If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way to do it and succeed. Expect […]
June 5, 2020
Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash The New Office – Will companies find that working from home is as effective as being on-site? In 2013, Marissa Mayer took over as CEO of Yahoo! and sent everyone in the company out to work from home. After 6 months she ended the experiment, saying, “To become […]
May 1, 2020
We are still in the midst of the Covid-19 healthcare crisis, but it appears the worst of this first phase is over. Here in San Antonio, hospitalizations have dropped from 77 to 54 with only 3 on ventilators as of the end of April. So, San Antonio metro area has not been hit as hard […]
April 3, 2020
Many have been wondering what will happen to our economy with the various difficulties companies are encountering since the outbreak of COVID-19. With people choosing to stay out of public places as much as possible, businesses are forced to close their doors. As a result, many cannot make rent and employees are being laid off. […]
April 1, 2020
I am in the process of throwing out all of the magazines and newspaper articles that I use for research for this newsletter. They are no longer relevant as we are leaving the old world and plunging into a new era, because of the quarantines put in place to combat the COVID-19 virus. No one […]
March 19, 2020
With the corona virus threatening, perhaps this is a good time to take the temperature of Commercial Real Estate, and in San Antonio especially. We started the year in a very healthy market condition. While banks are flush with lending capacity, the foreclosure rate is extremely low. For example, back in the RTC days of […]
February 26, 2020
With the start of a new decade, 2020 shows a marked shift in how customers interact in the retail world. Trends in online shopping are on the rise, forcing retailers to change the game. How can retailers attract clientele in this on-the-go, convenience oriented culture? Innovation. In order to survive, companies must determine what type […]
January 27, 2020
If you Google “how to find commercial property for sale” you’ll see page after page of websites and online platforms to search for commercial properties. Frankly, it can be overwhelming. Deciding on how to find the commercial property you want is not always an easy task. So today, we’ll break down some options so you […]
January 7, 2020
Happy New Year! It’s that time of year for Forecasts and Predictions. I have been a member for years of a Brokers Breakfast Group and each December we each make a forecast for the Year Ahead – will it be Better, the Same or Worse? This year the consensus was mostly the Same or Better, […]
December 11, 2019
The 2019 holiday season saw a sharp increase in shoppers visiting retail locations. 62% of the adult population visited retail centers following the Thanksgiving holiday and on average they spent $504 on goods and services, up from $413 a year ago. According to The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Physical retailers with online stores […]
November 27, 2019
The Happy Holiday Season is upon us and it is time for Black Friday retail shopping and the rush to get all of the great and popular gifts for Christmas. So let’s look at retail commercial real estate, because when you read the press, you would think that Black Friday’s meaning is really the death […]
November 5, 2019
Securing commercial real estate by lease or purchase can be a long and difficult process if you don’t have a qualified expert lending you a hand. There are several misconceptions about hiring a commercial broker, the main one being cost of services. Many brokers, including Investment Realty, do not charge hidden fees or upfront charges […]
October 29, 2019
Downtown San Antonio is undergoing an amazing transformation. Mayor Castro, in January 2009, declared this to be the “Decade of Downtown” and so it has been, and we are just getting started. There are three elements that came together to start this in 2005: 1. Kit Goldsbury sold Pace Picante Sauce to Campbell Soup and […]
September 27, 2019
The San Antonio industrial real estate market has really been on fire lately for new plant announcements. Investment Realty just scored a big win in the manufacturing arena with the updating of the Toyota plant on Applewhite Road for $391-million. This plant opened in 2006, manufacturing the very popular Tundra truck. Then, it also picked […]
September 26, 2019
The $391 million investment into Toyota’s San Antonio manufacturing plant is expected to enhance economic expansion in San Antonio, and the plant’s long-term performance and competitiveness. Although no additional jobs are tied to the investment, one of Toyota’s suppliers will see a boost in employment within the coming years. Aisin AW, a Japanese corporation that […]
August 27, 2019
The rumor about the death of retail real estate has been greatly exaggerated. IHL Group, a global research and advisory firm specializing in technology for the retail and hospitality industry, recently came out with a report detailing the growth of the retail real estate industry. In 2019, more than five retail chains are opening their […]
August 15, 2019
“How you doin’?” is our typical greeting, but let’s ask Commercial Real Estate that question. In San Antonio we are doing pretty well, thank you. Texas is leading the nation in population growth, growing at twice the rate of California and more then Florida and Colorado. San Antonio is right there with the other major […]
July 11, 2019
This year, San Antonio was named the most affordable city with a population greater than 1 million. The Alamo City has no state income tax, no real winter and an amazing selection of food that keeps the population happy and their stomachs full. But just how affordable is the 7th largest U.S. city? A report […]
June 26, 2019
A frequent topic I see lately is the issue of Affordable Housing and property value in San Antonio. One of the biggest expenses of owning property, whether it’s your own home or a rental property, is property taxes. Home appreciation in San Antonio averaged about 4.3% last year, one of the highest rates in Texas. […]
June 12, 2019
Landlords are noticing the benefits of having healthcare providers as tenants. Seeking high quality tenants for a retail location can always be a daunting task. Furthermore, finding tenants that increase property value and provide consistent revenue can be a challenge. With the switch from traditional office space to retail locations, healthcare providers can now give […]
May 31, 2019
Ten-X Commercial, a California based real estate search engine, reported San Antonio as a top market for retail investment. In the report, Ten-X Commercial predicted that retail rents in the Alamo City could rise 4.1% by 2022. Much of the report’s data is attributed to the retail market’s growing strength in San Antonio. According to […]
May 13, 2019
AT&T, once headquartered in San Antonio until 2008 before moving to Dallas, sold one of its corporate buildings recently to The University of Incarnate Word less than three months after it was placed on the market. The 347,426-square-foot building is conveniently located across the street from the University making it an optimal purchase for Incarnate […]
April 22, 2019
Pecan Springs brings you 11.35 acres of developed RV park with another 6 acres of undeveloped land for future use. Located near Floresville, TX and just minutes away from Eagle Ford Shale, Pecan Springs is a great opportunity for future investors or those looking to capitalize on the booming south Texas oil industry. Commercial road […]
April 16, 2019
Let’s take a whip around the various commercial real estate sectors in San Antonio and see how it is going. Apartments occupancies just got back above 90% after a dip from 93% down to 89%. Apartments are given to a two year over-building cycle, so this is to be expected. However, while concessions are still […]
April 12, 2019
Environment Texas, a citizen-based environmental advocacy project by Environment America, recently gave San Antonio a Solar Star rating for its continued advancement into the solar powered industry. The Alamo City ranked first in Texas and 7th in the country for installed solar capacity. CPS Energy celebrated with the city’s success. The large San Antonio based […]
March 12, 2019
The broad consensus among commercial real estate investors, far and wide, is that we are in the very late stages of this current expansion, yet, the markets still remain surprisingly stable and durable. Now that the worries about more interest increases have calmed, and the stock market’s December tantrum has been mostly erased, IRC has […]
February 22, 2019
There is a dramatic difference in what you can get for a home in Oakland, California versus San Antonio, Texas. It’s no secret that California’s home prices have reached levels rarely ever seen. In contrast, San Antonio saw the largest population boom in 2018 according to a Forbes report; however, the Alamo City still remains […]
February 12, 2019
A decade ago it was not uncommon to wait over a week for something you ordered online to be delivered to your door. However, when you look outside your window today you might see multiple delivery trucks combing your neighborhood to make their deliveries. Many of the items they carry could have been ordered as […]
January 24, 2019
Job growth remains strong in the Lone Star State, in fact more than any other state, with an increase of 391,800 for the year, according to the latest figures released by the Texas Workforce Commission. This is actually more than double California’s growth, with Florida running a close second to Texas. (I believe all 391,800 […]
January 22, 2019
