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It’s the economy stupid!! Don’t keep being manipulated by the media… don’t keep playing the same old script. If it didn’t work in 2011, it’s not going to work in 2012. So it’s time for a new game plan.  Let’s start this “new year” off like a lion on the prowl, and we take no prisoners. I’m down for the struggle… how about you!!!

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The big story last week was in employment, with the unemployment rate for December falling to 8.5 percent, its lower point in the past three years, according to last week’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employers added 200,000 jobs in December, which was double November’s figure.

There were a total of 13.1 million unemployed Americans in December, with the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) at 5.6 million, which accounted for 42.5 % of the unemployed, the Bureau also reported. The number of people employed part time for economic reasons (such as because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job) declined by 371,000 to 8.1 million in December.

In addition to December’s monthly scores, first-time claims for unemployment benefits placed in the week ending Dec. 31 dropped by 15,000 claims to 372,000, the Employment and Training Administration reported. The total of unemployed American workers covered by benefits declined by 22,000 during the week ending Dec. 24, to 3,595,000, the Administration also reported.

Switching to real estate news, construction increased by 1.2 % in November to grow to an $807.1 billion annual rate, according to last week’s report from the Census Bureau. November’s activity marked a 0.5 % gain over November 2010′s rate of $803 billion. Spending on private construction in November gained 1 % over October to reach an annual rate of $522.3 billion. Residential construction in specific grew by 2 % in November over October to reach an annual rate of $243.7 billion.

Turning to manufacturers, new orders for manufactured goods placed in November posted a 1.8 % gain to hit $459.2 billion, the Census Bureau reported last week. That said, their inventories for November saw the 25th increase over the past 26 months. Manufacturer inventories for the month increased by 0.5 % to $609.8 billion, putting the inventories-to-shipments ratio at 1.34. This was the highest level since the series was published in 1992.

In automotive news, 1.2 million cars and light trucks were sold in December, an 8.7 % increase over December 2010, according to last week’s report from Autodata Corp. December’s annual sales rate of 13.56 million vehicles was the second highest for 2011, and December also was the fourth consecutive month in which the sales pace rang in at more than 13 million units.

U.S. manufacturers saw solid gains while Japanese manufacturers, still struggling to repair and retool after the March earthquake disaster, had a tougher December. While Chrysler sales grew by 37 percent, Ford sales gained by 10 % and General Motors sales increased by 4.6, Toyota posted only a 1 % gain, and Honda sales dropped a sizable 19 %.

Y Cousar
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The Economist…. June 2011 by R.A.

BACK in February of 2009, Paul Krugman was worrying about an insufficient policy response to the recession and he pondered the question: if America is to muddle through with too little stimulus, then how will growth return?

Recovery comes because low investment eventually produces a backlog of desired capital stock, through use, delay, and obsolescence. And eventually this leads to an investment recovery, which is self-reinforcing.

And what do we mean by use, delay, etc.? Calculated Risk had a nice piece on auto sales, which I find helps me to think about this concretely. As CR pointed out, at current rates of sale it would take 23.9 years to replace the existing vehicle stock. Obviously, that won’t happen. Even if the desired number of vehicles doesn’t rise, people will start replacing vehicles that wear out (use), rust away (decay), or just are so much worse than newer models that they’re worth replacing to get the spiffy new features (obsolescence).

He mentions automobiles, but there is another, somewhat surprising possibility—that housing will lead the way to a durable recovery. This may seem strange to suggest. An epic housing collapse following a massive housing boom helped to trigger the downturn. Residential investment has been a drag on growth for five consecutive years. And yet some writers, like Karl Smith and Calculated Risk, are hinting that a housing recovery may be on the way. Matt Yglesias hints at one reason why with this chart:

As Mr Yglesias notes, housing starts have been at an unprecedentedly low level for a strikingly long period of time. And during that period, America’s population has continued to grow. Eventually, whatever the economy is doing, Americans require new houses, new houses mean new construction, and new construction means new employment. Rising rents were one of the factors pushing core inflation higher last month, and increasing rents will soon translate into construction.

