As Residential Growth Booms, Fulshear Scouts For More Development Opportunities

Imports through U.S. seaports increased significantly in July, and they are on track for a record-setting August as retailers prepare for the upcoming holiday season, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report from the…

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Mall owners Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Group have reached an agreement with J.C. Penney Co. to buy the struggling retailer and its operating assets out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy for $1.75B. 

The proposed buyout deal includes cash payment and new term loan debt, Plano, Texas-based JCPenney confirmed in a public statement. As part of the acquisition plan, the parties could create a separate real estate investment trust and property holding company that will house 161 of J.C. Penney's real estate assets along with its…

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In Case You Missed It...

The government, office owners, and café and restaurant operators: London’s office workers are being urged from all sides to head back into the city centre after six months of working from home. But they are steadfastly refusing, and there is one big factor: transport.

Millions of words have been written about the 6-foot office, temperature scanners in lobbies or how to social distance in restaurants. In spite of research that public transport isn’t a major vector of coronavirus transmission, polls show that public transport is a big worry factor for Londoners, with 70% saying they were afraid to use the capital’s transit system. London First produced similar findings.

For a city like London or New York, where a high proportion of office workers use public transport and face long commutes, getting people back on public transport is vital, and city centres won’t be back in business until they do.

“The government has done a good job in scaring people and keeping them off public transport,” London Property Alliance Executive Director Charles Begley said. “It is hard to unwind that quickly.” 

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In late August, the Securities and Exchange Commission modified its definition of “accredited investor," changing who is allowed by law to invest in private securities offerings. The new regulations are less restrictive than before, and will likely allow a larger pool of investors to actively participate in private real estate offerings, though the exact number isn't clear yet.

Public capital markets, as the name implies, are open to even investors of modest means, but they represent only a part of the action. In 2018, according to the SEC, private markets raised about $2.9 trillion, compared with $1.4 trillion raised in public markets. The agency doesn't break its totals down into real estate and non-real estate investments. 

"With this update, the SEC wants to expand access for individual investors to participate in the private investment space," CrowdStreet co-founder Darren Powderly said. "It's a modest step, but it is a welcome one for real estate investing."

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