New Sales Agent Brings Diverse Corporate Experience to Real Estate Firm Investment Realty Co. L.C. is pleased to announce that Miranda Rihn has joined as a Sales and Leasing Specialist in its San Antonio office. In her new role, Rihn will specialize in tenant representation as well as sales and leasing in the retail and […]
January 19, 2019
The best cities to open a restaurant are cities that are growing in population, have a solid job market and boast affordable real estate prices and rent costs to boot. It might sound like a tall order, but there are quite a few major markets that fit this bill. Are you scouting for the best […]
January 14, 2019
Leasing commercial properties can be a lucrative deal if completed properly, ensuring both you as the tenant and the landlord benefit from the deal. It’s handy to keep in mind certain tips for leasing commercial property. Negotiating the commercial lease is the lengthiest and most important process of leasing commercial properties, and it’s vital to […]
December 28, 2018
As the new year approaches, commercial real estate industry execs, researchers and influencers expect several trends to dominate in the coming year. From online retailers breaking into brick-and-mortar to the rise of opportunity zones, here are the top trends IRC expects for 2019: 1. Opportunity Zone Programs Will Continue to Rise On December 12, President […]
December 20, 2018
I sense everyone is getting pretty nervous right now: 1. This has been a really long economic advance. 2. Trump’s election has enhanced and lengthened it. 3. Interest rates are rising, for now. 4. All believe we are in the Late Stable stage of the commercial real estate cycle. 5. I have seen investors putting […]
November 27, 2018
Choosing a business location in San Antonio is no easy feat. With more than 465 square miles to its name, the city is a sprawling, expansive one with millions of feet of real estate to choose from. So, how do you go about choosing the absolute best one for your company? Here are six factors […]
November 7, 2018
So often we hear that we are in such an “uncertain time”. Really? Please name a period in history when we were not in an uncertain time, and then how long did it last? We seem to have forgotten the time-honored maxim, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Change is the most basic element […]
October 30, 2018
According to the 3rd annual Zillow Group Report on Consumer Housing Trends, millennials are most likely to have an offer fall through when trying to sell their home, make concessions or change the date of their closing. Sellers are now finding it more difficult to sell their home to millennials due to the timeline of […]
October 17, 2018
New technology, especially when used in the right context for shoppers or clients, can be incredibly useful; however, implementing new technology just for the sake of showing off isn’t always in the consumer’s best interest. It may even be confusing to the client when they are ready to make a buying decision. JDA, a software […]
October 3, 2018
Tenant Representation is exactly how it sounds, a type of commercial real estate brokerage service where an agent focuses on the needs of the tenant, rather than the needs of the landlord. Your tenant representative has only one person in mind, you. Your benefit, needs, and interests are their top priority. Using a tenant representative […]
September 24, 2018
Job growth is the lifeblood of commercial real estate because it means companies lease new space and build new buildings. Did you know that most of our new jobs come from companies who are already in San Antonio, not relocations from outside? For example, HEB builds a new grocery store and hires 300 new people. […]
September 12, 2018
New Sales Agent Brings More Than 10 Years of Commercial Real Estate Experience Investment Realty Co. L.C. is pleased to announce that Elisabeth Niles has been hired as a Sales and Leasing Specialist in its San Antonio office. In her new role, Niles will specialize in tenant representation as well as sales and leasing in […]
August 28, 2018
The Business Cycle is often described as a sine curve, like a wave that rolls up and down, up and down, or like a roller coaster. We proceed from prosperity to peril, boom to bust, greed to fear, etc. As you have heard, “Trees don’t grow to the sky” a phrase, inferring that economic expansions […]
August 21, 2018
San Antonio, Dallas and Austin all made the top list of America’s Biggest Boomtowns by Magnify Money. The factors that make a boomtown comprise of industry growth, increasing employment opportunities and relocation. San Antonio beat Houston, currently at #11, in housing score, workforce & earning score and business growth making it #9 on the list. […]
August 9, 2018
Aerial Fulfillment Centers by Amazon could be the next big thing in logistics. The ecommerce giant recently received a patent for a floating warehouse design. Drones would take off and resupply at the aerial fulfillment centers to decrease time returning to ground locations. The aerial centers themselves would be supported by helium or heated air […]
July 25, 2018
Where do we fit in? Mayor Nirenberg and the City Council always make a point that “San Antonio is the Seventh Largest City in the U.S.” Well, sort of. At a population of approximately 1.5-million this puts us in line behind New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia and just ahead of San […]
July 24, 2018
Housing costs and lack of space continues to drive developers to think outside the box. In fact, developers aren’t thinking of boxes at all, they’re thinking of round cylindrical 100 square foot micro apartments as a small solution to the ever increasing need for space. Hong Kong-based James Law Cybertecture unveiled their designs for OPods, […]
July 5, 2018
Several factors drive consumer adoption according to Toluna, a consumer insight company. Commonplace services such as same-day delivery, ride sharing apps and on demand entertainment are at the forefront of Toluna’s study on consumer adoption. According to the study 71% of consumers have used fast shipping retailers like Amazon and Walmart. Netflix and Hulu were […]
June 25, 2018
Datacenters are basically warehouses for “1’s” and “0’s, the cyphers that make up the entire world of data, and generated by either an “on” or “off” switch of electricity. It’s all that simple and that complex. It’s called binary code for you non-nerds in the audience. Now the interesting thing about 1s and 0s is […]
June 14, 2018
The Alamo City hasn’t experienced the significant headaches that Austin or Houston has seen in recent years. San Antonio saw a net growth of 24,000 people last year. Many of them are millennials hoping to escape higher costs of living or looking to start their next career in biomedical, tech, or military. Most cities experience […]
May 29, 2018
Asking rents ended the first quarter of 2018 at $22.01- an all-time high. With a population growth of 2.0% last year, San Antonio’s economy continues to grow. Most recently, job growth increased at a 2.9% annualized rate over the three months through February, with the greatest job growth seen in manufacturing, mining and construction. Total […]
May 25, 2018
When I first entered the commercial real estate business there were many metrics I needed to learn; for example, how many square feet are in an acre (43,560). One of the metrics I learned is that the average space used by an office worker was about 250 square feet. This takes into account not only […]
May 9, 2018
The Texas hospitality sector can expect continued growth this year. Approximately 200 hotels are under construction in the Lone Star State along with another 276 expected to break ground this year. Hurricane Harvey’s displacement of residents and raising Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) has the San Antonio hospitality sector taking off. Occupancy rates are expected […]
April 25, 2018
The housing industry has “sort of recovered,” in the words of Jim Gaines, Chief Economist of The Real Estate Center, continuing that a full decade after the start of the Great Recession, home building still isn’t all the way back. “Theoretically, housing is around 75 to 85 percent of where it should be,” he said. […]
April 5, 2018
Changes are on the horizon for San Antonio multi-family investments. Forecasts for renters in San Antonio this year may be great; however, several factors are making it tough to invest in multifamily properties. While renters may be rejoicing, investors are finding it hard to deal with the recent changes to the tax code, higher interests […]
April 3, 2018
Image Source: FilmStrong Productions Investment Realty Co. L.C., would like to announce they have a certified FAA drone pilot employed by their company. After taking over all marketing duties, Michael Johnson, marketing manager for Investment Realty Company, became a UAS drone pilot in order to produce more content for IRC’s listings, investors and social media. With […]
March 15, 2018
Mae West once said, “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful!” That may be where commercial real estate is at this time in history. CRE has appreciated greatly over the past 8 years and all sectors are pretty fully valued at this point in the economic cycle. So much so, that the few […]
March 7, 2018
IKEA, the store that doesn’t leave your imagination to do all the work when it comes to designing your own room, has announced its new store in Live Oak will break ground March 21. The 289,000 square foot store will open for business spring 2019 and is expected to bring 250 new jobs to the […]
March 1, 2018
It’s no secret that malls across America have seen a decrease in visitors over the years due to rising online purchasing trends. While large malls may not see the growth that Amazon has seen, they can offer the customer a much more unique interactive experience. As seen in the recent Super Bowl commercials, the Mall […]