Meanwhile, there is a larger demand backlog than most people may imagine:

America doesn’t simply face a situation in which housing has failed to keep pace with the growth in population. Since the onset of recession, household growth has fallen short of population growth as families doubled- and tripled-up on housing to economise. There are now nearly 2 million fewer households than one would expect given growth in population. As economic conditions improve, many individuals and families now living with others in order to save money will seek their own homes. That should spark a period of catch-up household growth, which should in turn spark a large rise in rents and new construction. A recovering construction industry would help soak up unemployed workers, continuing a virtuous cycle of recovery. After five long years, housing may finally start pulling its economic weight again, or so many Americans must hope.

Y Cousar
Your Business Marketing Consultant

urHomeBase
tel.:(210) 771-2362
urHomeBase@gmail.com
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In case you’re wondering what aspect of our current economic woes will determine the outcome of the 2012 elections… it will be jobs and housing. And since the government is not in the “job creating business,” it is up to us as individuals to create our own economic future. This is where the men are separated from the boys and the women from the girls. Becoming more self-reliant is the key to your future.

A recent survey by Houselogic.com, the consumer website from the National Association of Realtors®, finds that jobs and the housing market will be two of the most important issues for voters in the 2012 election. Nearly one-third of respondents said housing will be the top issue on their mind when they head to the polls next November.

“We need to keep housing first on the nation’s public policy agenda, because housing and home ownership issues affect all Americans,” said NAR President Moe Veissi, Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc., in Miami.

“The results of this survey show that many Americans understand that.”

Respondents were asked “What issue area will have the greatest impact on your vote in 2012?” National security, healthcare, and energy/environment trailed housing and unemployment by wide margins:

• Jobs/unemployment – 54 percent
• Housing – 27 percent
• National security – 8 percent
• Healthcare – 4 percentEnergy/Environment – 2 percent
• Other – 4 percent

With unemployment still high, it is easy to see why so many Americans are concerned about the job market. However, employment and the housing market are inextricably linked because economic growth and job creation cannot occur without a housing recovery.

Housing accounts for more than 15 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product – it’s a key driver of the national economy. Home sales generate jobs. NAR estimates that for every two homes sold, one job is created. New spending on homebuilding products, furniture, and other residential investments also have a significant economic impact.

Some recent indicators show that the economy might be starting to rebound, with pending home sales rising strongly in October, according to NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index. However, any changes to current programs or incentives must not jeopardize a housing and economic recovery. Unemployment, consumer confidence and consumer spending will not rebound until a number of issues are addressed.

“NAR actively advocates public policies that promote responsible, sustainable homeownership, which will in turn support overall economic recovery,” said Veissi. “We want to ensure affordable, accessible financing; support tax policies that encourage homeownership; and help more people stay in their homes or avoid foreclosure through streamlined short sales.”

This HouseLogic survey shows Americans understand that a housing recovery is essential to the nation’s economic recovery, and many of those housing-related issues will be on the minds of voters in 2012.

HouseLogic is a free source of information and tools for homeowners from the National Association of Realtors® that helps homeowners make smart decisions and take responsible actions to maintain, protect and enhance the value of their home. HouseLogic helps homeowners plan and organize their home projects and provides timely articles and news; home improvement advice and how-to’s; and information about taxes, home finances and insurance. For more information on official contest rules and tips on how to make smart decisions and take responsible actions to maintain, protect and enhance the value of your home, visit www.houselogic.com.

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The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Y Cousar
Your Business Marketing Consultant

urHomeBase
tel.:(210) 771-2362
urHomeBase@gmail.com
http://www.urHomeBase.com

ARE FORECLOSURES ON THE RISE AGAIN? 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The number of foreclosures climbed in October, as mortgage lenders started to work through the paperwork problems that had delayed new filings for much of the last year.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 230,678 properties nationwide in October, a 7% increase from September, reported RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosed properties. Despite the increase, filings were still 31% below year-earlier levels, though.

