NAR: CRE Setting Investment Record

The commercial real estate markets are setting another record for investment this year, although performance varies among the CRE sectors, according to the National Association of Realtors.More than $236 billion in CRE transaction volume (outside the hotel sector, and excluding properties valued at less than $5 million) was reported in the first 10 months of 2006, up from $231.9 billion in the same period of last year, the NAR reported in its latest Commercial Real Estate Outlook. "The office and industrial markets continue to shine, supported by job growth and trade, while the rental apartment sector is seeing healthy rent increases," said NAR chief economist David Lereah. "The retail sector is essentially flat, but the hotel industry is doing better than at any time since 2001." The association can be found on the Web at http://www.realtor.org.