Is Georgia’s Film Industry Hot? You Bet!

7 years ago

7 years ago 0 0 3637

The proof is in the numbers. According to Governor Nathan Deal, the film industry boasted a more than $7 billion economic impact on the state of Georgia during the last fiscal year. In fiscal 2016, 245 feature film and film productions created 2+ billion in direct spending. And many predict 2017 will be even bigger. In my last blog, Top Takeaways from GSU’s Views From the Top, I shared entertainment industry insight from John Brooks Klingenbeck, Managing Partner of Artist Entertainment Management at Red Hill Entertainment. This month, I take a closer look at this booming industry. An industry that Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed expects only to grow in 2017. So, why Georgia? The state has intentionally created an attractive breeding ground for the entertainment industry to grow. Creating tax incentives and promoting an industry workforce via education are just two of the many ways Georgia has succeeded in this

Top Takeaways from GSU’s Views From the Top 2017

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Development, Real Estate Investing

7 years ago

7 years ago 0 0 3987

Each year, I start the new year with an economic conference hosted by Georgia State University’s Department of Real Estate, and it rarely disappoints. This year was no different. Views From the Top 2017: “Connectivity & Atlanta’s Urban Transformation” delivered insightful viewpoints on a variety of economic topics. First up was Sun Trust Economist KC Conway. Here were his top comments: Real estate sector predictions: Housing and Industrial are real estate’s strongest sectors, with commercial storage and manufactured housing yielding the best returns. Retail is regressing, and Hotel is overbuilt with declining values. Cost for new or renovated Office space is extremely high. Atlanta + Southeast predictions: The Southeast region, including Atlanta, will outperform the nation in 2017. Atlanta will continue to be plagued by traffic This is a “Must Solve” problem. Millennials will move elsewhere if not resolved, resulting in stymied growth. General insights: Capital for commercial real estate

2017: A Mature Market

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Development, Real Estate Investing

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 0 2924

Entering 2017, the investment community finds itself in a Mature Market. Gone are the days of distressed sellers, foreclosures and properties which could be purchased at steep discounts. Today, properties are cash-flowing, occupancies are high and rents have recovered to peak levels. Combined with cheap debt and investors flush with yield-driven capital, the result is fewer opportunities coupled with property values at pre-recession levels (or, in some instances, even higher). So, what happens when investment opportunities diminish and the market tightens? Development becomes an increasingly attractive option for value-added investing. Historically, seven years into a recovery, speculative development has already begun, but that has not been the case. This cycle is unique for several reasons: The depth of the recession The impact of new regulations on financial institutions The headwinds to demand created by online retailing and office-sharing concepts To be sure, infill, mixed-use urban retail concepts; mega, mixed-use projects

When Will Rising Interest Rates Impact Investment Decisions?

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Investing

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 0 2453

Here’s my response to the recent Globe St. article, “When Will Rising Interest Rates Impact Investment Decisions?” based on an interview with Real Capital Markets’ COO Tina Lichens. Interest rates are still low by historical standards. With so much capital continuing to search for opportunities, I see little impact on investment decisions for the short term. I do agree that good opportunities will outweigh a higher cost for debt in the long run. That being said, rising rates will have a greater impact on the small private investor (syndicator) who is organizing his capital for every deal and is more return-sensitive.

Why You Need a Real Estate Advisor on Your Wealth Management Team

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Investing

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 0 2969

As the end of 2016 quickly approaches and you ponder year-end donations and 2017 financial objectives, you should consider if you need someone to help you reach your goals—or to advise you on what those goals should be. Let’s take a look at your team. The Coach The Coach develops a game plan based on circumstances. Do you become your own coach, or do you consult with a wealth manager or financial planner to mold your circumstances and financial objectives into an effective financial plan? This is the first big call. The Roster Then, you must ask yourself: Who should be my team players? A typical team consists of a financial advisor, an investment manager, a CPA, an insurance advisor and an estate attorney. Now, the water becomes somewhat murky here because some of these players wear multiple hats. In certain cases, they work for a fee on your behalf.

How Can We Solve the Absence of Affordable Housing in Atlanta?

