Commercial Real Estate – Stephanie Hughes

How Hudson’s Bay — and Canada — Is Not Immune to the U.S. Late-Cycle Retail Market

July 17, 2019October 20, 2021No Comments

As the secular market is turning, the U.S. is locked in a “retailapocalpyse”. However, the Great North isn’t immune to these same late-cycle dynamics, as the Hudson’s Bay Company signalled this year. (Source: Can Pac Swire) The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) closures represent a contraction in its business plan after the company underwent an overly optimistic … Continue reading How Hudson’s Bay — and Canada — Is Not Immune to the U.S. Late-Cycle Retail Market

Scorching Real Estate: Comparing the California, B.C. and Fort McMurray Wildfires’ Impact

April 3, 2019October 20, 2021No Comments

Last August was devastating for British Columbia (B.C.) and California — each had declared a state of emergency because of wildfires. Both the province and the state experienced a severe decline in tourism, mass evacuations and seemingly unending fights to contain the conflagrations. There was significant loss on both sides, though as far as impact on … Continue reading Scorching Real Estate: Comparing the California, B.C. and Fort McMurray Wildfires’ Impact

Monitoring “The Stuff That Counts”: Shopko’s Closures Minimally Affect CMBS Transactions

February 12, 2019October 20, 2021No Comments

Introduction The store closures announced by Shopko will likely have a minimal impact on commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) in aggregate; however, DBRS, Inc. (DBRS) does see the potential for localized defaults as the company rejects leases across the country. In addition, the closures highlight the risk of exposure faced by retailers owned by private … Continue reading Monitoring “The Stuff That Counts”: Shopko’s Closures Minimally Affect CMBS Transactions

Storm-Watching Real Estate: The Impact of Hurricane Harvey

September 19, 2018October 20, 2021No Comments

Hurricane season is costly for commercial infrastructure, and servicers are busy keeping up with estimated damages during these times; however, the recovery measures prove to be effective. Around this time last year, the world watched as Hurricane Maria, the third hurricane to make landfall in the United States and its territories in less than a … Continue reading Storm-Watching Real Estate: The Impact of Hurricane Harvey

The Classic Appeal of Historic Buildings

August 4, 2018October 20, 2021No Comments

As far as real estate goes, the mentality is often that a newer building is a better building. This makes sense, considering what kind of issues older buildings present: older buildings require renovations and maintenance to keep them functional, they are more susceptible to environmental damage and pest infestations, they can be less functional if … Continue reading The Classic Appeal of Historic Buildings

The U.S. Senior Housing Market Facing a Supply Shortage

May 9, 2018October 20, 2021No Comments

Seniors in the United States are facing a housing dilemma stemming from the diminishing unit supply as well as climbing rent rates nationwide. The growth of the U.S. senior population is continuously outpacing the development of unit supply — a gap that may grow significantly year over year. This is creating longer wait lists for applicants, … Continue reading The U.S. Senior Housing Market Facing a Supply Shortage

Analyzing the Canadian Senior Housing Dilemma

May 9, 2018October 20, 2021No Comments

Canada’s seniors are facing a severe housing shortage as there is an increasing number of baby boomers turning 65, coupled with a low property vacancy and supply as well as general soaring rent rates. This issue is especially magnified with Canada’s senior population since they often require properties with the care facilities and staffing that … Continue reading Analyzing the Canadian Senior Housing Dilemma

How the Airbnb and Hotel Industry War Will Look in 2018

February 22, 2018October 20, 2021No Comments

Over the past five years, the mainstream hotel industry has faced a rapidly changing competitive landscape with the rising success of online crowd-sourced lodging services such as Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway, among others. Staple hotel companies like Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham Worldwide (Wyndham) recognize that they now face a new set of challenges and are … Continue reading How the Airbnb and Hotel Industry War Will Look in 2018