RealtyTrac said one in every 563 U.S. homes had either a default notice, a scheduled auction or a bank repossession filing during the month.

“The October foreclosure numbers continue to show strong signs that foreclosure activity is coming out of the rain delay we’ve been in for the past year as lenders corrected foreclosure paperwork and processing problems,” said James Saccacio, RealtyTrac’s CEO.

A year ago, several major banks — including Ally, Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500), and JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500) — acknowledged problems with paperwork they were using to file foreclosure actions against delinquent homeowners. They announced various changes in practices and temporary moratoriums in new filings while they worked through the problems.

The states with highest foreclosure rates during the month were Nevada, California, Arizona, Florida and Michigan. Combined, these states accounted for 53% of the national total.

Las Vegas finally gave up its dubious title as the foreclosure champion, after leading all other metropolitan areas in the rate of new filings over the previous 22 months.

Is Las Vegas housing market ready for comeback?

New foreclosure filings in Vegas plunged 36% compared to September, caused primarily by an 80% drop in new default notices. The retreat in foreclosures took it down to fifth place nationwide, and turned Stockton, Calif., into the new foreclosure epicenter.

Still the improvement in the Las Vegas real estate market wasn’t enough to topple Nevada from its status as the state with the highest foreclosure rate. Its pace of one filing for every 180 homes kept it ahead of No. 2 California for the 58th straight month.

The best hopes for stopping foreclosures is an improvement in the overall economy, especially the battered real estate and labor markets. But with so many foreclosed homes weighing on the market, and with unemployment still at 9% and consumer confidence low, even mortgage rates near record lows aren’t enough to fix the problems caused by the bursting of the housing bubble.

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING FORECLOSURES, SHORT SALES AND INVESTMENT PROPERTIES, SUBSCRIBE HERE . . .

Y Cousar
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urHomeBase@gmail.com
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San  Antonio, Texas is a great market for real estate investors who are interested in finding the  right property for their money, whether commercial or residential.

Multifamily Property Asking Price Index – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$44,184.27	-1.2%	+2.7%
- Metro	$49,586.13	-1.2%	-6.2%
- County	$48,103.70	-0.6%	-8.1%
- City	$50,350.58	-0.4%	-5.2%

Asking prices for multifamily properties have gone up versus past quarter, rising 2.1% to $49,586 per unit. For the year, asking prices have fallen 6.2% on the year.     In March 2009, the asking prices for multifamily properties were at their highest in the past three years at $60,080 per unit. In comparison, the median asking price is now 15.1% lower. The lowest asking price over the past three years was $48,557 in June 2011.

Office Property Asking Price Index – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$112.22	-0.7%	-3.5%
- Metro	$128.61	0.0%	-3.0%
- County	$125.57	-1.3%	-4.4%
- City	$127.10	-0.9%	-4.5%

Asking prices for office properties hit a three-year peak in June 2010 at $134.17 per square foot. In comparison, the current median asking price is down by 0.1%. The lowest asking price over the past three years was $126.90 in February 2009.

Industrial Property Asking Price Index – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$51.52	-0.6%	-0.5%
- Metro	$62.38	+0.5%	+2.3%
- County	$63.82	+0.6%	+2.8%
- City	$67.56	+1.2%	+8.9%

Asking prices for industrial properties have gone up from the end of last quarter, rising 0.4% to $62.38 per square foot. Asking prices have risen 2.3% on the year.     Asking prices for industrial properties reached a three-year high in January 2011 at $63.84 per square foot. In comparison, the median asking price is now 3% lower. On the other hand, the lowest asking price in the past three years was seen in November 2008 at $60.07.

Retail Property Asking Price Index – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$115.96	+0.7%	-1.4%
- Metro	$119.36	-0.9%	-5.6%
- County	$120.86	-1.2%	-11.6%
- City	$129.50	0.0%	-11.7%

The average asking price for retail properties in the metro area for the month was $119.36 per square foot. This represents a decrease of 5.6% year-over-year as well as a decrease of 1.6% compared to the end of the second quarter of 2011.     Asking prices for retail properties reached a three-year high in March 2009 at $142.87 per square foot. The current median asking price is 14.3% lower. On the other hand, the lowest asking price in the past three years was seen in August 2011 at $119.02.

