Lew Sichelman

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Capital Markets and Finance

Economy, Market & Trends

A Competitive Finance Debate

ULI members Glenn Grimaldi, executive vice president of HSBC; David D. Clark, senior vice president, Real Estate, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.; and Kevin Pivnick, managing director, Deutsche Bank, all described a healthy mortgage market in which only the long shots are having trouble finding funding these days. In a session titled “Full Court Press on Commercial/Apartment Debt” at ULI’s 2012 Spring Meeting, all three described how they each tend to look at potential deals a bit differently.

May 10, 2012

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Lew Sichelman

Resilience and Sustainability

Design and Planning

Can America Eliminate Its Addiction to Fossil Fuels and Do So Without Congress?

Amory Lovins, cofounder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, told an audience of ULI members at ULI’s 2012 Spring Meeting, that there are numerous ways to reduce use of fossil fuels. Doing so, corporate America could earn a $5 trillion savings in net present value and boost the economy by 150 percent.

May 9, 2012

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Lew Sichelman

Residential

Resorts/Second Homes

Houses Getting Bigger, Not Smaller

As long as lenders keep a tight grip on their wallets, the much-anticipated trend toward smaller houses probably won’t materialize, according to data presented at the NAHB’s recent annual convention.

February 17, 2012

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Lew Sichelman

Residential

Economy, Market & Trends

Modest Recovery This Year for Housing, Says NAHB

After a year in which housing starts were the lowest since 1942 and new home sales were the lowest ever, David Crowe, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), isn’t complaining and points toward a modest rebound in the new home market in 2012.

February 9, 2012

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Lew Sichelman

Capital Markets and Finance

Economy, Market & Trends

MBA Sees “Robust” Commercial Sector, But Skeptics Raise Doubt

At its annual commercial real estate/multifamily housing convention in Atlanta, the Mortgage Bankers Association projected a 17 percent increase in commercial real estate loan originations this year, while several observers weren’t nearly as positive.

February 8, 2012

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Lew Sichelman

Economy, Market & Trends

Industry Sectors

Realtors Say End Is Near

Speaking across the street from Disneyland at the National Association of Realtors’ annual convention in Anaheim, California, earlier this month, chief economist Lawrence Yun said signs are developing that signal a “recovery occurring next year and continuing into 2014.” Read more to learn about what he said will be a moderate, respectable recovery—rather than a great, robust expansion.

November 14, 2011

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Lew Sichelman

Design and Planning

Development and Construction

Planned Communities Are People, Too

Real estate developers as anthropologists? Sponsored by the Urban Land Institute, a nonprofit organization that brings together all real estate disciplines to promote responsible land use, an eight-month research effort found that the planned community is alive, if not well, and definitely not living in suburbia—at least not anymore. Read more to learn why the conversation about the future of planned communities is far from over.

November 14, 2011

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Lew Sichelman

Property Types

Opportunity Zones

BofA Has Plan to Buy, Lease REO

The much-maligned Bank of America is working “hard” on a short sale-to-lease program for distressed borrowers who don’t qualify for government-backed refinance programs, says BofA executive Ron Sturzenegger to a session on capital markets at ULI’s 2011 Fall Meeting in Los Angeles. Read more to learn the details of how the bank expects to tackle today’s huge inventory of foreclosed properties.

October 31, 2011

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Lew Sichelman

Fall Meeting

Economy, Market & Trends

ULI’s “What’s Next?” Report: Real Estate in the New Economy

A new ULI report, “What’s Next? Real Estate in the New Economy,” highlights a number of trends poised to alter urban planning, design, and development through 2020. The report covers six major categories—Work, Live, Connect, Renew, Move, and Invest—and reflects the input, insight, and participation of ULI trustees, members, and staff.

October 26, 2011

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Lew Sichelman

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Market Trends

Emerging Trends

Slow, Long Climb Out, Says ULI’s Annual Emerging Trends Outlook

In the 33rd edition of Emerging Trends, one of the most highly regarded industry outlook reports published, the opinions of 950 investors, developers, lenders, consultants, and property company representatives point to a rather glum outlook for 2012: the climb out of the real estate depression will be a long and slow one for all but one market sector. Read more to learn why and to learn how cities have improved over a year ago.

October 26, 2011

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Lew Sichelman

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Capital Markets and Finance

Economy, Market & Trends

MBA: Regulatory Overkill Stifles Market

At the Mortgage Bankers Association’s annual convention in Chicago earlier this month, it was said that mortgage originations are expected to dip by over 25 percent next year, from an estimated $1.2 trillion in 2011 to just $900 million in 2012—which would be the lowest level of loan production since 1997. Read more to learn what those in attendance had to say about the trade group’s assessment.

October 17, 2011

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Lew Sichelman

Resilience and Sustainability

Economy, Market & Trends

New Form to Help Appraisers “See” Green

Fannie Mae Form 1004—the appraisal form most widely used for home loan lending purposes—makes scant mention of energy-saving features. So even if a home is loaded with them, their value is rarely factored into the appraiser’s analysis. But a new form put into play late last month by the nation’s largest professional group of real estate appraisers is about to change that.

October 12, 2011

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Lew Sichelman

Urban Land Contributors