4 Commercial Investor Tips

Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2011, an annual investor survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Land Institute, offers these investors tips.


1. Lock in loans. Don’t make the mistake of waiting for loose credit that may be a long time coming. Interest rates are low but will inevitably increase.



2. Hold REIT shares. REITs are all about yields (forget appreciation) and a solid dividend in an uncertain environment. Even with recent REIT value run-ups of 28 percent in 2010, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, funds with high-quality assets should be less volatile than most stocks.



3. Buy land if you can afford to hold it. Developable land prices are cheap, although the wide bid-ask spread is still a challenge for buyers. Remember, says Rochelle, historically most of the big money is made in land plays.



4. Choose infill. Predicting the direction of new growth is tough, so central locations are somewhat lower-risk investments. Infill offers businesses a more diverse employment base, especially among younger workers who prefer urban living.





Source: Mitch Roschelle is U.S. real estate advisory practice leader for PwC, New York.