Multifamily Property Sale Prices – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$57,560.25	+5.2%	+7.4%

Office Property Sale Prices – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$106.57	+1.4%	+3.3%

Industrial Property Sale Prices – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$53.29	+1.8%	+24.0%

Retail Property Sale Prices – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$83.37	-5.0%	-22.5%
- Metro	$85.81	-9.4%	-24.4%

The current median sale price of $85.81 per square foot represents a decrease of 24.4% over the past year. The three-year-high in median sale price was set in December 2010 at $133.50. The current median sale price is 35.7% lower. However, the current price is 6.1% higher than the three-year-low set in June 2010. The median sale price of metro retail properties has been declining for six consecutive months. Back when the streak began in April 2011, the median sale price was $103.60.

Multifamily Property Total $ Available For Sale – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	23	+3.2%	-29.6%

For four consecutive months, total dollar volume for multifamily properties available has been on the rise month-over-month.     The total dollar volume of multifamily properties available in the metro area has fallen 29.6% over the past year.

Office Property Total $ Available For Sale – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	52	-1.4%	-6.8%

There has been a six month decline in dollar volume for office properties month-over-month.     The metro area has seen a decline of 6.8% in total dollar volume of office properties available in the last year.

Industrial Property Total $ Available For Sale – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	46	+5.1%	-3.9%

The total dollar volume for industrial properties available in the metro area has been rising for three months in a row month-over-month.     The total dollar volume of industrial properties available slumped by 3.9% over the past year.

Retail Property Total $ Available For Sale – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	68	+3.2%	-3.4%

September marks the fifth month of the increase in total dollar volume for retail properties in the metro area.     The metro area has seen a decline of 3.4% in total dollar volume of retail properties available in the last year.

Multifamily Property No. of Listings – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	30	+0.7%	-7.3%

For two consecutive months, the number of multifamily properties available in the San Antonio Metro Area has seen a month-over-month decline. The number of multifamily properties available has dropped 2.1% over that time.     The number of multifamily properties available in the San Antonio Metro Area has fallen 7.3% over the past year.

Office Property No. of Listings – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	56	-1.2%	-3.8%

This is the fourth straight month of a month-over-month downward trend in available office properties in the San Antonio Metro Area. The number of office properties available has dropped 1.4% over that time.     The number of available office properties has fallen by 3.8% over the last year in the San Antonio Metro Area.

Industrial Property No. of Listings – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	63	-0.4%	+2.2%

Available industrial properties for sale have been on the rise for the past two months. The number of industrial properties available has risen 0.6% over that time.     The current number of industrial properties available in the San Antonio Metro Area reflects a 2.2% increase over the past year.

Retail Property No. of Listings – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	57	+0.2%	-8.6%

Available retail properties for sale have been on the rise for the past two months. The number of retail properties available has risen 0.9% over that time.     The number of available retail properties has fallen by 8.6% over the last year in the San Antonio Metro Area.

Multifamily Property Profile Views (Demand) – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	38	+0.3%	-11.1%

Interest on LoopNet for multifamily properties listed in the San Antonio Metro Area market is down 11.1% over the past year and fell -17.1 percentage points compared with the increase in the national average. This change ranks San Antonio Metro Area fortieth out of the top 48 metros.

Office Property Profile Views (Demand) – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	40	-2.4%	+22.0%

Interest in office properties listed in the San Antonio Metro Area market on LoopNet increased 22% during the past year, 0.4 percentage points more than the increase in the national average. This change ranks thirty-first out of the top 48 metros.

Industrial Property Profile Views (Demand) – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	53	-1.5%	+14.0%

Interest in industrial properties listed in the San Antonio Metro Area market on LoopNet increased 14% during the past year, which was 12.7 percentage points less than the increase in the national average. This change ranks forty-second out of the top 48 metros.