February 23, 2018
The constant threat of declining foot traffic has pharmacy retail chains rethinking their strategy now that Amazon has penetrated the health product market. Many retail pharmacies see their biggest profits from consumers coming into the store to pick up medication and cosmetic products. However, if consumers start purchasing their health products online through Amazon, brick […]
February 8, 2018
With a .3% price decrease last month, commercial real estate prices continue to see a drop as we head further into 2018. “The declines over the last three quarters have been mild and more of a stagnation than a decline,” Ten-X Senior Quantitative Strategist Chris Muoio said. Two things can be chalked up for the […]
January 23, 2018
The need for massive hospitals with huge footprints is slowly coming to an end. With the rise in technology comes new innovations that seek to make your hospital visit as convenient as going to the store. Better Services, Smaller Footprint Advancements in robotic technology and fewer paperwork is set to drastically cut down the size […]
December 19, 2017
Unmanned stores across China are attracting the convenience-seeking shopper. With such a massive population to appeal to, it’s no secret that convenience and easy access would be a top priority for China’s retail market. Cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence, computer vision and biometric recognition that tracks a shopper’s movements are all new technologies currently […]
December 14, 2017
As we celebrate the end of a great year, let’s review the commercial real estate market, and consider this past year as the prologue to the New Year 2018. Let me begin with the residential market, though. Interesting things are afoot. Here’s a clue – home sales volume is up, that is the dollar amount […]
December 5, 2017
Same day prescription delivery service is on the rise. CVS Health will provide same-day delivery for select metro markets starting in 2018. Other features such as curbside pickup and Instacart, have made their way to CVS stores in order to keep customers engaged with the large drug store. Instacart, a personal shopping and delivery service, […]
November 27, 2017
The launch of the iPhone X and online competition is expected to make it even harder on brick-and-mortar stores this holiday season. Holiday apparel sales are expected to drop for the first time since 2008. Specialty retail, department stores and footwear retailers are all expected to take a .4% dip in sales. According to Morgan […]
November 17, 2017
Amazon Treasure Trucks offer large discounted prices when you order the item online through the Amazon app. The Treasure Truck offers consumers the chance to take advantage of huge discounted prices on items that are advertised that day. The consumer will order the item and pick a time and place for pick up. However, a […]
November 13, 2017
Top online retailers are moving their way into physical retail. Award winning retail architect, Kenne Shepherd shared his thoughts on the top online retail stores that are pushing into brick-and-mortar. Amazon No other online retailer on this list has the same potential of impacting the San Antonio commercial real estate sector as Amazon. The top […]
October 17, 2017
So are the rumors of the retail apocalypse over blown? In San Antonio we are actually doing okay. Yes, you have seen some of your favorite stores go dark or very seriously renegotiate leases, like Payless Shoes and Rue 21, and the incursion of eCommerce has certainly left its mark and given way to discussion […]
September 19, 2017
Home ownership has seen new trends come and go over the last decade. Housing is a major component of our economy and our homes are the central location for the living of our lives, raising our families, and the site of most of our best times and our worst times. Our homes have evolved over […]
Baby Boomers may be somewhat to blame for continued housing inventory shortages. Boomers are reluctant to sell which leaves Millennials, also known as Generation Y, with fewer properties to choose from. The new Housing Shortage Study from realtor.com mentioned there is data behind the shortage of homes. Boomers hold a 78% stake in homeownership compared […]
August 29, 2017
The acre is the basic measure of real estate area in the United States and there are 640 of them in a square mile. Then, next smaller unit is the square foot, and there are 43,560 of them in an acre. Property leases and sales are measured in square feet and even the area of […]
August 23, 2017
Urgent healthcare centers are popping up everywhere in San Antonio. However, urgent care centers may have become so popular that they may be overbuilding. Studies continue to show the growth of urgent care and how they rely on convenience and cost friendly options to stay afloat. Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch.com, recently came out […]
August 18, 2017
Choosing to own or lease a property is a major concern for private practices, and more physicians are learning each day that investing in real estate is a smart move. Leasing offers the lowest initial occupancy cost and the least amount of capital risk for those seeking property. Healthcare’s move to retail has been a […]
August 7, 2017
Recently, I was privileged to represent the Buyer of Shavano Center I and II, a pair of office buildings on Loop 1604 near Paesanos Restaurant. The two office buildings totaled 57,000 square feet of Class A space and are nearly 89% leased. I present this as a case study in commercial real estate investments, but […]
July 27, 2017
Leading commercial real estate brokerage cites new trend as a result of retail industry shift. SAN ANTONIO, TX—July 18, 2017—Investment Realty Company (IRC) is proud to announce its new Medical & Wellness Practice Group along with the new listing of Huntington Square, a 2.1-acre site in Northwest San Antonio. “As the traditional retail industry continues […]
July 7, 2017
Is the retail marketplace changing? With old businesses like Payless Shoes, Macy’s, J.C. Penny’s and Sears closing up shop we can conclude- yes, the retail marketplace is changing. This is partially due to the shift to on-line shopping and quick delivery to your door. But there are other forces at work – Millennials are somewhat […]
July 6, 2017
Although Millennials dine out more than any other age group, they frequently use more coupons and online offers to grab a cheaper meal. Approximately 42% of food spending by millennials is devoted to restaurant dining, but the data also suggests they are cautious about their spending and tend to pinch pennies. Acosta, a CPG consultancy, […]
June 30, 2017
Construction is officially underway on the $16M SoFlo arts area center which was first proposed by the Linda Pace foundation almost two years ago. The site is located near the South Flores and Camp streets at 150 Camp St. A collection of over 800 paintings, sculptures, and other art pieces from various artists both domestic […]
June 22, 2017
It is becoming evident amid the changing foreign investment climate that investors, looking to diversify their strategies and targets, like the Lone Star state. Texas now outpaces California and the entire country in foreign investment % relative to sales volume. Last year alone foreign investment totaled $5B, 15% of total sales according to Costar. More […]
June 14, 2017
Unlike a typical office environment, co-working spaces consist of members who work for separate entities, ventures and projects. Many may even own their own small business and simply need a quiet place to work. Co-Working Space is currently in its “golden era” and shared office space is expected to grow significantly within the next several […]
June 9, 2017
Online stores are evolving, but they won’t be taking over the classic brick and mortar system anytime soon. Online only retailers are trying to use every advantage they have to compete with the classic form of retail; however, overcoming years of logistic and merchandising experience is no easy feat. Online shopping does not relieve the […]
June 5, 2017
Third- party non-core real estate providers are offering temporary meeting space and rentable conference rooms. The goal is to offer space on a need-by-need basis and give office occupiers flexibility to pursue saving initiatives. “This new segment of conference and meeting events being outsourced is a whole new facet within flexible workspace that’s about to […]
May 30, 2017
I think cities are like people in that each and every one of us has a unique personality, skills and experience. No two of us are alike, even brothers and sisters in the same family. How different is Dallas from Houston, albeit they are both large cities with close to 7 million populations and both […]
May 25, 2017
Northgate Mall, designed by John Graham Jr, defined the classic mall look. Graham’s design for the mall spread across the country and has become the standard among many large mall shopping centers. However, Northgate is now struggling to hold onto its former glory days. In the 21st century, hundreds of malls have closed their stores […]
May 23, 2017
President Trump seeks to lower corporate tax rates to 15% from its current rate of 35% in hopes of eventually pushing U.S. long-term growth rate up to 3% from 2%. In comparison to other countries, the United States has the highest coporate tax rate within the 35-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Other countries […]
May 8, 2017
Rep. Ron Simmons refused pleas to halt his bill that would ban linkage fees on residential builders. Simmons stood his ground on the house floor and was opposed to any new tax that would make the price of affordable housing increase. “We’re just saying that we’re not going to have linkage fees that put the […]
