RICS Americas

Property World #28: Colliers in Mexico -- and beyond...

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:11:00 -0400

Chris Maugeri MRICS and Patrick Craig MRICS of Colliers International discuss cross-border valuation activity, the growth of Colliers' business practice, the need for a global view on standards, and the value of the RICS membership.

Property World #27: Impact of Deleveraging in Real Estate Loan Portfolios within Banks, CMBS, RMBS, and GSEs

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:05:00 -0400

Marc Thompson predicts that real estate investors will experience weakness in income property prices over the next five years due to the long process of clearing the market of distressed and foreclosed real estate debt. Most banks with large real estate loan positions on its balance sheets will be managing their existing positions in real estate collateralized loans.

Property World #26: Valuation and Tax Appeals Webinar Preview!

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:48:00 -0400

Get a sneak preview of the June 22 RICS & IPTI webinar by listening to our latest podcast with speaker RICS Fellow Peter S. Brooks of Ernst & Young.

Property World #25: Collaboration in the community.

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:09:00 -0400

Elizabeth Belenchia, MRICS, president of Carroll Properties Corporation in Spartanburg, South Carolina, explains how her neighborhood revitalization project, a collaboration with Clemson University, was set up as a pilot program to be replicated around the country. It includes sustainable elements, micro-loan programs, and faith-based institutional support.

Property World #24: Members as community leaders.

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:07:00 -0400

Elizabeth Belenchia, MRICS, president of Carroll Properties Corporation in Spartanburg, South Carolina, tells the RICS Americas Property World podcast about taking a leading role in the revitalization of part of her hometown -- and how other RICS members may do the same.

Property World #23: A More Effective Approach to Pricing Construction Projects with Uniform Coding and Measurement Standards

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:00:00 -0400

Estimating construction projects using Building Information Modeling (BIM) software significantly improves efficiency and results in improved value for clients. BIM provides three-dimensional building models and maps specific components to material, labor and equipment cost data. This sophisticated process is seeing more use in projects each quarter.

In an exclusive RICS Americas Property World podcast, Andrew Mann FRICS, Managing Director for U.S. operations of Gardiner and Theobald Inc., explains the classifications of projects that utilize BIM, and how to produce the basic documentation for bidding on projects. As a construction economist and expert in project and cost management, with particular experience in large construction projects, Mr. Mann shares best practice from project estimating throughout the development activities.

Property World #22: In the United States, foreclosures are preventing price gains in housing market

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:49:00 -0400

According to the RICS Global Real Estate Weekly Comment, in the United States, foreclosures are preventing price gains in housing market. Existing home sales increased 6.8 percent in March and RICS suspects the April figures will continue this positive trend on the back of better pending home sales.

Property World #21: Challenges and solutions in managing construction of the World Trade Center Memorial

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Sat, 1 May 2010 11:13:00 -0400

A number of RICS member firms were selected to manage the construction of the World Trade Center Memorial, including Bovis Lend Lease Ltd., a global firm operating in 30 countries. In a brief interview with RICS Americas, Colin Parkes, MRICS, of Bovis Lend Lease's New York office, discusses some of the exceptional features of the Memorial as well as the challenges he's encountered in managing the project.

Property World #20: Art world trends, unexpected finds, and what's cooling off? (Video)

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:07:00 -0400

In part two of their discussion, Alan and Barden discuss which arts trends have been overheated and are now cooling off, and what happens when Alan comes across an unexpected art find in a college's basement.

Property World #19: Arts appraisal, creative donations, and interesting splits. (Video)

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:05:00 -0400

In part one of their discussion, Alan Fausel FRICS and Barden Prisant FRICS talk about changes in arts appraisal, how large donations to schools and other institutions are becoming popular among some collectors, and how high-profile divorces can be an interesting challenge for appraisers who are duty-bound to value works without bias.

Property World: Why do XML and open source definitions matter to commerical real estate? (Audio)

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:03:00 -0400

Bruce Kellogg FRICS talks with Steve Wolfe, RICS Americas Director of Operations, about OSCRE: the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate -- and why XML matters to the commercial real estate business.