Retail Property Profile Views (Demand) – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	52	+4.4%	+20.3%

Interest in retail properties listed in the San Antonio Metro Area market on LoopNet increased 20.3% during the past year, which was 0.5 percentage points more than the increase in the national average. This change ranks twenty-fifth out of the top 48 metros.     Last month was the previous three-year high before this month topped it.

Office Property Total SF Available – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	60	-5.7%	+3.4%

Available square footage for sale in the metro area is in a four month downward trend month-over-month for office properties.     The square footage available for sale for office properties in the metro area has risen 3.4% over the past year.     The drop in supply and the rise in days on market could be an indicator that people are currently holding off putting their properties up for sale in the current economic climate.

Industrial Property Total SF Available – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	47	+3.1%	-14.3%

Over the past three months, industrial properties have seen a steady increase in available square footage for sale in the metro area.     The square footage available for sale for industrial properties in the metro area has fallen 14.3% over the past year.     Soft market conditions are likely to persist as inventory is staying on the market longer.

Retail Property Total SF Available – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	68	+7.7%	+9.8%

There has been a nine month upward trend month-over-month in available square footage for sale for retail properties.     September saw a new three-year high in square footage available in the metro area. Available square footage was at its previous highest in August 2011.     The available square footage for sale for retail properties in the metro area has risen 9.8% over the past year.     The drop in supply and the rise in days on market could be an indicator that people are currently holding off putting their properties up for sale in the current economic climate. The current market conditions are not favorable for buyers or sellers as prices are falling and sellers still do not seem willing to put more properties on the market due to the poor conditions.

Multifamily Property No. of Units For Sale – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	24	+4.4%	-38.5%

Square footage available for sale for multifamily properties have been on the rise month-over-month for five consecutive months.     Multifamily properties in the metro area have seen a 38.5% drop in square footage for sale over the past year.     The drop in both the supply of properties and the average time on market could be a sign that prices are going to move upwards.

Multifamily Property Days on Market – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	163	-4.5%	+2.3%
- Metro	140	-5.3%	-30.8%

The time on market for multifamily properties in the San Antonio Metro Area is 140 days, down by 30.8% from last year. During the same period, days on market in Texas has dropped 2.3%.     From June 2010, when the time on market was at its longest, it has come down 38.1%.

Office Property Days on Market – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	221	-4.7%	+3.3%
- Metro	261	-4.9%	+13.5%

Compared with a year earlier, office properties in the San Antonio Metro Area are taking longer to move, and the change in days on market is greater than that at the state level. They now last 261 days on the market at the metro level, an increase of 13.5% year-over-year. At the same time, days on market for the state level has risen 3.3%, to 221 days.     Compared with March 2009, when the time on market was at its lowest, these properties are now on the market 78% longer.

Industrial Property Days on Market – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	237	-2.8%	+1.6%
- Metro	221	-5.7%	+13.0%

Compared with a year earlier, industrial properties in the San Antonio Metro Area are staying on the market longer, and the gap is greater at the metro level than at the state level. They are now on the market for 221 days before being sold, 13% longer than last year. For the state, these properties stay on the market for 237 days, up 1.6% from last year.     From the lowest point, which was set in October 2008, time on market has risen 44.7%.

Retail Property Days on Market – Sale Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	170	-12.6%	-7.3%
- Metro	200	-0.5%	+7.1%

Compared with a year earlier, retail properties in the San Antonio Metro Area are staying on the market longer, and the gap is greater at the metro level than at the state level. Retail properties now stay on the market an average of 200 days, up 7.1% from last year. For the state, these properties are on the market for 170 days, 7.3% less than last year.     From the lowest point, which was set in January 2009, time on market has risen 42.8%.