May 1, 2017
Hulu has arrived in San Antonio and plans on creating 500 new jobs by the end of 2018. It has already released 8 job postings seeking to fill entry to senior level positions. The company is planning on leasing and renovating 4511 Horizon Hill Blvd. which has qualified for city and county incentive packages by […]
April 27, 2017
A recent survey by CentSai, a financial wellness website, shows that millennials would much prefer to work with a real estate agent or mortgage lender face to face, over 70% respectively, as opposed to with online professionals due to reasons such as personal touch, handholding, and local knowledge. A recent Ellie Mae survey showed similar […]
April 18, 2017
Companies across the world spend billions of dollars every year to increase their social media presence. For example, Red Bull live-streamed a man skydiving from space and shared it all over their social networks. Companies will go to extreme links to get their brand out there and Facebook seems to be the preferred platform of […]
April 11, 2017
Amazon has just extended its international presence by acquiring Souq.com for an estimated $700 million. Dubai-based Souq.com was described by Amazon as the largest online retail platform in the Middle East with more than 8.4 million products for sale, and a reported 45 million visits per month. Of all Souq.com visitors and users, approximately 45% […]
April 10, 2017
I’m sorry but every time I hear a pundit on T.V. or radio go on about the uncertainty we face, I have to laugh a little. Isn’t there an old saying, ‘There is nothing more certain than change?’ Ah, that was Heraclitis in 535 B.C. Or circa 1840, Jean-Batiste Karr, “The more things change, the […]
March 31, 2017
Six Flags Fiesta Texas is bringing some exciting new changes to its San Antonio park. Jeffrey Siebert, Fiesta Texas President, said new rides, shows and technology will debut over the next few years and park guests will be amazed at what the future holds. This coming season, Fiesta Texas will see a new Mardi Gras […]
March 15, 2017
The 2008 Great Recession brought much hardship for the nation but not for the city of San Antonio. Brooking’s Metro Monitor report showed San Antonio as one of 11 U.S cities that made gains between 2010 and 2015. Brooking’s report focuses on researching metropolitan economies and showed San Antonio as performing above average in total […]
March 13, 2017
Increasing interest rates and the appreciation of home values have led to the biggest percentage in median household income, currently at a 16% high not seen since 2010, income now needing to be allocated for home mortgages. Zillow Chief economist, Dr. Svenja Gudell notes that we still have room to grow on a nationwide basis […]
The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) recently showed a surge in confidence for home buyers. Now is “a good time” to buy or sell a home because optimism and confidence are higher than ever before. “The latest post-election surge in optimism puts the HPSI at its highest level since its starting point in […]
March 10, 2017
A new shopping concept, brought to you by Walmart, has come to the small town of Crowley, TX. This small town sits right by Interstate 35, a prime area for Walmart to set up its new 2,500 square foot convenience store. Walmart doesn’t want to reinvent the convenience store, merely tweak and make it better. […]
The Hudson Valley Mall, located on a hilltop in Kingston, N.Y., was an enjoyable avenue for spending time on a weekend. Strolling through the various shops and large outlets like JC Penney and Macy’s soon became a thing of the past for the Hudson Valley Mall. JC Penny and Macy’s decided to close up shop […]
February 8, 2017
The Dow Jones has reached 20,000 and reached the milestone in the fastest 1,000-point jump in history. This event is indicative of a few real estate developments moving forward into the new year. President Trump’s promise to bring back manufacturing jobs and plants back to the country, as well as his corporate tax and regulation […]
February 1, 2017
It’s a New Year and we have a new President. Will this be a new age for commercial real estate? The current expansion is 7 ½ years long, one of the longest on record, yet, remarkably we are not seeing signs of a downturn on the horizon. The regional exception, of course, is Houston, but […]
January 31, 2017
Millennials are many things, one of them being thrifty. In a recent survey by Better Homes & Gardens magazine, millennials proved to be focused on building equity, learning about do-it-yourself home improvement, and preferring patience, and frugality rather than overstretching by taking out a large loan to purchase a move-in ready home with all of […]
January 20, 2017
With Class A apartment construction steadily rising in the last few years, rents have continually risen higher, and higher, so much so that one in four working renters is paying 50% or more of their income monthly. “Inclusionary Zoning” would require developers to allow for a certain number of units to be priced accordingly in […]
January 5, 2017
The rise in popularity of drones in recent months has prompted questions pertaining to air rights, actionable interference, avigation easements, and nuisance claims. “Droneports” similar in structure to airports may become a reality on the near future, unlike their larger scale counterparts these stations will be located in urban areas. Although research and development of […]
December 21, 2016
In response to the shifting retail landscape in regards to online shopping and the record breaking holiday sales numbers that have continually risen year after year, Amazon has picked up the pace to complete their supply-chain network to reach optimum delivery time. Amazon has added 26 new distribution warehouses to its global network in the […]
December 15, 2016
“Everyone needs a place for his/her stuff,” said George Carlin (RIP). Your house may be just the place where you keep your stuff, the housing market is an extremely important element of our society and our economy. Homeownership is key to personal property rights and personal homesteads have been a major source of personal wealth […]
December 9, 2016
Most folks, understandably, do not walk down a mixed-use space and think about the careful balance it took to make the complex use of retail, multifamily, and office, a successful mixed-use space. Not all real estate properties are the same, a retail space where customer service is key, will commonly be accompanied by a percent […]
December 8, 2016
According to two reports, one from the S&P/CoreLogic and another by ATTOM Data Solutions, owner of RealtyTrac, homeowner wealth in the United States has more than doubled from $6.1 trillion in 2011 to $12.7 in 2016. In contrast, the number of homeowners who are significantly behind on their mortgage is currently 6 million, half of […]
December 2, 2016
Texas was ranked 4th in Forbes’ annual Best State for Business List, up two spots from last year. The state placed within the top eight for economic climate, business costs, labor supply, and growth prospects. Although Utah, North Carolina, and Nebraska took the first, second, and third place in the overall rankings, respectively, in terms […]
November 21, 2016
In Politics there is a phrase, “October Surprise.” Now there is a new one –“The November Surprise.” How will this affect commercial real estate in San Antonio? It will be good. The expectation is that we will see a positive change for small businesses; for example, the stocks of small capitalization companies were among the […]
November 16, 2016
HEB and Walmart (NYSE:WMT) will slow down expansion in San Antonio to two andzero new locations, respectively, in the upcoming 2017 fiscal year. This change in the retail market will create for an opportunity where smaller, and ambitious specialty retailers such as Natural Grocers (NYSE:NGVC), now known as Mercado Del Pueblo, Aldi, Lidl, and Trader […]
November 7, 2016
Economic growth, increasing investment and development activity, as well as consistent cap rates are solidifying San Antonio’s place as an “up-and-coming” real estate investment market. Some notable investment deals made so far this year involve the Alamo Ranch Power Center, Sonterra Village, Sonterra Blue, and recently the 276-unit Boardwalk Med Center. Regardless of micro dips […]
November 2, 2016
San Antonio’s continued population growth and increasing commercial activity have prompted development across the city, the following are a few such projects. As of Spring 2017, 200 acres of retail, multifamily, and single family residences are expected to begin the groundbreaking process, the development is located at the southwest intersection on Potranco and 1604. At […]
November 1, 2016
Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corp. is currently facing a newly arisen shortfall of funding for Civic Park in downtown San Antonio. Of the original $58 Million USD budgeted to build out the park, now only $21 Million USD, provided for by the city, are at hand. HPARC CEO Andres Andujar has a plan to […]
October 21, 2016
In response to consumer attitudes becoming increasingly enthusiastic towards online shopping, Walmart (WMT -.41%) has begun to adapt its strategy accordingly and has plans to take on Amazon head on (AMZN -1.17%) in the next year. Walmart has seen a consecutive eight quarters of consistent sales growth in recent years, has just finalized its acquisition […]
October 19, 2016
