Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Foreclosure Activity Increases 23% in First Quarter, According to RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report


(Photo shows downtown Philadelphia skyline)

Foreclosure Activity Up 112 Percent From Q1 2007; California and Florida Cities Account for 13 of Top 20 Metro Areas

IRVINE, CA – April 29, 2008 – RealtyTrac®, the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its Q1 2008 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report™, which shows foreclosure filings — default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported on 649,917 properties during the first quarter, a 23 percent increase from the previous quarter and a 112 percent increase from the first quarter of 2007.

(For a detailed copy of the report, showing state-by-state comparisons, please contact Tammy at tammy@atomicpr.com)


The report also shows that one in every 194 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing during the quarter.

“Foreclosure activity in the first quarter increased on a year-over-year basis in 46 out of the 50 states and in 90 of the nation’s 100 largest metro areas, demonstrating that most regions of the country are seeing more foreclosures,” said James J. Saccacio, (top right photo) chief executive officer of RealtyTrac.

“In some areas there are also some unusual, non-market factors impacting the foreclosure numbers. For example, the city of Philadelphia in late March issued a temporary moratorium on all foreclosure auctions for April, and the city has since adopted a program that will delay foreclosure proceedings on owner-occupied properties until the owners have met face-to-face with lenders to attempt a loan workout plan that would prevent foreclosure.

“While we’re hopeful that programs like those in Philadelphia will have a positive long-term impact, they could be simply deferring another flood of foreclosures,” Saccacio continued. “And that could extend the length of time it takes the market to recover from this downward cycle, in which we’ve already seen seven consecutive quarters of increasing foreclosure activity.”

RealtyTrac publishes the largest and most comprehensive national database of foreclosure and bank-owned properties, with over 1 million properties from nearly 2,500 counties across the country, and is the foreclosure data provider to MSN Real Estate, Yahoo! Real Estate and The Wall Street Journal’s Real Estate Journal.

Arbor Appoints Peter Reisert to Senior Vice President, Capital Markets


UNIONDALE, NY (April 29, 2008) - Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC (“Arbor”) announces the appointment of Peter Reisert (top right photo) to Senior Vice President, Capital Markets. He reports to John Caulfield,(top left photo) Executive Vice President, Director of Operations.

In this newly created position, Mr. Reisert will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Capital Markets department and its role in supporting Arbor’s Fannie Mae, FHA and CMBS production unit. He will also be responsible for identifying new lending partners and developing new lending programs to complement Arbor’s existing product offerings.

Mr. Reisert has more than 15 years of experience in real estate finance, with a strong focus on Capital Markets. Prior to joining Arbor, Mr. Reisert served as Director of Capital Markets with Centerline Capital Group. Previously, he held posts with CharterMac Mortgage Capital, PW Funding Inc., and BankAmerica Mortgage.

Mr. Reisert earned a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Hofstra University and received a Bachelor of Arts from Providence College. He has previously served as a member of the Commercial Mortgage Securities Association and is a graduate of the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Future Leaders program. He resides in Wantagh, NY.

CONTACT:

Arbor Commercial Mortgage LLC
Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.
333 Earle Ovington Blvd, Suite 900
Uniondale, NY 11553
Ingrid Principe
Tel: (516) 506-4298

Realty Asset Advisors Facilitates the Sale of The Marquis Apartments in Tampa, FL

TAMPA, FL – Realty Asset Advisors has announced the sale of the Marquis Apartments (photos above and at right) in Tampa, Florida for $7,850,000. The sales price represents $56,071.43 per unit and $64.60 per square foot.

Realty Asset Advisors’ principal and investment advisor Tim Johnson represented the Seller in the transaction. Mr. Johnson and RAA cooperated with Frank Leto of Great American Realty to secure the Buyer through RAA’s competitive marketing process. The Seller was Marquis Apartments, LLC, based in Largo, Florida. The Buyer was Sabina Properties, LLC, a South Florida based corporation.

“The Marquis Apartment community is well located in the Central Tampa submarket - near both major transportation routes and area shopping,” states Johnson, a Principal and Investment Advisor for Realty Asset Advisors. “The Marquis Apartments traded competitively at 95% of the Marketed Price and will offer the new owner immediate upside through both rent growth and operational expense reductions.”

“In spite of overall economic uncertainty at both local, and national levels, the Marquis Apartments transaction illustrates the inherent and underlying demand for quality Florida investment real estate, comments Mr. Johnson.”