Office Property Asking Rent – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$15.91	-0.1%	-0.5%
- Metro	$17.57	-0.1%	-0.5%
- County	$17.56	0.0%	-0.9%
- City	$17.53	-0.1%	-0.9%

The average asking lease rate for office properties in the metro area for the month was $17.57 per square foot. This is down 0.5% from the previous year, and down 0.2% from the end of the second quarter of 2011.     Asking rates for office properties hit a three-year peak in January 2009 at $17.93 per square foot. In comparison, the current median asking price is down by 1.7%. The lowest asking lease rate over the past three years was $17.55 in August 2011.

Industrial Property Asking Rent – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$6.00	+0.4%	-0.3%
- Metro	$6.28	-0.1%	-2.4%
- County	$6.32	-0.4%	-1.9%
- City	$6.32	-0.6%	-2.9%

Lease rates for industrial properties reached a three-year high in December 2008 at $7.51 per square foot. In comparison, the median asking price is now 15.9% lower. The lowest asking lease rate in the past three years was $6.23 set in April 2011.

Retail Property Asking Rent – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	$14.14	-0.6%	-1.5%
- Metro	$16.03	-1.7%	-1.1%
- County	$16.27	-1.4%	-0.8%
- City	$16.62	-1.2%	+0.1%

For retail properties in the metro area for the month, the average asking lease rate was $16.03 per square foot. This is down 1.1% from the previous year, and down 2.6% from the end of the second quarter of 2011.     Lease rates for retail properties reached a three-year high in April 2011 at $16.55 per square foot. The current median asking lease rate is 2.3% lower. On the other hand, the lowest asking lease rate in the past three years was seen in March 2010 at $15.30.

Office Property No. of Spaces – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	71	-1.0%	+1.8%

There has been a five month drop in the number of office spaces available month-over-month in the San Antonio Metro Area. The number of office spaces available has dropped 2.8% over that time.     Over the past year, the number of office spaces available in the San Antonio Metro Area has gone up by 1.8%.

Industrial Property No. of Spaces – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	84	-7.8%	-17.9%

For five consecutive months, the number of industrial spaces available in the San Antonio Metro Area has seen a month-over-month decline. The number of industrial spaces available has dropped 14.8% over that time.     Over the past year, the number of industrial spaces available has dropped by 17.9% in the San Antonio Metro Area.

Retail Property No. of Spaces – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	64	-2.2%	-0.8%

The number of retail spaces available in the San Antonio Metro Area has fallen five months in a row month-over-month. The number of retail spaces available has dropped 4.4% over that time.     In the past year, the San Antonio Metro Area has seen a 0.8% decline in the number of available retail spaces.

Office Property Profile Views (Demand) – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	110	-5.1%	+26.7%

Interest in office properties listed in the San Antonio Metro Area market on LoopNet increased 26.7% during the past year, 10.5 percentage points less than the increase in the national average. This change ranks thirty-ninth out of the top 48 metros.

Industrial Property Profile Views (Demand) – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	99	-7.0%	+4.2%

The year-over-year 4.2% rate of growth of interest in industrial properties listed as for sale in the San Antonio Metro Area market on LoopNet was 30 percentage points below the national rate of growth over the same period. This change ranks San Antonio Metro Area forty-seventh out of the top 48 metros.

Retail Property Profile Views (Demand) – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	117	-2.5%	+26.4%

Interest in retail properties listed in the San Antonio Metro Area market on LoopNet increased 26.4% during the past year, 4.7 percentage points less than the increase in the national average. This change ranks thirty-second out of the top 48 metros.

Office Property Total SF Available – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	70	+0.3%	+3.1%

Square footage available for office properties have been on the rise month-over-month for two consecutive months.     The available square footage for office properties in the metro area has risen 3.1% over the past year.

Industrial Property Total SF Available – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	64	-10.2%	-24.4%

For the past five months, available square footage has declined month-over-month for industrial properties.     Current available square footage reflects a 24.4% fall in the metro area over the past year.

Retail Property Total SF Available – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- Metro	47	-4.0%	-6.9%

For the past five months, available square footage has declined month-over-month for retail properties.     Available square footage for retail properties in the metro area represents a 6.9% decline over the past year.