With customers preferring to shop online, rather than in-store, has led H-E-B expansion to 14 additional zip codes in San Antonio. H-E-B has partnered with the app-based company Shipt to deliver groceries within the hour of the customer submitting their grocery order online. Shipt will be servicing Cibolo, Converse, Helotes, Kirby, Live Oak, Universal City, Schertz […]
October 17, 2016
Oversaturation in the San Antonio multifamily market has been on everyone’s minds as construction and permits have continued to rise quarter after quarter, however economic developments in the city make it clear that the absorption for new construction will be there. According to the Marcus & Millichap report for Multifamily in the 3Q, San Antonio […]
October 12, 2016
A combination of investors getting out priced in other markets, and shifting their attention from the increasingly aggressive, and costly multifamily market have driven San Antonio retail investment activity up significantly in recent months. These factors in addition to the industrial markets limited supply, retail property possessing sustainable rents, and value add opportunities also have […]
October 3, 2016
San Antonio’s Northwest retail submarkets have some of the fastest-growing demographics and new retail construction. Local Coffee, one of many business, is expanding to the northwestern submarkets due to the steady increase in household incomes, strong employment presence, and population growth. According to Local Coffee owner Robby Grubbs, the company will be opening two locations […]
September 28, 2016
USAA has signed leases for Vista Corporate Center and Westridge Two at La Cantera office complex, located in the northwestern submarket. The two office buildings combined are 286,400 square feet. USAA is planning to relocate 1,500 employees from the information technology and the banking departments to the new spaces in fall 2017. Burke, Katie. “USAA […]
September 21, 2016
Nissei Plastic Industrial Co. Ltd., a Japanese company, purchased 9 acres along Lyster Road and Brooks City Base from Brooks City Development Authority to build a plant. In 1947, Nissei Plastic was founded and refers to itself as an injection molding machines developer and manufacturer of composite material, molds, measuring instruments and auto-molding systems. This […]
September 13, 2016
Commercial Real Estate investment transactions are slowing markedly from the torrid pace of 2015, however, this matches the trend in 2012, another election year. Regardless of who wins, a pick up after the election is likely. Interest rates play a huge role in our economy, and “lower longer” is still going to be the theme. […]
September 1, 2016
The 100 year old San Antonio Zoo reached an all-time record of 1.2 million guests passing though the park’s gates this past 12 months. The zoo was able to create a new buzz by improving or creating new animal habitats, restaurant and retail spaces. With this all-time record, new interest of investment has taken place […]
August 25, 2016
Parking in downtown San Antonio can be a struggle. Two people are trying to change this view. GrayStreet Partners and AREA Real Estate are coming up with various strategies to help with this need. GrayStreet Partners is renovating Travis Park Plaza parking garage by emphasizing different modes of transportation. They are looking at investing in […]
August 18, 2016
Going beyond apparel, JCPenny is expanding their home-goods selection. Customers are spending more money on home beautification and JCPenny is looking to improve in this sector. During the third quarter JCPenny will add dishwashers and other major appliances to 1,000 stores. With 1,200 major appliances online, customers will be able to smoothly order online and […]
August 12, 2016
With Razors being cheaper to purchase online though companies such as Harry’s Shave Subscriptions and Dollar Shave Club, retailers are having a difficult time selling the product they already have on the shelves. Drumroll…, a different edge on selling razor products, Target and Harry’s decided to team up to offer online subscriptions for Harry’s shaving […]
August 3, 2016
Ever feel like big brother is watching over you? According to the “Rich Relevance ‘Creepy or Cool?’ Survey”, Seventy- Five Percent did not like the idea of being greeted by name after a store identified the consumer though facial recognition technology. Most consumers do enjoy using fingerprint technology, scanning products, receiving pop up offers, digital […]
July 29, 2016
So many mistakes can happen when handling money manually. The slightest difference, in the amount, or a number out of place can have huge effect on the overall spreadsheet. At DDR Corp. Tenants can make their payments online and track reports though SnapPay RE. According to Kevin Moss, DDR’s Chief Information Officer, there is a […]
July 21, 2016
While Bed Bath & Beyond same-store sales declined by 50 basis points versus the same quarter a year ago, adding omni-channel trappings to Bed Bath & Beyond stores are helping boost sales. CEO Steven Tamares, has been evolving Bed Bath & Beyond stores by integrating physical and digital capabilities to create an experiential shopping culture, […]
January 20, 2016
In Fireman’s predictions you see a great support for the millennial ideals and workplace environment needs. Fireman expects us to see an increase in companies focus on creating a health-conscious environment. From the standing desk, healthy choice vending machines and even on-site exercise equipment, companies are expected to further support healthy living for their employees. […]
January 14, 2016
Another year just ended and the work force welcomes new college graduates eagerly looking to start their careers. While the country’s job market has improved, it still can be a time consuming process. Forbes.com published an article by contributor, Liz Ryan, “Five Ways Job-Seekers Scare Employers Away.” Ryan shares mistakes that can be easily made […]
November 23, 2015
Companies are often looking for ways to reengage associates, come up with new ideas and progress with the times. Ironically one common way companies have been trying to achieve the goal of reengaging employees is by taking them out of the office. More and more companies are hosting company retreats to get employees out of […]
November 19, 2015
Over the past few years San Antonio has seen an increase in the amount of health food stores. With the additions of Whole Food’s Market, Sprouts Farmer’s Market, Traders Joe’s Alamo City and Blue Star Provisions residents have a few options when it comes to where they get their groceries. The newest to join the […]
November 5, 2015
San Antonio has made serious plans for the Downtown area growth. The city currently has over 4,000 new housing units either open or under construction. The growth of the downtown area has been considered part of the reason that San Antonio has seen an increase in millennial residents. According to Forbes.com San Antonio has experienced […]
November 2, 2015
San Antonio is known as the steady real estate market – neither big boom nor bust. So it goes. Prices of investment properties are continuing to increase, but the supply of available, attractive properties is not plentiful. As mentioned in previous Reports, owners are sitting on their properties and are reluctant to sell. The question […]
October 22, 2015
Saving is very important for your future but most people don’t realize that saving starts with having a proper budget. Even if you manage to put money away on a regular basis, if you don’t manage your other income well, you will probably end up having to dip into your savings account from time to […]
October 20, 2015
2014 proved to be a very successful year for the Alamo City. Recent data published by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the San Antonio area experienced a lot of growth last year. Comal County had the 6th fastest growth in the country at a rate 4.4 percent growth. Guadalupe County was ranked 29th with […]
October 8, 2015
If you are in the business world you are probably familiar with the importance of networking. It’s something we all do, even when we don’t realize it. One of the biggest tools you have when networking is your business card. There are a lot of people that say the typical business card is a thing […]
October 1, 2015
How safe is commercial real estate investing? Are we over-building or is this the sweet spot? The Cost of new construction is now very high, as land prices, construction materials and labor costs have risen substantially; and they are very unlikely to decline. One of the basic measures of a building’s value is ‘what would […]
September 21, 2015
Realtor.com shared its list of the hottest zip codes in America earlier this month. According to economic data, homes in these 10 zip codes sell 4 to 9 times faster than the national average and spend 20 days less on the market. Among this list is San Antonio’s North Central 78247. This reminds readers that […]
August 26, 2015
How safe is commercial real estate investing? Are we over-building or is this the sweet spot? The Cost of new construction is now very high, as land prices, construction materials and labor costs have risen substantially; and they are very unlikely to decline. One of the basic measures of a building’s value is ‘what […]
August 20, 2015
Most adult Americans have some sort of debt, regardless of the source; student loans, car loans, home loan, credit cards, etc., everyone would like to have less. Often the most costly source of debt is credit card debt. Credit cards are constantly charging you interest and that $100 purchase could end up costing you double […]
August 12, 2015
More jobs will be landing in San Antonio very soon. Southwest airlines has announced plans to hire 650 customer service representatives at their call centers in San Antonio, Albuquerque and Phoenix. Currently Southwest has the highest passenger counts of any airline that operates out of the San Antonio International Airport making it the No.1 airline […]