Built in 1969 and renovated in 2000, The Marquis Apartments consist of 140 units situated on well landscaped grounds. The community has a total of fourteen 2-story buildings with solid block construction and pitched roofing. The property features a central courtyard, pool area, laundry facility, and plenty of parking.

Realty Asset Advisors, located in Tampa, is a real estate investment brokerage services company with a primary focus on the multifamily and retail markets of Tampa Bay and Central Florida. The firm provides a range of advisory services including Seller representation, marketing, transactional support, research services and property performance evaluations.
CONTACT:

Timothy Johnson
Managing Partner
Realty Asset Advisors, LLC
1311 N. Westshore Blvd.
Suite 201
PH: (813) 574-2200
FX: (813) 333-9710
Tampa, Florida 33607
http://www.raadvisors.com/





Marcus & Millichap Facilitates SAle of Warehouse Portfolio in Hollywood, FL

HOLLYWOOD, FL– Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment brokerage firm, has announced the sale of a Hollywood warehouse portfolio, according to Gene A. Berman, (top right photo) Managing Director of the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office.

The portfolio, consisting of seven Hollywood small-bay warehouse properties and one Miramar warehouse/retail center, commanded a sales price of $6,431,000.
Investment specialist Ryan Nee of the Fort Lauderdale office represented the seller, W&W Properties, LLC. Associate Greg Zeifman of the Miami office secured the buyer of the property, Hollywood Warehouse Capital Partners, LLC.

“The unit mix consists of 85 small-bay warehouses and six retail bays. These assets are currently renting at rates well below market and provide an investor the opportunity to realize substantial returns simply by filling the vacancies and raising the current rents to market,” says Nee.

“The buyers, who had an existing presence in the immediate market, saw value in the fact that the investment was split into seven different folios, thus providing flexibility for different exit strategies. As the individual properties are stabilized to market rental rates, the buyers plan to sell off the folios to user/owners or small investors,” says Zeifman.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashley Steele
Marketing Coordinator
Marcus & Millichap
5900 N. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Direct Tel: (954) 245-3516
Cell: (215) 828-9585
Fax: (954) 245-3410

Tremont Structures $3.4M Financing for Texas Multifamily


BOSTON, MA--The Hartford office of Tremont Realty Capital arranged financing for the refinance of Summit Apartments, (photo at left below) a 149-unit apartment complex located in Wichita Falls, TX.

Stephen Henderson, (top right photo) a Senior Director with Tremont, arranged the $3,400,000 bridge loan, which was funded through a regional bank.

The 2-year loan had a prime based interest rate. The property was 99% occupied at the time of closing.

According to Henderson, “The loan provided the sponsor with a short term answer to fit their needs. The proceeds enabled the sponsor to buy out a partner and provided funds for renovating a neighboring property. Even in a challenging lending environment, the sponsor and lender were able to work together and get the deal closed.”

Tremont Realty Capital, LLC is a national real estate investment and advisory firm, which makes direct debt and equity investments and provides institutional advisory services.

Direct programs include high leverage bridge loans, short and long term mezzanine loans and equity capital. The Hartford office of Tremont Realty Capital is located at 15 Benton Drive, East Longmeadow, MA 01028.


The phone number is 860.548.9289 and the fax number is 413.525.9294. You can visit Tremont on the Internet at http://www.tremoncapital.com/.

For additional information on this transaction, please contact: Stephen Henderson at 860.548.9289

MEDIA CONTACT:

Aimee Munsey
Senior Associate, Marketing & Communications
Tremont Realty Capital
The Prudential Tower
800 Boylston Street, 45th Floor
Boston, MA 02199
p: 617.867.0700 x784
f: 617.867.0077
amunsey@tremontcapital.com
http://www.tremontcapital.com/

Marcus & Millichap Closes $8.3M in 1031 Exchange Deals Nationwide

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J.– Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has arranged the sale of four properties nationwide, including a five-story mixed use property with 37 multi-family units in North Bergen, N.J.


(Photo at left shows the property at 7120-7126 Bergenline Ave., North Bergen, NJ)

The North Bergen sale was part of a 1031 exchange, which allowed the buyer to acquire three subsequent properties, including a Citgo Gas Station in Richmond, Ga.; a Hardee’s Restaurant in Opp, Ala.; and a Marsh Foods grocery store in Kokomo, Ind.
The cap rates for these assets range from 8.13 percent to 8.95 percent.
Kevin McCrann, an investment specialist in the New Jersey office of Marcus & Millichap, represented the buyer, Y.P. Realty Inc., in the sale of the mixed-use asset with 37 apartment units in North Bergen.