Office Property Days on Market – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	216	-3.1%	-8.8%
- Metro	287	-2.9%	-11.3%

The time on market for office properties in the San Antonio Metro Area is down 11.3% from last year, to 287 days. During the same period, days on market in Texas has dropped 8.8%.     Compared with October 2008, when time on market was its shortest, it has now gotten 59.2% longer.

Industrial Property Days on Market – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	241	-5.1%	-9.2%
- Metro	186	-18.4%	-32.3%

Days on market for industrial properties in the San Antonio Metro Area fell 32.3% from last year, to 186 days. At the state level, time on market has fallen by 9.2% during the same time period.     Compared with the highest time on market set in June 2010, these properties are now turning over 40.7% faster.

Retail Property Days on Market – Lease Trends

	Sep 11	vs. 3 mo. prior	Y-O-Y
- State	287	+2.4%	+6.4%
- Metro	244	-0.4%	-14.3%

The time on market for retail properties in the San Antonio Metro Area is down 14.3% from last year, to 244 days. Overall in Texas the time on market has dropped by 6.4% during the same time period.     From September 2009, when the time on market was at its highest, it has fallen 30.7%.

 

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By Francesca Levy, Forbes.com

Action on the Bel Air, Calif., manor gives hope to ultra high-end brokers.

The market for homes worth $50 million or more is so small that when even one of these behemoths is sold, it makes waves. So real estate experts are paying close attention to the recent sale of Le Belvedere, a sprawling sandstone palace in Bel Air, which sold on June 4 to an unidentified European family, for as much as $72 million.

Coldwell Banker Previews International

The home was designed and built by developer Mohamed Hadid, former owner of Ritz Carlton Hotels, for his personal use. Hadid put the home on the market in early 2009 at $85 million, but the price was quickly cut to $72 million. By early May of this year, when Forbes produced its list of the most expensive homes on the market, the estate had been put into the escrow stage of a sale.

Stacey Gottula and Joyce Rey, of Coldwell Banker Previews International, who handled the sale, are keeping the final cost under wraps, but claim that the home sets a price record for 2010. That would mean it sold for at least the $47 million that Colorado’s BootJack ranch fetched in late April–and as much as the $72 million sale price made public earlier this year. According to Gottula and Rey, Le Belvedere is also one of the largest sales ever handled by a broker–many sales this large are closed-door transactions.

Photos: America’s Most Expensive Homes

Coldwell Banker Previews International

Inside the home, no detail is spared. Its 16 fireplaces are made from imported Italian marble, all of the wood details are hand-carved and the floors are laid in Bavarian walnut. There is a full gym, a 20-car garage, a swan pond and a 50-seat European-style theater. There are also some unique touches, including a Moroccan room with a Turkish bath. All of that opulence may sound imposing, but Hadid says the building is far from cold.

“The home has been designed to have the feeling of an old home,” he says. “I design these homes to make them feel warm inside.”

Many of the nation’s priciest homes are clustered in California. Le Belvedere’s asking price wasn’t even the steepest in the area: In nearby Beverly Hills, Candy Spelling (the widow of television executive Aaron Spelling) is selling her mansion for $150 million. Another marble classical-style dwelling is on the market for $125 million less than a mile away.

Coldwell Banker Previews International

“Our area is a little more insulated than the rest of Los Angeles,” says Gottula. “Beverly Hills and Bel Air are areas that are very desirable for luxury.”

Hadid says he chose to sell because he is “downsizing” his life. He’s also confident that the properties he builds are unique enough to lure buyers, even in a down market.

“These are very special homes. I can pretty much ask for anything I want,” he says. “There are certain properties that are so unusual, people are afraid they will lose the opportunity to buy them. Even if the market is 5% or 10% below, people with substantial funds will come in and say, ‘let’s do this now.’”

Coldwell Banker Previews International

The big question is what this sale means for the ultra high-end market at large. Gottula and Hadid believe activity in the $10 million and up range has thawed considerably since 2009, and luxury brokers as far as Colorado are energized by the sale.