July 28, 2015
Is the New Home / First Time Home Buyer a disappearing breed? If you are young college graduate and just married, then, you want to buy a new home don’t you? However, twenty-somethings are having difficulty with the down payment and the necessary credit scores to buy a house. So they must save more and […]
July 20, 2015
There are so many big events in a person’s life. Exciting milestones we pass that are often referred to as some of the happiest moments of our lives. What if I told you that those moments make you more likely to be a victim? According to a recent Business Insider interview with Lifelock’s Educational Programs […]
July 16, 2015
People are always talking about a company’s need to innovate and move forward and that’s true, move forward or get left behind. What if your real problem isn’t being afraid of the future but letting go of the past? We are bombarded with new ideas, platforms and services on a daily basis. Many older companies […]
July 9, 2015
Could vending be the compromise online traditional and modern shoppers have been searching for? Have you heard the phrase, “There’s an app for that”? Well now you might be hearing people say, “There’s a vending machine for that.” Some shopping center owners are starting to think automated retail may help in the fight to save […]
July 6, 2015
If you’ve been on the job search for a while you’ve probably done your research on questions to ask at an interview. What are the benefits? What is the schedule? Compensation? These are all typically points of information most candidates eventually ask but what about the question you don’t ask? The questions that set you […]
May 19, 2015
The activity level in commercial real estate in Q1 2015 picked up from a more subdued Q4 of 2014 and is currently very strong and healthy. The “oil shock” of December, scared a lot of Texans, as I wrote in February, but now we are seeing that the impact locally is not going to be […]
April 30, 2015
Investment Realty Company would like to congratulate Connie Raub who recently received a nomination for the San Antonio Current’s Best of SA 2015 Realtor Award. As Executive Vice President of Investment Realty Company L.C. she specializes in Commercial Sales, Leasing and Property Management. A graduate of Seattle University, Raub also brings her extensive experience in […]
March 24, 2015
Do you believe in magic? Well it may be time to start. “Magic” is a virtual assistant accessed simply by a phone number. The same way you might send a text message to a real assistant you text Magic’s number and a live operator responds to your need. As their site says “Anything you want. […]
March 17, 2015
There seems to be a constant suggestion that ecommerce will over shadow traditional retail. While most companies believe the only way to survive in this computer adapted world is to have an online presence, one online powerhouse is going the opposite direction. Purdue University will be home to the experimental customer-order pickup and drop off […]
February 24, 2015
Texans are a little nervous these days. Some of us saw a really, really scary movie in the 1980’s, and we didn’t like the ending. Will this be the sequel, with the same bad ending for the Lone Star State? Nope. It really is different this time around. A few may remember that in 1986 […]
February 20, 2015
Texas has been a major leader in economic growth for the country and 2015 promises to be no different. Texas CEO Magazine’s 2015 Economic Forecast: Momentum published at the end of 2014 examined the Industry wide look at Texas’ economy as well as predictions for next year. 4 economic panels took place in November in […]
February 12, 2015
San Antonio- New Braunfels ranks #10 on the Milken Institutes list of Top 25 Best-Performing Large Cities 2014. Up two spots from #12 on 2013’s list, the gain can be attributed to the cities constant job and wage growth. A major asset for the area was the Eagle Ford shale and the jobs it has […]
January 29, 2015
Here we are at the Kick Off for Year 2015. This year also marks the 40th Anniversary of Investment Realty Company, founded in 1975. I have attached the newspaper article that appeared in the San Antonio Express News Sunday January 11, 2015 which tells the tale of IRC. At least, it tells our history and […]
December 26, 2014
With so many shopping options available to consumers, between the endless quantity of online retailers and brick and mortar stores, retailers have to find a way to stand out against their competition. If you have the same prices, same merchandise and are relatively the same distance away from the consumer you have to find ways […]
December 22, 2014
“To everything there is a season, turn, turn, turn …” sang the Byrds in the 1960’s. (That is a test of your age and your memory). It is taken from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, which actually begins, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for everything under heaven.” This passage seems […]
December 16, 2014
Consumers have more options than ever when it comes to where they spend their money. Online retailers and brick and mortar stores are constantly looking for ways to stand out from their competitors. Which website offers free shipping? Who ships the fastest? Who opens earliest on Black Friday? What store has the best entertainment? Which […]
November 20, 2014
Retailing is changing, but it is still very much in fashion. It is now a tale of two markets. One is the large national retail corporations that have dozens, hundreds or thousands of store outlets nationwide. They can afford to pay the higher rents that are required to support new construction. The increases in 1. […]
November 10, 2014
Are investors missing out on opportunity in San Antonio because it remains in the shadow of Dallas, Houston and Austin? Some people think currently that’s the case. San Antonio continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Gabriel Silverstein recently said in an article for Real Estate Bisnow, that “If San […]
October 17, 2014
In late September it was it was disclosed that Richard Branson of the Virgin Group gives unlimited vacation days to his staff of nearly 200 employees. This has raised an interesting question: Is working less, more? If people only work to complete the tasks they have and are allowed to enjoy personal time when tasks […]
October 15, 2014
You may have noticed lately that your email and TV commercials have been flooded with announcements about discounts and specials at your favorite casual dining restaurants. According to Bloomberg Businessweek this is related to the decrease in Restaurant spending that hits restaurants after the Labor Day holiday. Restaurants typically are more expensive then meals prepared […]
October 2, 2014
Build it and they will come? Depending on what you’re building and who “they” are, this may not be the case. Millennials are not connecting with the home buying industry. Home buyers are starting to recognize the reasons behind this disconnect. Commitment They want flexibility. A house is an expensive lifetime commitment. This is a […]
September 30, 2014
Time for an overview of the commercial market place in San Antonio; subtitled “The stresses and strains of the New Normal.” Apartment construction has come back strongly since 2012, after the slump of the Great Recession. Occupancy is presently 92.6%, about the same as a year ago, and rents are up 3.6%, adding $30 per […]
September 18, 2014
Work is a wonderful thing. It’s the necessary process to get tasks completed, puts food on our tables and clothes on our backs. It can increase life span and gives us a sense of purpose in life. However with all that can come a price: stress. Trying to beat a deadline, file that last bit […]
August 20, 2014
Pop Quiz: What does “CPI” stand for? Answer: “Consumer Price Index.” What does this mean? It is designed to measure the change in prices of products that you and I buy every week; that is, it is a measure of “the cost of maintaining a constant standard of living, as determined by prices paid by […]
August 11, 2014
When preparing for an interview we often focus on what to say. The words and phrases that might slip out may seem harmless but can cost you the job of your dreams. Here are 3 things to avoid when interviewing. Filler words– Using phrases like “and stuff”, “other things”, “a large assortment” “things like that”“etc” […]
August 4, 2014
Millennials are their increasing education but losing life skills. In this tech savvy world kindergarteners can show you how to change the ringtone on your smartphone but most do not know to say “thank you” when someone gives them a gift. According to Forbes’ contributor Neil Howe’s article Millennials Struggle to Pass Life Skills 101, […]
July 29, 2014
“Where have all the investment deals gone?” It’s a question that seems to be on investors’ minds these days, as they are looking for places to put their money to work. Everything they look at seems over-priced and there are not many selections from which to choose. I believe there are several issues that […]
July 7, 2014
Our blog has discussed at lot about how to stand out in an interview and improve your chances of receiving a job offer but what happens when you get the job and it’s not what you expect? Jada A. Graves touches on this in her article “Congrats! Your New Job Is a Nightmare.” While it […]
June 24, 2014
For ten years ChiefExcutive.net has published an annual report of the best and worst states for business based on a survey of over 500 CEO’s in the U.S. In the past ten years Texas has continued to remain the best overall state for business. Texas’s steady economy and state group has even inspired action from […]
June 2, 2014
