Grubb & Ellis, a Chicago-based real estate services company, is projecting that the expected "sluggish" growth of the U.S. economy will be enough to keep commercial real estate leasing markets stable this year.G&E said it expects the volume of investment activity to decline by as much as 25% from the record levels of 2007. "Even in the absence of a recession, the U.S. economy is likely to expand at a sluggish pace," said Robert Bach, senior vice president and chief economist at G&E. "Monthly payroll job growth is expected to average 75,000 in 2008, quite modest, but enough to keep a floor under demand for commercial real estate." The office market is expected to absorb 36 million square feet in 2008, down nearly 50% from absorption in 2007, the company projects in its 2008 Global Real Estate Forecast. The company can be found online at http://www.grubb-ellis.com.
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The massive mortgage business saw a first quarter profit mitigated by nearly $300 million in hedging losses.
3h ago -
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has seen excessive property-inspection charges, fees that loan mods should eliminate and improper line-item labels.
7h ago -
Michael Tannenbaum, whose experience in the financial services industry spans over 15 years, has a track record of helping companies scale and grow.
10h ago -
A majority of consumers earning more than $100,000 annually said they were concerned about their own ability to purchase a home, demonstrating how affordability issues are impacting those at many socioeconomic levels, the University of Michigan study found.
11h ago -
The nonbank's results add to other indications that the first quarter's "higher for longer" rate scenario had an upside for efficient servicing operations.
April 24 -
The latest rate increases contributed to a 1% drop in purchases from the previous week and 15% annually, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
April 24