Chicago’s Sam Zell expects little U.S. commercial real estate construction over the next few years except for apartment buildings, a hiatus that would restrict supply and boost the value of existing properties. Read more of what Zell shared with investors at an executive forum in New York last Tuesday. Read more...
Archives for 2010
Real-estate Firms Managing Selling Volume of Distressed Commercial Mortgages
Firms, known as special servicers, are dealing with souring loans backed by commercial-mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS: a total of $90.9 billion through the end of September, compared with $73.8 billion at the end of last year, according to credit-rating firm Fitch Ratings. But the pace at which those loans have been resolved has picked up at an even faster rate, with $27.9 billion recovered by special servicers from bad loans in the third quarter, compared with $8.9 billion in the first quarter, according to Fitch. Read more…
New IRS 1099 Requirements for Landlords
Starting in 2011, there is a new tax requirement for landlords. All landlords who receive $600 or more in rent for the year must send a 1099 to all service providers that the landlord paid $600 or more during the year, such as plumbers, carpenters, yard services, and repair people. The new requirement applies to owners of both residential and commercial property. Prior to 2011, this requirement had only applied to those involved in full-time property management, but now the requirement covers all types of landlords. Landlords will need to gather federal tax ID numbers from service providers in order to file the 1099s. Failure to file the 1099s with the IRS can result in fines of $50 per 1099 not filed with the IRS. In 2012, these requirements will expand to cover providers of goods to landlords. NAR actively opposed this change in the law and is working with others to have this requirement repealed or otherwise modified. Congress took this action in order to assure that income paid to contractors can be verified through a section 1099.
Commercial Markets Stabilizing
Commercial real estate markets are flattening out, with modestly improving fundamentals expected in 2011, NAR says. ‘œThe basic fundamental of rising commercial leasing demand, resulting from a steadily improving economy, means overall vacancy rates have already peaked or will soon top out,’ says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. ‘œThe outlook for the office and industrial markets has moderated with modestly declining vacancy rates expected as 2011 progresses, while the retail sector should hold fairly steady. Still, high vacancy rates imply falling rents.’ Yun anticipates a rise in household formation from an improving economy, which will increase demand for housing, both ownership and rental.
