Economists have gotten a lot of things right over centuries of research. However, one thing they’ve gotten wrong is that people only act in their best self-interests, ignoring all other alternatives. And yet, as much as economists would like to believe, most people are not psychopaths. The trend of social impact has permeated the consumer space: initiatives like (Product) RED and Tom’s Shoes have enjoyed tremendous success. And yet, investment in social impact lags. Some companies understand the importance of creating value in underserved communities, and have done so whil...

• Social Impact

On Tuesday, a Wayne County review team has determined that Detroit is in a financial crisis due to budget deficits and a severely underfunded healthcare program. Governor Rick Snyder has only a week and half to officially declare Detroit’s financial crisis. Wayne Executive Warren Evans requested the status of Detroit’s economy, asking the state for an official declaration of financial crisis declaration and an agreement to fix such issues. The review team appointed July 2 said Wayne County’s past yearly budgets and a $1.3 billion unfunded healthcare initiative hav...

• Detroit

When you often hear about high-profile real estate development deals in New York, you hear “Hudson Yards”, or “432 Park Avenue” or “One57.” These luxury areas and condominiums have captivated the attention of real estate developers and buyers alike with floor-to-ceiling windows, killer views, and price tags in the tens or even hundreds of millions. A name like Stuyvesant Town just doesn’t ring any bells or hold any weight, until now.   A few days ago, Blackstone announced that, along with Ivanhoe Cambridge, they’d be purchasing the ...

• NYC Real Estate

If California were a country, its economy would be the 10th largest in the world, pushing India into the #11 spot. California is the tech center of the world. Hugely successful companies like Apple, Google, FaceBook and Netflix proudly call it home. It’s also home to one of the largest state college systems in the United States. These all combine to make a hot real estate market.   More recently, the Wall Street Journal has pegged Oakland California as the next Silicon Valley. Uber, the taxi juggernaut valued at over $50B dollars, has recently purchased the Sears building a...

• Silicon Valley

When it comes to investing money in real estate, investors and financial planners usually agree it is one of the most solid and promising investment options for long-term financial success. Making money in real estate almost always promises a big return on investment and is less volatile than other forms of investments. Once the initial seeking out of the investment and purchasing the property and all that entails is taken care of, investing money in real estate is a pretty easy hands-off way to make good money in the long run whether one chooses to simply be a homeowner or as a real estate...

• Real Estate Investing

Real estate syndication is one way to acquire the necessary funding for real estate investing. Real estate syndication is the act of pooling money from various real estate investors and taking that investment money and putting it together to fund real estate projects. The real estate projects can be anything from simply purchasing a piece of residential or commercial real estate in total or to use to subsidize the mortgage on that property. This is an ideal way for a real estate investor to acquire more property and to even better profit in several different ways.   Some of the w...

• Real Estate Syndication

When it comes to investing in the real estate market you have one of two options. There is the private market and the public market. Private equity real estate market investing is when real estate properties are purchased directly and owned or operated by the buyer(s) or a property manager. The purchase made in the private equity real estate market can be done as a sole buyer or with a group of buyers and can entail the investment in a single family home, a shopping plaza or an office building, basically any real estate structure that is privately owned and sold. The public equity real esta...

• Equity Investing

Greece’s crisis has challenged the Eurozone. China’s stock market is crashing. Emerging markets suffer as commodity prices plummet. But, what is gold’s fate? An investment historically lauded for its safety and security in tumultuous times, gold surprisingly faces adversity.    Many think gold is dried up. In the midst of global economic uncertainty, if gold can’t rally, then it’s not worth your money. But, the naysayers fail to recognize a true crisis has not yet occurred.   In reality, global markets are stagnating in a tranquil...

• Eurozone

Investing in commercial real estate can be a very lucrative investment option. Most people go the residential real estate investment route first because it is easier to understand and navigate and usually requires less capital or cash flow, but do not think you need experience in that area first. Commercial real estate is an entirely different ballgame. Commercial real estate investing can be much more profitable in fact, but there are certain things you must know and fully understand before jumping in to ensure you are successful, because even though real estate is a much more solid and st...

• Commercial Real Estate

President Obama announced the Clean Power Plan yesterday, citing the need to reduce pollution from power plants as an essential part of the climate change debate.   The President called the Clean Power Plan “fair, flexible, and designed to strengthen the fast-growing trend toward cleaner and lower-polluting American energy.”   With ambitious but realistic guidelines for power plants, and state-customized goals to curb pollution that causes climate change, the Clean Power Plan provides national standardization and accountability while reflecting each state&r...