Property World: What will RICS and the Appraisal Foundation do to help the economic recovery? (Video)

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:54:00 -0400

How has appraisal become globalized during the last few years and how will RICS and the Appraisal Foundation work to bring international standards together to help the economic recover? Newly elected Foundation Chairman David Wilkes talks with RICS CEO Louis Armstrong.

What will RICS and the Appraisal Foundation do to help the economic recovery?

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:54:00 -0500

The Value of Continuous Program Assessment: A Construction Owner's Perspective

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Thu, 4 Mar 2010 15:28:00 -0500

Alexia Nalewaik MRICS CCE affirms the necessity for performance audits and provides key factors for their successful execution. Traditionally, public sector audit has been systems-based, focused on financial accountability and fiscal regularity. The need for accurate accounting of Federal expenditures in the United States was institutionalized by the Accounting and Auditing Act of 1950, which required internal audit functions to be established in Federal agencies. The accounting was considered to be satisfactory if it demonstrated that transactions were formally authorized, and reported accurately.

RICS Construction Management & Project Controls Council working to improve standards for professionals in North America.

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:06:00 -0500

Council chairman Simon Taylor FRICS tells us why the Construction Management & Project Controls Council is working with RICS members and other member organizations in North America to improve standards.

Canadian housebuilding continues to improve: Global Real Estate Weekly Comment

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:55:00 -0500

An update on the Canadian housing market comes next week with the release of building permits data for December due out on Thursday, February 4th. The recent upturn in building permits should also be reflected in continued improvements in housing starts into 2010.

How will new tax codes affect the construction industry in Trinidad?

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:13:00 -0500

Afra Raymond MRICS, managing director of Raymond & Pierre Ltd., explains how changes to the tax code in Trinidad and Tobago will impact the construction industry. Raymond also details the findings of a recent commission established to investigate inefficiency in the public construction sector.

Will the application of basic principles help during a distressed market?

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:11:00 -0500

Don Dorchester FRICS, interim chairman of the RICS Americas Valuation Council, speaks at the IAAO conference in September 2009 on the application of basic principles to deal with the distressed market conditions.

Can RICS unify the valuation profession?

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:42:00 -0500

Bruce Bingham FRICS makes the case for RICS being the best opportunity to unify the valuation profession. The goal is to make valuation standards consistent across industries and borders.

What does it mean to be a member of RICS?

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:34:00 -0500

Brian Glanville FRICS answers the question, "What does it mean to be a member of RICS?" Brian has many years experience as a leader in the valuation field and explains how RICS brings together the best people in his and other property professions, worldwide.

Introducing the RICS Americas Valuation Council.

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:31:00 -0500

Don Dorchester FRICS explains how the RICS Americas Valuation Council brings together the best minds in valuation to help remedy many of the root ills that led to the economic meltdown.

The impact of GM's bankruptcy process on Mexico.

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:22:00 -0500

Oscar Franck Terrazas MRICS, managing director of Integra Realty Resources Mexico, speaks to the impact of General Motors bankruptcy process on Mexico's commercial and industrial property market, and on Mexico's economy overall.

Finding the silver linings in the midst of challenging times.

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:19:00 -0500

Charles Warren MRICS, of Warren & Warren in San Francisco, talks about finding the silver linings in the midst of challenging times. "For every sad story like Northern Rock, or the fudgy fate of Fannie, there are thousands, millions, of silver linings," he says.

Mark-To-Market and Fair Value – and the real causes of the financial melt-down.

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:18:00 -0500

Brian Glanville FRICS, Managing Director of Integra Realty Resources – Portland and Chair of RICS Americas Real Property Board, weighs in on Mark-To-Market and Fair Value – and the real causes of the financial melt-down.

What about the waiting game that investors are playing in the commercial property market today?

ricsamericas@rics.org (wsafer@rics.org) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:17:00 -0500

Paul Waters FRICS, Executive Vice President at NAI Global, addresses the waiting game that many investors are playing in the commercial property market today. He says the answer is to look to seasoned property professionals for guidance.