In conjunction with other Marcus & Millichap investment specialists across the nation, McCrann also arranged the sale of the three absolute net-leased investments: Citgo, Hardee’s and Marsh Foods.

Y.P. Realty Inc. purchased two of the net-leased properties in an all-cash transaction, and assumed a mortgage with favorable terms on the grocery store. All three properties were exclusively listed by Marcus & Millichap, with zero management responsibilities.

In conjunction with Joshua Caruana, sales manager in the Indianapolis office of Marcus & Millichap; John Glass, a senior director of the firm’s National Retail Group in the San Francisco office; and Joseph Blatner, a vice president of investments in the Portland office, represented Dallas, Texas-based Cardinal Capital, the seller of the Indiana property.

Andrew Clark, an investment specialist based in the firm’s Birmingham office, Glass and Blatner, also represented Cardinal Capital, which was the seller of the Hardee’s property in Alabama. Don McMinn, an investment specialist in the firm’s Atlanta office, represented the seller of the Georgia property.

“Many owners have capitalized on the appreciation of their holdings and moved into other markets across the country to leverage their returns and fulfill the requirements of the 1031 exchange,” says Michael Fasano, regional manager of Marcus & Millichap’s New Jersey office.

“Using Marcus & Millichap’s unique national marketing platform and its position as the leading investment services firm nationwide, Kevin was able to provide Y.P. Realty with access to properties in other markets across the country.”

CONTACT:

Stacey Corso
Public Relations Manager
Marcus & Millichap
2999 Oak Road
Suite 210
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Office: 925.953.1716
Mobile: 415.672.6460
Fax: 925.953.1710
http://www.marcusmillichap.com/

Monday, April 28, 2008

Taubman Asia Announces Lotte Department Store to Anchor Songdo IBD Shopping Center

(The 151-story Incheon Twin Towers (above), being built at Incheon City, Korea, by a Portman (Atlanta) consortium, is believed to be the world's second tallest office building, behind the 160-story Burj Dubai under construction in the Gulf state.)

HONG KONG, April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Taubman Asia Management Limited, a subsidiary of U.S. mall REIT, Taubman Centers, Inc., today officially announced that Korean retail giant, Lotte Department Store, will anchor the shopping center at Songdo International Business District (photo at left below)(Songdo IBD), Incheon, Korea.

The twelve-level flagship store, (photo at left below) which includes two levels of parking, will be approximately 48,500 sqm (521,800 sq ft).

"This represents the first anchor deal to be completed for Songdo Shopping Center, and we are proud to have secured one of Korea's best department store operators, setting the tone for the finest shopping experience in the region," said Morgan Parker, (top right photo) president of Taubman Asia, the manager and developer of Songdo Shopping Center.

"The 105,000 square meter (1.1 million square foot) shopping center (photo at left) will combine the essential ingredients of convenience and superior store merchandising, making this a truly world-class destination," he added.
The double-level enclosed shopping center, designed by globally renowned architect Daniel Libeskind with interior design by Benoy, will be the first of its kind in Korea, created as an integrated space and will include a department store, a hypermarket, a multiplex cinema, a food court, an ice rink, and approximately 150 specialty stores.

About Taubman Asia

Taubman Asia is a subsidiary of Taubman Centers, Inc. - a global leader of the shopping center industry. Taubman Asia focuses on owning, managing, developing and acquiring high-quality and sustainable retail real estate projects in Asia that leverage Taubman's strong retail planning, design and operational capabilities.Taubman has led the US shopping center industry for over 50 years.

Today, Taubman Centers, Inc. (NYSE:TCO), a real estate investment trust, owns and/or manages the most consistent and productive regional mall portfolio in the US including 24 regional and super regional shopping centers in 11 US states. (Photo of Incheon International Airport departure area at right)

Taubman Asia is headquartered in Hong Kong. Additional information about Taubman Centers, Inc. can be obtained from the company's website at http://www.taubman.com/

About Lotte Department Store

Lotte Department Store is the retail subsidiary of the Lotte Group, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Sogong-dong Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea. Formerly known as Lotte Shopping Co., the Company operates its business mainly through two segments: department stores and hypermarkets.

Lotte department stores and Lotte hypermarkets offer fashion clothes, accessories, F&B, electric products and luxury goods. In addition, the Company operates supermarkets, cinemas and shopping malls, as well as global F&B businesses and directly imports international fashion brands.