• Social Impact

Construction spending in the United States stagnated in June as private spending was the lowest in a year, but the small growth suggested the economy is still solid and stable.   According to the Commerce Department, construction spending increased 0.1%, the smallest increase since January.   May’s spending was adjusted higher to reflect a 1.8% increase, instead of the previously reported 0.8%. Economists forecasted construction expenditure to rise 0.6% this June. It’s not all bad news; construction spending had increased 12% year over year.   ...

• Commercial Real Estate

When not one but several properties catch the eye as a potential investment venture and capital is the only obstruction to some serious gains, what do you do? Recent times have come up with a solution which goes past falling into debt or haggling with banks for a loan. Enter crowd funding. The successes of sites like Kick Starter have marked a new era of startups and accelerator programs. Instead of waiting for capital to come for a business to start, crowd funding allows entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best and leave the finances to the crowd.   How does that figure in th...

• Crowdfunding

After a harsh winter, the U.S. economy rebounded in the second quarter, due to an increase in consumer spending and a recovery in international trade.   The announcement reverses fears earlier this year that the U.S. economy would shrink.   Thursday, the U.S. Department of Commerce said that GDP grew at a 2.3 percent annual rate for Q2 of 2015. The government also said GDP in the January-March period grew 0.6 percent, a marked improvement over the predicted 0.2% decreased.   This pattern is familiar: in the past, the economy has underperformed in Q1 and ra...

• Economy

The IMF’s eurozone prediction has improved thanks to lower oil prices, a weaker euro and European Central Bank (ECB) action.   Eurozone growth is estimated at 1.7% next year, up from 1.5% this year.   But, the IMF warns that the area is still “vulnerable to shocks”.   A shock could force the Eurozone into “prolonged stagnation”, said the IMF.   “The region is turning a corner … Our forecast is better than it has been in a  long time" said Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF.  ...

• Eurozone

Real estate investment is pretty much the same as any other investment. The focus is on the word ‘investing’. When you’re doing any kind of investing, you’re putting ‘in’ things. Your effort, time, money, sacrificing other things (opportunity cost), the fear and risk and so on. You’ll note the word has no connotations pertaining to ‘return’. It speaks only about ‘investing’ or ‘putting in’. This is surprising considering the common notion where investing is almost always associated with ‘return’ and ra...

• Real Estate Investing

Monday, Vice President Joe Biden and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that LaGuardia will be receiving a total revamp; the isolated terminals will be rebuilt under the same roof, and operating space for planes will be doubled to ease congestion.   “I wish everything I said that was truthful but controversial would turn out this well,” Biden joked, after calling LaGuardia Airport a “third-world terminal” last year.   The revamp would modify the entire shape of the airport, which is presently squeezed onto a small, irregular waterfront pro...

• NYC Real Estate

Twelve of the largest, most impactful U.S. companies in the private sector have worked with the White House to make a commitment to investing over $140 billion to aid in climate change efforts. Companies include Walmart, Goldman Sachs, and Apple, among others.This commitment comes on the heels of continued White House effort to prioritize global warming at the U.N. Conference on Climate Change, at the end of the year in Paris.“They want not only to see a successful outcome in Paris, they want it to happen and are willing to commit in a manner that’s both advanced and energetic,” said Brian ...

• Social Impact

After Spain’s real estate market plunged in 2008, prices declined more than 40%. In 2014, prices leveled off, signaling to many investors an attractive point of entry.   Many real estate funds were taken investments from an increasing amount of investors with low investments, so they decided to create a crowdfunding site.   Spain’s real estate catastrophe indicates an optimal time for real estate crowdfunding, a system whereby individuals can invest in multimillion dollar deals for a fraction of the cost.   Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, and...

• Eurozone

The Chinese stock market toil may directly affect the U.S. housing market. Chinese money has been poured into all types of markets across the U.S., from New York luxury penthouses to Malibu beachfront villas. But, will China’s recent turmoil result in an increase or decrease in cash investment in the U.S.?   “China is investing into U.S. real estate with a long-term view — for diversification and safety in times of uncertainty,” said John Burns, a real estate consulting expert. “A 30 percent stock correction, after a 150 percent skyrocket will not ...

• China

1. Do get your finances in order.   It is important to take stock of your personal finances before making an investment in real estate. Have a clear picture of your current income, expenses and outstanding liabilities. If you don’t already, track your spending – there might be places to save that would free up cash for investment purposes.   2. Don´t forget to write down your real estate goals.   Clarify what you wish to achieve from a real estate investment (property type, cash flow, rate of return, return over time, tax strategy...

• Real Estate Investing