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    • The top five reasons to involve HR in location and facility decisions

    Published by High Associates. on April 9th, 2012
    HR's role in commercial real estate strategy

    When you think of Human Resources (HR), you may think of recruiting, training, and guiding employees, or perhaps benefits, compensation plan development and administration. However, in today’s business environment, HR is responsible for, and influences, a much wider scope of strategic activity. Commercial real estate decisions are of long-term, strategic importance. Collaborating with HR leaders is critical in helping to make the key decisions regarding your business location and facility selections because of their influence on being able to hire the correct talent. Success in recruiting and … READ MORE

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    Location strategies for your retail business — the higher your sales, the lower your occupancy costs

    Published by High Associates. on March 14th, 2012
    retail development and location strategy related to sales

    A key component of every retail business plan is determining who your customer is, where they live, and what their shopping and spending habits are. Then you need to find the greatest concentration of them and determine if it's enough to generate the sales you need to do a great business.    Determining who your customer is and where they shop Demographic and psychographic data and mapping can help you do so. Once you know where your customers live, the roads they travel, and where they usually shop, … READ MORE

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    Understanding due diligence helps drive a successful outcome in the purchasing of commercial real estate

    Published by High Associates. on February 27th, 2012
    due diligence

    What exactly does the term “due diligence” represent in the purchase of commercial real estate? The phrase is thrown around by real estate brokers, buyers, sellers, lenders, lawyers – most everyone involved in a commercial real estate transaction. But does everyone involved in a real estate transaction have the same understanding of what due diligence means?     As a commercial real estate broker, I often use the phrase “due diligence period” to describe a period of time during which a buyer has a “free look” at the … READ MORE

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    Evaluate and compare landlords carefully before leasing commercial/industrial space

    Published by High Associates. on February 15th, 2012
    evaluate landlords carefully before leasing

    It has always been important to know the business practices of a potential future landlord, but in today’s difficult economic environment, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of a landlord can be crucial to the success of your business.    When you think about it, a lease is a contract that creates a relationship — typically a long-term relationship spanning years. A lease is similar to a partnership. The tenant is looking to their partner to provide space for their business and to perform their obligations as outlined … READ MORE

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    Our latest Real Estate Matters describes the complex process leading up to a successful closing

    Published by High Associates. on January 29th, 2012
    photo, Charter House

    While sometimes thought of as an end point, an agreement of sale is only the first step in a complex process of reaching a successful closing. That is why, in our latest Real Estate Matters publication, we go into detail about this process in "At the Hub of the Wheel," which describes the multi-faceted role of the commercial real estate broker. This issue also includes our company's sustainability statement, along with the latest installment of Rick Dickerson's series about sustainability written for leaders and managers. Based on an interesting case study, … READ MORE

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    Current status of the commercial real estate debt market

    Published by High Associates. on January 23rd, 2012
    photo, flow of capital

    “Water, water everywhere, nor not a drop to drink.” Those famous words by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, ring true today for many real estate borrowers as the capital markets are awash with cash, but precious little capital is flowing to debt-starved borrowers. From December 2007 through June 2009, the United States economy suffered through the worst recession since the Great Depression, a recession brought on by a financial crisis with origins from the explosion of sub-prime mortgages. While the economy has … READ MORE

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    Rejoice, re-use, recycle: Divergent groups collaborate on adaptive re-use project

    Published by High Associates. on November 23rd, 2011
    Divergent groups collaborate on adaptive re-use project

    As part of High Associates Ltd.’s Real Estate Sales & Leasing Team, I recently brokered the sale of the former Memorial Presbyterian Church at 420-428 South Queen Street in the City of Lancaster from the Donegal Presbytery to the Light of Hope Community Service Organization (CSO). This transaction provides an excellent example of how divergent groups can come together to provide new life to a dormant property through cooperation, pooling resources, and adaptive re-use.  The original structure burned to the ground in the early 1900's.  In 1913, the … READ MORE

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    Highlights from the SIOR 2011 World Conference in Chicago

    Published by High Associates. on October 28th, 2011
    SOCIETY OF INDUSTRIAL AND OFFICE REALTORS® in Chicago

    I just returned from a high-energy Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) event held in Chicago with 800 top brokers from throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, India, South Korea, Germany, UK, Italy, and Sweden. The conference theme, “Coming Out on Top,” was addressed in the opening session kicked off by Jim Reeb, Institute of St. Onge and Willam Strauss, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Mr. Reeb pointed out that one third of all U.S. workers were employed in the manufacturing sector following World War … READ MORE

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    An explanation of physical depreciation in real estate appraisal

    Published by High Associates. on October 19th, 2011
    The Depreciation Factor in Real Estate Appraisals

    It’s a simple fact of life: most things depreciate. Notice that I didn't say "all things," because at least one reader will tell me that their 1958 Corvette is worth a zillion dollars today. But it's only worth a zillion dollars if it's in pristine condition with low mileage and someone wants to buy it. Such a find would have minimal physical depreciation, still be functional as a running automobile, and have strong demand in the marketplace. It's the buyer, not the seller, who sets the value … READ MORE

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    Reducing income tax through cost segregation of commercial real estate property

    Published by High Associates. on October 3rd, 2011
    Reducing income tax cost segregation of commercial real estate

    One of the benefits of commercial real estate ownership is the tax advantage of depreciating the improved real estate (not the land) for income tax purposes while the property (typically) appreciates in value over time. The depreciation schedule for commercial real estate is 39 years. To simplify this concept, take the purchase price of the property minus the allotted value of the land and divide by 39 years. That number is the amount you can depreciate each year for tax purposes. Cost segregation There is a more … READ MORE

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