December 2023 Illinois Real Estate Journal

Page 1

MARKETPLACE (pg 16):

©2023 Real Estate Publishing Corporation December 2023 • VOL.23 NO.6

ASSET/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FIRMS CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES/GENERAL CONTRACTORS DEVELOPERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS FINANCE & INVESTMENT FIRMS MULTIFAMILY FINANCE FIRMS REAL ESTATE LAW FIRMS

Navigating challenges amidst shifting tides: A national economic outlook for 2024 By Mia Goulart, Senior Staff Writer

Photo by Nik Shuliahin for unsplash

I

t’s no secret that commercial real estate has faced tumultuous times following the pandemic, witnessing a nationwide decline in values and soaring vacancy rates, particularly in office spaces. However, a yearend report by financial services giant PwC, via a recent article by Fortune, signals a more optimistic outlook for the industry in 2024, driven by shifting trends in interest rates and investor sentiments.

Firstly, PwC expresses optimism, asserting that the worst of inflation might be behind us, potentially prompting the Federal Reserve to pause or even reverse its interest rate hikes. Anticipating this, PwC foresees a surge in commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) availability and heightened investor interest in acquiring new properties, particularly that of affordable housing and digital infrastructure, such as data centers, expected to inject vitality into a real estate debt market that has been frozen due to plummeting property values and rising default rates.

Tim Bodner, PwC’s global real estate deals leader, noted to Fortune a perceptible change in the real estate debt market’s behavior that will aid a more favorable interest rate outlook, and increased issuance of CMBS in recent months, following a prolonged decline, is an early indicator of this thawing.

FINANCE (continued on page 12)


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.