
CRE Tech Clears the Chasm
If you’ve been thinking about buying real estate technology – then you’re too late. The “thinking” ended long ago and the buying, using, innovating, and mobilizing are well under way.

Self-Service Leasing Could Change the Game
JLL-backed startup HiRise is set to disrupt the world of CRE leasing. Reminiscent of Airbnb for office space, HiRise is debuting in Washington, D.C. this summer (followed by a national expansion) and will be “the first online transactional marketplace where a tenant can actually search for commercial real estate, as well as complete the entire process all the way from search to occupancy, including signing a lease and paying the rent.”

New Webinar: Best of Tenant Service Tips from 9 Experts
In our first ever “Best-Of” webinar, we are sharing hand-picked insights from our Real Estate Operations Masters webinar series on ways to use technology and mobile capabilities to optimize service.

Sustainable Offices in High Demand Around the World
Companies are looking to reduce their energy usage as a way to save money and help the environment, which is creating increased demand for sustainable commercial buildings.

What Will Your Prospective Tenants Find Online About You?
These days, the buyer is in control. Unlike previous generations, prospective tenants have the tools to instantly research and compare their buying decisions – without so much as leaving the couch or picking up the phone. According to Intelius, 78% of B2b consumers believe that it is very important to look up information about businesses online before deciding to interact with them. You’re likely making your first impression before you ever meet them.

Does Job Creation Mean Growth in CRE Market?
The commercial real estate market is showing improvement in most markets, but the slow economic growth has limited the ability of companies to add jobs.

Avoid Long Periods of Vacancy
A two-story office building in Bradenton, Florida, sat empty for five years after construction was completed, according to the Bradenton Herald. Five. Long. Years. The national recession and lack of business lending by local banks kept a number of companies from moving into the facility. Every office complex will deal with its share of vacancies, which can hurt the property’s value and make it difficult to stay ahead of expenses. Certain tools can help to not only rent offices but also keep tenants satisfied so that turnover is reduced. Lots of apple turnover, good. Lots of tenant turnover, bad.

The Definitive Guide to Property Websites
Building Engines today released a Property & Tenant Websites Benchmark Report compiled from a 2013 Property Websites Survey of hundreds of commercial real estate professionals.

A New Property Website Solution: BuildingConnect
Building Engines announced over the weekend their plans to launch BuildingConnect, an affordable, fully branded, and easy to maintain website solution for commercial property owners and managers. Offering attractive design themes complemented by powerful search, communication and management tools, BuildingConnect will allow individual properties to manage their brand, showcase their amenities and service, and drive tenant engagement.

Survey: What Makes a Great Property Website?
What’s the top (and most underutilized) tool for servicing tenants? The answer’s right in front of your face! A professional website for your property is a critical element for a business that hinges on tenant retention and attraction. Your current and prospective tenants operate in an online world. Is your website presence helping you attract, retain, service and communicate with them?

5 Features A Great Property Website Needs
Presenting the face of your building to the public is more about clicks than bricks. Consider your property website the front door for current and prospective tenants. Just like the physical space, it should be branded, easy to navigate, professional and just a little sparkly. And visitors shouldn’t have to ask for directions.
As a community information space for building tenants and a marketing face for prospective tenants, your site is a critical component of your business – it’s design and functionality should reflect that! Here’s five features to kick it up a notch:

How Well Are You Meeting Your SLAs?
So your company signed a ho-hum SLA with your tenants. It outlines the level of services that are expected and details around your company’s standards to preserve and maintain the property and its related services to the occupants. You’ve set the parameters of your responsibilities and deliverables and the tenant is reassured and content to enter an agreement. Sounds like the basis for a good and fruitful partnership, no? Not if you can’t guarantee all those services you outlined are being met.

Echo-Boomers’ Booming Impact on Rental
Property managers must be echo-friendly if they hope to survive in the rental market. According to a recent GlobeSt.com article (whose inspiration and information derives from a panel at the RealShare Apartments Conference in LA), the youngest generation of renters are posed to set standards in the market.

Webinar: Sensible Lease Solutions During Challenging Times
Now, more than ever, the economic climate dictates that landlords and tenants need to work together for mutual survival. Join us for a complimentary Webinar presented by guest speaker Larry H. Haber, CEO, General Counsel & Principal of Colgate Real Estate Advisors, and learn how to create landlord/tenant partnerships where both parties enjoy their rights […]

Business Problem #3.1: Getting People into Your Building
With vacancy rates soaring and property values plummeting, costs have gone up while revenue has gone down. That has made for a tumultuous year in the commercial real estate market and many believe it’s not even close to being over for the commercial real estate industry.