While the international scene is confusing right now (QE 4-awhile longer, Russia vs Ukraine; China vs. Japan, Viet Nam, Philippines, et al), how are WE doing? The employment picture in San Antonio is excellent with the unemployment rate dropping to 4.8% from 5.2%, and hitting the mark last set in July 2008, and making San […]
April 24, 2014
Shannon Clark recently published a fitness article on Lifehack.org titled 5 Things That Crush Your Motivation, these relate to many different things. Strong motivation is essential to reach any goal. Regardless of what your motivation is (money, reputation, health, family) it’s important to recognize it and use it as your most powerful tool. As important […]
April 11, 2014
You’re preparing to binge watch your favorite show on Netflix after a long week and as you push play instead of getting entertainment, you get frustrated. The icon on the screen spinning around and around….”Loading” and in the worst cases you wait and get the prompt that says, your internet connection is too slow are […]
April 8, 2014
For decades now, the U.S. economy has depended upon and been gaged by consumer consumption. Consumer spending is watched closely by economic analysts for swings and indications of the health of the economy. In the past few years, it has dipped because of the Great Recession and our desire to pay off debt and slim […]
March 5, 2014
Whether you’re managing yourself or managing a team you will face issues. Perhaps you or your team have problems meeting deadlines, or you’re the type of person who always feels obligated to say, “Yes” no matter how tall your pile of work is, you can probably benefit from these management tips. No is not a […]
March 3, 2014
No matter how much the economy improves you can assume that for every new position that opens there are 10 people willing to fill it. As the person who receives the applications how, do you go about choosing the right candidate without wasting a lot of time? More and more companies are turning to the […]
February 25, 2014
If you enjoy our blog The Real Estate Council of San Antonio is another great source for information concerning local real estate. Here are 5 amazing facts about San Antonio’s Real Estate Industry and its influence on our economy. It generates approximately 1/7 of the area’s economic output. It employs 120,000 people in the San […]
February 12, 2014
Mexico’s Pemex oil company has vastly underperformed for years. It is state-owned and inefficient but since it is the biggest source of revenue for the Mexican government, next to payments from the U.S., it is critical to their stability and prosperity. What to do? Mexico is now opening to outside oil and gas producers for […]
January 22, 2014
January 7, 2014 the Phoenix Business Blog posted an article by Shanyna Balch, “5 Ways to Manage Your Employees in the Digital World.” As Balch states in her introduction social media has become the rule not the exception. Nearly everyone participates in some form. From middle school children to retirees everyone has some place in […]
January 10, 2014
It’s the turn of the year — time for reflection on the past year and looking forward to what will be. In my niche of commercial real estate in San Antonio, the year 2013 was a pretty good year as we have adjusted to the New Normal. Occupancies increased in all sectors of commercial real […]
January 9, 2014
There are so many benefits to shopping on secure online websites. First there is the convenience of not having to leave your home to fight traffic, packed parking lots and long lines. Then there is the easy savings. With search engines like dealoz.com that search prices for you on multiple sites then presents results showing […]
January 8, 2014
Labels: Sounds simple but taking 5 seconds to label a folder or put a sticky note on a pile of paper clipped papers will save you an enormous amount of searching. We would all like to say that we have everything in organized folders but we all have that one folder or pile deemed our […]
December 26, 2013
“New year, new me,” we’ve all said some variation of this statements in our lives. People think of the New Year as a fresh start. A time where they can set new goals. A season of, “out with the old and in with the new”. For some people this means dropping that extra 10 pounds, […]
November 8, 2013
Does this look like the front end of a Boom? Please turn your attention to the following newspaper articles. The San Antonio Business Journal Oct 16, 2013 San Antonio’s housing prices were up 2.1%, the largest month over month increase for U.S. cities. Also from SABJ Oct 16 – San Antonio housing inventory hits an […]
November 4, 2013
What they do! – This may sound obvious but a lot of people go to interviews unprepared. Knowing what the position you’re applying for is important but so is what the company does. If you’re a finance consultant applying for a finance role at a computer cloud company you should know what that means! While […]
October 11, 2013
How many times have you asked someone a question only to have them respond, “I don’t know. Google it”? Google has defiantly become one of the quickest and most used methods of obtaining answers to our questions. Here are a few tips to make searching even easier: 1. Use the minus sign ( – )when […]
October 2, 2013
If the economic woes in the U.S. over the past decade have taught the Baby Boomer Generation anything, it’s that no matter how much you plan you cannot predict every economic trend. There is no guarantee your 401K will earn as much as you will need or that your estimated expenses for retirement will be […]
September 16, 2013
Every year Business Facilities rank the states to determine where each state stands in different areas including income per capita, best infrastructure, natural gas production leaders and many other categories. Last year’s report resulted in Texas being the 2012 State of the Year. In the 9th annual report released August 30th Texas once again was […]
August 30, 2013
Goal achieving- A profit making activity that supports your business plan. Stress Relieving- A nice break but doesn’t directly bring in profit. Activities that can consume your day, things that make you feel busy but aren’t actually productive just soothing. A wise old broker once said, “Always ask yourself, ‘is this a commissionable activity?’” Does […]
August 15, 2013
Last Year I presented the proposal that because of Texas’ gross product and rate of growth, we can be considered the equal of many “Emerging Market” countries. Please look at the following chart, taken from “Business Insider.” It illustrates how Texas has become the 13th largest oil producer in the world, if (only) Texas was a […]
July 25, 2013
There are two common mistakes in the business world. Mistake #1 People assume that if they aren’t giving someone a tangible object for a tangible reward, that they aren’t a sales person. This couldn’t be more wrong! We are all sales people! Each day with our thoughts and actions we are constantly trying to sell […]
July 24, 2013
Urgent: Requiring immediate action or attention. Essential: Absolutely necessary; extremely important. Is this a part of your daily routine. Can it be postponed? If both of those answers are yes, then, the task may an be essential one. Could not completing this task cause you to lose a client or a deal? Are there time […]
July 21, 2013
Since I entered the Commercial Real Estate field in 1984, I have heard, “Well, things are booming everywhere, maybe it’s time for Corpus Christi.” Well, Corpus has never boomed but just kept on gradually growing and being a nice place to vacation. That is, until recently, with the Eagle Ford Shale windfall embracing South Texas. […]
July 16, 2013
Recently there was a very interesting article in the NY Times, Mom and Dad, Let’s Talk Real Estate by Constance Rosenblum. I found the article addressed some issues for which people should prepare. The article focused on how to have the conversation with your family about what will happen to assets or estate in the […]
July 5, 2013
San Antonio has been listed as #4 on CNN’s – “8 most business-friendly cities”. The article reports that the slower pace and lower costs of living are a huge part of the city’s appeal. Other Texas cities that could be found on this “business-friendly list” were – Houston, Austin and Dallas. For the complete list: […]
June 28, 2013
Lifehack.com recently posted an article by Jill Harness, The Importance of Breaks at Work. According to the article even a 30 second microbreak can increase your productivity up to 13%. Currently only 1 in 3 people take a lunch break and the other 2 in 3 either snack at their desk and continue working or […]
June 10, 2013
San Antonio’s jobless rate has risen by .01% for 3 months in a row; but San Antonio at 6.3% is below the Texas average of 6.4% and the national unemployment rate of 7.5%. Austin is super hot though with an unemployment rate of only 5.4%. The implementation of Obama Care next year will be a […]
April 3, 2013
When driving you are focusing on the windshield and road ahead, occasionally glancing in the rear view mirror and side mirrors to be sure that what is going on behind and to your side is not going to disturb you. Real estate is a lot like that — the past is our window to the […]
If you’re looking for a job right now, there is no better place to be than Texas and very few cities outpace San Antonio. That’s the key finding of a new study analyzing regional job growth by the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution. Of the nation’s Top 100 cities, only 14 had surpassed pre-recession employment levels […]
March 28, 2013
