Industrial Real Estate Fundamentals “Never Been Better,” First Industrial Says

Bruce Duncan, president and CEO of First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: FR), joined REIT.com for a CEO Spotlight video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

First Industrial owns and operates industrial real estate for multinational corporations and regional customers in major markets across North America.

Duncan discussed the firm’s current development pipeline and the outlook for leasing.

News

Investors Looking for Real Estate Deals in U.K. After Brexit

In the latest episode of The REIT Report: NAREIT’s Weekly Podcast, Jahn Brodwin, senior managing director with FTI Consulting, offered his analysis of the Brexit’s effect on property markets in the United Kingdom.

Brodwin said measuring the impact of the Brexit on property values in the U.K. has proven to be difficult as transactions have halted since the vote. Additionally, a number of real estate investment funds have suspended trading, adding to the difficulty.

News

Real Estate Fundamentals Look Solid, Says REIT Analyst

Paul Adornato, managing director at BMO Capital Markets, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

Adornato said most real estate sectors are “looking pretty good” for the second half of the year: Although November’s general election is a “wild card,” the economy remains on a slow-growth track, which is positive for REITs.

News

Real Estate Investment Banker Reflects on Tax Reform, IPO Market

Mark Decker Sr., vice chairman at BMO Capital Markets, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

Decker previously served as NAREIT president, and was at the helm of the association when the 1986 Tax Reform Act was passed.

Decker remarked that at the time of passage, the REIT model was not very well known, nor well-established.

News

Fund Manager Sees Potential for Increased Real Estate Volatility as Valuations Rise

Sherry Rexroad, chief investment officer with BlackRock Global Real Estate Securities, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

Rexroad offered perspective on the level of volatility in commercial real estate markets. She stressed that volatility has largely been driven by macroeconomic and monetary policy, rather than real estate fundamentals.

News

Multifamily Sector Offers Most Value to Investors Real Estate Trust, CEO Says

Tim Mihalick, president and CEO of Investors Real Estate Trust (NYSE: IRET), joined REIT.com for a CEO Spotlight video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

The company announced earlier this month that it would exit the health care and industrial markets in order to become a pure-play multifamily REIT based in the Midwest.  In 2015, it disposed of its office and retail assets.

News

Activist Investors “Fact of Life” in Real Estate Now, Cicco Says

Marty Cicco, senior managing director at Evercore, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

Evercore is an independent investment banking advisory firm.

Cicco said he expects activist shareholders to continue to play a role in the commercial real estate sector. “It’s a fact of life in the public markets going forward,” he said.

Cicco also discussed the slowdown in the issuance of REIT preferred shares.

News