The Le Belvedere sale, like the sale of the BootJack Ranch before it, highlights the growing willingness of high net-worth buyers to make significant acquisitions of the very best assets at what they consider to be opportunistic price points,” says Bill Fandel of Peaks Real Estate Sotheby’s International Realty, who handled the BootJack sale. “These larger sales contribute to a greater feeling of stability across the U.S. that’s helping drive momentum for the top-tier class of properties.”

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Take a pause while enjoying the day and give thanks to all our military warriors who have given their all to protect our life and liberty.

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Following a strong Spring Break season, San Antonio hoteliers and attraction  managers say they’re expecting big crowds and big spending for Memorial  Day weekend.

Traffic at downtown attractions such as Ripley’s Haunted Adventure and the Guinness  World Records Museum has steadily increased in the past year, said owner Davis  Phillips, who is president and chief executive officer of Phillips  Entertainment Inc. Revenue at his attractions has been up 6 percent  year-to-date compared to 2010. Phillips said he also has noticed people are not  only coming to San Antonio in higher numbers, they’re also spending more.

“We had a good summer last year — almost everybody I have talked to did,” Phillips said. “We expect this year to be even better.”

A key indicator for summer travel expectations is Spring Break traffic, and  this year was good across the state, said David  Teel, president of the Texas  Travel Industry Association. Traffic for some hotels, restaurants and  attractions even exceeded 2008, which was a “banner year” for the industry,  Teel said.

The recession and a surge in hotel construction devastated the hospitality  industry in San Antonio, slashing occupancy rates in 2009 and sending hotel room  prices tumbling.

“We’re expecting continued slow improvement, but not back to where we were in  2008,” said Bruce  Walker, president of Source  Strategies Inc., a hotel consulting firm in San Antonio.

The occupancy rate at San Antonio hotels during the first quarter of this  year was 59.1 percent, up 1.4 percent compared to the same time last year.  Statewide, the hotel occupancy rate is 59.2 percent, up 7.2 percent compared to  2010 and almost back to pre-recession days, Walker said.

The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, is reserved at 95  percent occupancy for Memorial Day weekend. The hotel was booked solid during  Spring Break.

“We expect a full sell-out,” said Arthur  Coulombe, the hotel’s general manger. He said many of the hotel’s patrons  are locals who book rooms there for “staycations.”

At the Hyatt  Hill Country Resort and Spa, managers are “looking forward to a  record-setting weekend,” said spokeswoman Melody  Goeken. Last week, the hotel’s occupancy rate was up 10 percent compared to  the same week last year.

“The pace has been up for the past couple of months,” Goeken said. “We hope  and anticipate this will be a great kickoff to summer.”

Six Flags Fiesta Texas opened for the summer season March 5, and the theme  park plans to debut a new fireworks and laser show during Memorial Day weekend.  Spring Break attendance there was strong, and good weather should encourage  travel to the theme park, said spokeswoman Sydne  Purvis.

Tim Morrow, director of operations at SeaWorld  San Antonio, said he expects the attraction’s waterpark to do as well or  better than last Memorial Day weekend. The park will be open daily starting  Thursday. Memorial Day is May 30.

Despite climbing gas prices, Morrow is counting on San Antonio’s  affordability and popularity as a drive destination.

“It’s been a great year for us so far,” Morrow said. “People are feeling a  little more secure about spending.”

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/Expectations-high-for-Memorial-Day-tourism-1382072.php#ixzz1NTJbersG

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Networking is an invaluable tool that anyone in the business world can utilize. Effective networking can be your best form of marketing, as well as being extremely affordable. To give a definition of networking, networking occurs when there is a planned event or gathering with the primary goal of connecting with others. The purpose of networking can vary based on one’s own agenda, yet the primary focus is to meet people, and have people meet you. In other words, you have the opportunity to market yourself and your business in a relaxed, social situation. This often proves to be a comfortable situation for all involved.

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