The article in the San Antonio Express News on Wednesday highlights the direct impact of Eagle Ford Shale – $61 Billion 20 county area 116,000 jobs Projections included that by 2022 – 14 county area would support over 89,000 jobs and approximately 4,600 will work in the “food services and drinking industry” to cater to […]
February 21, 2013
There’s a lot to look forward to in the housing market this year according to Mark Dotzour, chief economist of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. During his presentation at Winter Meeting last Tuesday, Dotzour explained why he thinks Texas REALTORS® should be optimistic about the future of housing and economic growth. A […]
February 4, 2013
It’s possible to divest yourself of appreciated investment real estate or rental property but defer the tax liability. Such strategies may be less risky from a tax perspective now that the Taxpayer Relief act has made capital gains tax rates permanent. Nevertheless, tread carefully if you’re considering a deferral strategy such as the following: Installment […]
Losses from investment real estate or rental property are passive by definition — unless you’re a real estate professional. Then you can deduct real estate activity losses in full. To qualify as a real estate professional, you must annually perform: More than 50% of your personal services in real property trades or businesses in which […]
January 15, 2013
The Eagle Ford Shale is turning out to be more than an oil boom. It’s also a shot in the wallet, pulling up personal income in counties across the region — some of the poorest in the state. With a sudden abundance of well-paying oil field jobs, counties with Eagle Ford Shale wells permitted or […]
January 11, 2013
The acquisition increases 7-Eleven stores’ footprint in San Antonio, where the country’s largest convenience retailer recently purchased 25 stores as part of its acquisition from TETCO Inc. It also adds to 7-Eleven’s growing fuel wholesale-delivery business because the acquisition includes gasoline distribution to 150 dealer-operated sites. “We continue to build our presence in a rapidly […]
A new report released by Trulia points out, “2013’s Top 10 Healthiest Housing Markets’. It reviews the largest housing markets in the country based on what Trulia identifies as the three fundamental characteristics of a healthy housing market: strong job growth; low, but manageable, vacancy rates; and low foreclosure inventory. These are the best housing markets for […]
January 10, 2013
Richard Fisher, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, discusses how the Texas pro-business attitude should be emulated throughout the country to encourage businesses to invest and to foster economic growth. Video Link
January 9, 2013
Job growth, sales tax collections — both from business and consumer purchases — as well as automobile sales, signal that the Texas economy has emerged from the recent recession. Another indicator that the state’s economy has been comparatively healthy was the U.S. Census Bureau report that Texas added more people (421,000) than any other state […]
January 7, 2013
The Alamo City seems to be growing in popularity as a top spot to visit according to Orbitz, an online travel company. San Antonio ranked number nine on a Top 10 list for Top U.S. Travel Destinations for 2012, beating Miami. This is the city’s first time on the list and experts say a healthy […]
December 12, 2012
The Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas play is expected to continue to have a significant economic impact on roughly two-dozen South Texas counties. Wood Mackenzie, a global research firm specializing in energy and metals, has issued new analysis which indicates that companies will invest $28 billion in capitalexpenditures in the Eagle Ford in 2013. Callan […]
December 5, 2012
“Jobs” was the central issue in the recent election. It is certainly on everyone’s minds with the national unemployment rate hovering around 8%; and if you go to the government’s broadest measure of unemployment which includes all the potential workforce including those who have stopped looking, then, the unemployment rate is at about 15%. It […]
November 26, 2012
Earlier this year, there were signs that construction would spike in 2013, in the order of 150,000 to 200,000 units. Developers have since postponed many projects to 2014, so that 2013 figures hover closer to 130,000 units – not far off from the pre-recession 10-year annual average of around 125,000 units. The “bubble” now shows […]
October 22, 2012
“Are we there yet?” – Yes, this was the question your kids asked you on your summer vacation trip this year. It is also the question everyone is asking about The Recovery. Are we THERE yet? Or are we starting another Double Dip? Or just limping into the New Normal malaises? At the moment it […]
October 19, 2012
San Antonio’s multifamily market has historically been exempt from the fluctuations typical of other Texas cities. Job growth is the most powerful force behind San Antonio’s multifamily growth. The U.S. military has long been one of the region’s largest employers, and San Antonio has been the beneficiary of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activity, […]
July 5, 2012
Think of an egg and the little chicken inside is breaking out. I believe this is an apt analogy for what is happening to our South Texas region as a result of the Eagle Ford Shale drilling boom. The old dry shell has cracked open from the inside and a little chick emerges to become […]
May 8, 2012
We celebrate Texas Independence Day on April 21st which was the day of the victory over the army of Santa Ana at San Jacinto and the reason for Fiesta San Antonio. We should pause to remember our great Texan heritage as an independent nation for the ten years from 1836 to 1846. Our beloved Governor, […]
April 18, 2012
Rising rents and a healthier job market are inspiring more people to consider buying. Builders are responding to the demand by laying plans for more homes this year than at any other point in past 31/2 years. And banks are helping both by approving more loans. All that points to a better year for the housing market — […]
March 13, 2012
We are having a very interesting discussion in our fair city over private property rights. You may know that Wal-Mart has a tract of land at Wurzbach Parkway and Blanco Road under contract. The property has been appropriately zoned for this type of use since the early 1970’s when the land for the surrounding subdivisions […]
March 5, 2012
Excerpts from Dr. Mark Dotzour’s presentation at the CCIM Symposium in Austin, TX Jan. 31st To visualize the U.S. economy, picture a Jack-in-the-Box. Turn the crank, generate energy, and watch the crank pop up and release that energy. Watch how creating more energy produces job growth. People are still working and have a desire to […]
January 30, 2012
Happy New Year! This time last year I said that 2011 will be Year One of the Recovery. Well, we started off well for the first six months and then things fizzled in the latter half of the year. So now what’s next? With the economic landscape still shaky and the political scenery unclear in […]
January 11, 2012
Home builders are expected to start at least 10 percent more homes in 2012 than they did last year — the first double-digit bump for the industry since the 2006 market peak and subsequent downturn. And the Eagle Ford Shale play in South Texas could provide more opportunity for the local real estate industry. It’s […]
January 4, 2012
Texas added far more jobs than any other state in the country in the past five years. Nationwide, only six of the 50 states have more retail jobs today than they did at the end of 2006. That’s according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics by On Numbers, a […]
December 1, 2011
Oil-field-services Halliburton Co. began work on a $50 million base of operations at I-37 and Loop 1604, for which it will need 1,500 workers to support its operations in the Eagle Ford shale. The 400,000-sf structure will house employees earning annual salaries averaging $70,000. Officials say they hope to fill 75 percent, or more than […]
As we approach the end of the year, I thought it time to do an overview of the market place. Some of the analysis comes from the recent CCIM Symposium. All in all, we are bumping along the bottom, awaiting a reason to turn optimistic but uncertain about the proverbial “Light at the end of […]
October 26, 2011
Isn’t it interesting to make a comparison between the Occupy Wall Street mob and the Tea Party? The Tea Partiers are middle-aged middle Americans, who wave the Stars & Stripes, clean up after themselves, and tout a clear message of reducing taxes and limiting government. Their result was a big success at the ballot boxes […]
September 21, 2011
In Austin, Apartment Realty Advisors principal Dave Fournier tells us affordable housing occupancy is particularly tight for the LIHTC properties that serve tenants at 30% of area median income and where average market rents are high (i.e. Chicago). In other words, renters are downgrading asset classes and driving up demand for affordable housing. All of […]
August 31, 2011
Apartment market conditions continue to improve across the board, according to the National Multi Housing Council’s (NMHC) latest Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions. “Demand for apartment residences continues to rise, even as the overall economy remains hampered by the aftermath of the housing bubble,” said NMHC Chief Economist Mark Obrinsky. “For the fifth time […]
August 8, 2011
In the June edition, I wrote about Uncertainty; and sadly this monster is still roaming, becoming even stronger, like a Transformer. In this metaphor from the movie, Risk is that fast and neat car, which is manageable to drive. But then it morphs into the monster of Uncertainty, which is destructive, deadly and uncontrollable, causing […]