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Development

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 1 2994

Equity and affordability. The lack of these two imperatives is what initiated the departure of Atlanta Beltline Partnership board members Ryan Gravel and Nathaniel Smith in late September. Ryan, the urban planner who proposed the Atlanta BeltLine in his Georgia Tech Master’s Thesis, and Nathaniel, founder of the Partnership for Southern Equity, left the board with concern that too little was being done to promote affordable housing off the popular beltline, a 22-mile corridor circling central Atlanta. An Atlanta Business Journal article states, “Gravel said the vision for the BeltLine has been one of inclusivity – making sure its success does not prevent people of all income levels from being able to live on all parts of the 22-mile corridor.” Even the corridor’s tagline, “Where Atlanta Comes Together,” suggests this underlying vision. But affordable housing is an issue across Atlanta, not just on the BeltLine. To anyone has driven around

How Do You Get Started in Private Real Estate Investing?

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Investing

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 0 2798

As young adults start to accumulate wealth, very few consider investing in real estate. But why? As stated in my previous blog, Private Real Estate Investing: A Game of Risk, real estate presents a unique set of challenges, including illiquidity, higher risk and the amount of required capital. In addition, most people enter the investing world through a friend who is an investment advisor (i.e. stock broker), and he or she sells stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other similar investment vehicles. When I started thinking about a career in real estate investments, a very successful private real estate promoter gave me a piece of advice: Start early with a small stake, and grow it. So, how do you start? Pool Capital Even if you do not have much cash, a smart way to get started is to organize a group of friends who are each willing and able to make

Private Real Estate Investing: A Game of Risk

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Development, Real Estate Investing

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 0 3299

Most people invest in equities, like stocks and bonds. They are liquid. They are transparent. The markets are regulated. With equities, you can follow your investment though various channels. And you are betting on companies more than individual people. Private real estate investing is different. The investment is illiquid. Current value of the asset owned is not easily determined. Often there is a sponsor or promoter who has discretion with regard to major decisions, and finally, debt is typically used to purchase the asset. These factors combined increase risk and put private real estate investments in the category of Alternative Investments. Getting Started To invest in a private real estate deal, an investor must be accredited. This means he or she can afford either to lose all equity or not have access to it for an indefinite period of time. Once this hurdle is cleared, I recommend all investors ask

Atlanta’s Achilles Heel: Traffic Congestion

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Development

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 0 2733

Like the mythical Greek God Achilles, Atlanta is strong and vibrant, but has one vulnerability that could stall its growth or dramatically change development patterns and quality of life. And that is traffic congestion. If you live in or visit Atlanta, you know this is true. A 2016 Atlanta Business Chronicle article claims Atlanta was ranked no. 9 on a new Top 10 list of 100 US cities with the worst traffic, and that statistic is not surprising. The article also touts that Atlanta drivers “wasted an average of 59 hours in gridlock in 2015”. That’s a whole week’s vacation sitting in traffic! Some of the Problems: A street network designed for low density Proliferation of high-density, mixed-use real estate developments Good, but limited public transportation Connectivity Atlanta’s street network was just not designed for high-density development. It has one primary north-south boulevard, Peachtree Street, and poor east-west connectivity. Contrast

Development Regulations: Has Protecting the Public Gone Too Far?

By Stan Sonenshine in Real Estate Development

8 years ago

8 years ago 0 0 2768

When do development regulations, building codes and zoning regulations transcend protecting the public welfare and instead slow the progression to building a community that better suits today’s rapidly changing lifestyles? Think about it. Are regulations necessary? Of course they are. Can regulations strangle creativity and vision? Of course they can. While some jurisdictions seem more responsive to market demands and changes, others are hell-bent on keeping things the way they are. The relationship between developers, city planners, code enforcers, local politicians and neighborhood activists has always been somewhat adversarial. But how these relationships work in today’s world is particularly important since development has accelerated and looks much different look than it did ten years ago. What Are the Problems? Outdated zoning ordinances and codes which don’t address the high-density, mixed-use development trend Code enforcement officials’ tendency to read and adhere strictly to document language The regulator’s lack of empowerment for

Previous page Next page

Is Georgia’s Film Industry Hot? You Bet!

Top Takeaways from GSU’s Views From the Top 2017

2017: A Mature Market

When Will Rising Interest Rates Impact Investment Decisions?

Why You Need a Real Estate Advisor on Your Wealth Management Team

How Can We Solve the Absence of Affordable Housing in Atlanta?

How Do You Get Started in Private Real Estate Investing?

Private Real Estate Investing: A Game of Risk

Atlanta’s Achilles Heel: Traffic Congestion

Development Regulations: Has Protecting the Public Gone Too Far?

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