Real Estate Investing: The Long and Short of It

Real estate developers and investors once played the long game, and it paid off. Today, buyers are stuck in the long game but with low yields and little potential for value appreciation.

An End to 1031 Exchanges?

The current proposed tax legislation on 1031 exchanges could impact a variety of users of the tax break and will most likely result in unintended consequences and unrealized benefits.

DRED: Death and Real Estate Decisions

Most people view making decisions about death with dread. No one likes to think about his own demise, but it is important to make smart decisions now, especially if you own real estate.

The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself

As we emerge from this economic catastrophe caused by the fear of COVID-19, we need to consider how we take advantage of the investment opportunities it will present.

Philanthropy in Atlanta: The Multiplier Effect

We are accustomed to seeing headlines about big philanthropic donations or seeing billionaire’s names on buildings, but do you ever stop to think about the massive multiplier effect these philanthropic donations have? On everything from job growth to real estate worth to quality of life? In Atlanta, we have a multitude of big givers—from Home Depot’s Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank to the Coca-Cola-affiliated Robert W. Woodruff Foundation to CNN’s Ted Turner. Let’s take a deep dive into how philanthropic giving impacts Atlanta, focusing specifically on Bernie Marcus. Growth of The Home Depot The Home Depot got its start with two entrepreneurs and two Atlanta stores, one in Doraville and one in Decatur, in former Treasure Island locations. Marcus and Blank grew that humble beginning to 2,200+ stores, simultaneously profiting from the DIY craze and revolutionizing the industry. The growth of Home Depot in Atlanta significantly impacted Atlanta. First, think

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Avoid the Sins of CRE Investment

A recent Globe St.com article “The Seven Deadly Sins of CRE Investment” argues, “Buying a CRE asset above its value or at a low cap rate is rarely a route to a successful transaction.” I couldn’t agree more. While situations exist where it is acceptable to pay up, such as the need to acquire a key piece in an assembly, I never advocate buying investment property without proper due diligence or market analysis. Unfortunately, vigorous deal competition coupled with the need to invest idle capital, particularly funds with time limits, inevitably leads investors to commit some of these sins mentioned in the article. After all, what is one or two bad deals in a large portfolio if the other deals are good, right? I disagree. Also, often individual investors invest foolishly because they are driven by the desire to avoid taxes on the gains resulting from a sale. So, they overpay to

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The Worth of WeWork?

Business Insider posted a recent article entitled, “NYU professor calls WeWork ‘WeWTF,’ says any Wall Street analyst who believes it’s worth over $10 billion is ‘lying, stupid, or both’.” Here’s my take on this article: WeWork looks like any other office landlord, just wearing a different suit. Outside of being cool, WeWork owns nothing proprietary, and as I have argued before, there is no barrier to competition from real landlords. If it were such a great concept, office property owners and developers would be providing more flexible space options. But they wouldn’t be able to obtain financing because debt service relies on a steady and reliable income stream—which this concept certainly is not. WeWork might pull off this IPO because of the current market euphoria, but they won’t be getting any of MY money.