CRE Show Explores Research and Analytical Tools
Posted January 10, 2012
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In commercial real estate, it pays to do your homework, and the right tools make all the difference when it comes to location and investment decisions. The most recent episode of the "Commercial Real Estate Show" provided a overview of the informational sources available to lenders, brokers, developers and business owners.
Guests Carol Campbell of Site to Do Business and Mike Overley of Xceligent Inc. detailed analytical and research tools that can help businesses and commercial real estate advisors serve their clients and prospect for business.
The Site to Do Business website is a product of CCIM Tech, a subsidiary of the CCIM Institute. Built on a geographical information system (GIS) platform, the site "allows us to understand and visualize data in many ways," Campbell said.
The site's Business List feature allows users to identify business types located within a certain area. Users can also pinpoint businesses in a certain area by name. "If you want to find all of the Home Depots in the state of Florida ... you can do that," Campbell said. Additionally, the feature can provide a list of all the businesses at a certain location.
The site's Retail Marketplace Profile Report feature can provide a detailed gap analysis that will inform retail professionals on the demand for their store types in a certain area. Other services available on the site include property comparison reports, a tool that rates the "walkability" and transit options available within a certain area, and the Tapestry Segmentation service, which presents a detailed breakdown of the lifestyles of the residents of a certain area.
"I think the number one thing that people are surprised by [on the site] is the depth of the data," Campbell said. The site is available to those who are not CCIMs (Certified Commercial Investment Members).
Overley emphasized the importance of studying local market data, as the performance of different markets can vary widely. He also urged listeners to use research and data to be "proactive, whether you're digging up contacts, leads, prospects, buyers, sellers - whomever you may be targeting."
Subscription-based services such as those provided by Xceligent and REIS are sources of in-depth information about lease trends and lease comps, Overley said. Economic development corporations also are a potential source of free lease information, he added.
County tax records can provide useful information about the financing on a property, Overley noted. Show host Michael Bull added that Trepp, which is a subscription-based service, is a good way to track information on CMBS loans.
For traffic counts, Overley recommended DOT websites, and for flood maps, he urged listeners to contact FEMA.
The show is available for download at CREShow.com.
The next "Commercial Real Estate Show" will be available Jan. 12 and will provide an update on the U.S. office market.
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