Kevin Brass

KEVIN BRASS writes regularly about property and development for the New York Times International Edition and the Financial Times.

Industry Voices

Economy

U.S. Treasury Looking at Cash Buyers of Luxury Homes in New York, Miami

Residential real estate executives are assessing the impact of a new U.S. Treasury Department initiative to crack down on criminals and corrupt foreign officials who use luxury home purchases to launder money, requiring title insurance companies in Miami and New York City to disclose the identities of buyers paying cash starting in March.

February 9, 2016

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Kevin Brass

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Economy, Market & Trends

18-Hour Cities Reinforce Their Hold on Investors’ and Developers’ Attention

Eight of the top ten cities identified by the Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2016report compiled by ULI and PwC as the most favorable for investment and development in 2016 are secondary cities, sometimes called 18-hour cities. There is greater risk in such cities, but they also offer better opportunities and the potential for larger yields than the traditional gateway cities, survey respondents said.

February 1, 2016

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Kevin Brass

Design and Planning

Conservation Development

Putting Developers’ Environmental Impact to a Vote in California

Last year, the California Supreme Court ruled that a project proposed through the citizen initiative process and subsequently approved by a council—without a public vote—was exempt from a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, overturning a lower court decision. Now, a project can potentially avoid months of costly CEQA-related delays if a developer raises enough signatures for an initiative and the council or board simply ratifies the project.

November 9, 2015

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Kevin Brass

Economy, Market & Trends

Better Regional Planning Is Key to “Selling” Higher Densities

The biggest challenge facing developers hoping to create high-density, livable communities is often the people in the existing neighborhood, said Peter Calthorpe, head of Calthorpe Associates, speaking at the ULI Fall Meeting.

October 26, 2015

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Kevin Brass

Design and Planning

Resorts/Second Homes

Reimagining Luxury at Modern Resorts: Cycling Is the New Golf

In a competitive global market, resort designers are racing to define the “new luxury.” The modern concept of luxury is “really about elegance and simplicity,” said Richard Centolella, a principal in design firm EDSA, during a panel discussion at the ULI Fall Meeting.

October 19, 2015

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Kevin Brass

Development and Construction

Giving Historic Preservation the Best Chance for Success

For historic redevelopment to succeed, developers need to rethink their basic approach to projects, three leading experts said during a panel session at the ULI Fall Meeting in San Francisco.

October 19, 2015

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Kevin Brass

Capital Markets and Finance

Fundamentals Remain Strong for U.S. Real Estate

During a panel discussion at the ULI Fall Meeting, three of the real estate industry’s leading economic experts explained their reasons for optimism while adding notes of caution, while also drawing on survey data from the latest ULI Real Estate Consensus Forecast.

October 19, 2015

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Kevin Brass

Economy, Market & Trends

Governor Brown Calls for Denser Development, Better Infrastructure

Speaking at the ULI Fall Meeting, California’s Governor Brown sounded stern warnings that California’s much-touted recovery is sure to end and that the state will have to make tough decisions on climate change, development, and infrastructure.

October 7, 2015

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Kevin Brass