The Company has 25 department stores, 56 hypermarkets, 82 supermarkets and 41 cinemas in Korea as of April 28, 2008. Since 1982 the business has been managed by Takashimaya of Japan.

About Songdo International Business District (photo at left above)

Sondgo International Business District, the "Gateway to Northeast Asia," is being developed by Gale International in a 70/30 joint venture with POSCO E&C. Songdo International Business District (IBD) will be the first "new" city in the world designed and planned as an international business district.

The US$30 billion, 100 million square foot master-planned metropolis will include fifty million square feet of office space, thirty million square feet of residential space, ten million square feet of retail, five million square feet of hotel space and ten million square feet of public space.

When fully completed in 2014, Songdo IBD will be home to 65,000 people and 300,000 will work there. Songdo IBD is located within the Incheon Free Economic Zone. Songdo IBD will offer every conceivable amenity including a world-class hospital, an international preparatory school, museums, a 100-acre Central Park, a 1.1 million square foot premium retail mall and the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.

This new metropolis will be connected to the Incheon International Airport, one of the world's busiest, by a 7.4 mile highway bridge, and linked by subway to Seoul. Day travel is easy to China and Japan's major business centers. More than one third of the world's population lives within a three and a half hour flying radius. Additional information can be found at http://www.songdo.com/ .
About Gale International

Gale International is a premier international real estate investment and development company with headquarters in New York and offices in Boston; Irvine, California; Seoul and Songdo, South Korea.

CONTACTS:

Barbara Baker, Vice President, Investor Relations,+1-248-258-7367, bbaker@taubman.com, or Karen MacDonald, Director,Communications, +1-248-258-7469, kmacdonald@taubman.com, both of The TaubmanCompany, or
Pamela So of Weber Shandwick, Hong Kong, +85 2 2533 9916,pso@webershandwick.com, or
Phillip Anderson of News Communications, Korea,+82 2 6323 5050, phillip.anderson@newscom.co.kr,

or HyungWook Lim, Manager,Public Relations of Lotte Department Store, Korea, +82 2726 4422, chopin900@hanmail.net, or

Mary Lou DiNardo of Gale International/U.S. andInternational, +1-212-909-0340, tkpr1@aol.com, or Hyewon Chang of GaleInternational - Domestic/ROK, +82 2 6260 3353, hwchang@galeintlkorea.com

Smith Equities Represents Buyer in Fractured Condo Purchase



Deal Marks One of Central Florida’s First Large Scale Purchases Since Condo Market Downturn

ORLANDO, FL– Orlando-based Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors recently represented the buyer in one of the metro area’s first large-scale purchases of a fractured condo conversion.

Darrell H. Johnson, (photo at middle left) CCIM, and Kevin C. Miller (photo at bottom left) of the Special Assets Disposition Group at Smith Equities exclusively represented Winter Park Residences Corp. in the purchase of the remaining 209 units of 256 total units at Summerlin at Winter Park Condominiums on Goldenrod Road. The new ownership has completed renovations and commenced leasing and sales of newly remodeled apartments.

Formerly known as Savannah Grand, the property was converted to condos in March 2006 by Hialeah-based Puig Inc. In May 2007, Puig Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and included Summerlin at Winter Park in that filing. The fractured condo conversion was sold out of bankruptcy by Banco Popular, which held the senior debt on the property.

“Fractured condo conversions represent a unique challenge to sell,” said Robert Smith,(top right photo) CCIM, president and founder of Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors. “As multifamily specialists, we have developed an understanding of the dynamics of owning a fractured condominium development and have worked through the intricacies of dealing with the bankruptcy court, the banks, and the myriad complicated condo documents.”

According to Smith, managing the mixture of individual owners and renters in fractured condo conversions presents many specific challenges for the investor. Generally, both a sales staff and leasing staff must be actively selling or leasing unsold units.
Also, conversions incur higher property taxes that will need to be appealed. In addition, carefully structured financing must allow for sales, and accounting practices must delineate shared cost and operation of the property between the investor and Homeowners Association.

“Even though fractured condo sales are negotiated at far below unit replacement cost, many would be buyers are still waiting on the sidelines hoping to negotiate these deals at ’fire sale’ prices,” said Johnson. “They could easily miss this opportunity because those investors who take time to understand the marketplace and how to get these transactions financed are now actively buying and closing deals. “

About Smith Equities:

Founded in 1990, Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors (SEREIA) is a leader in apartment sales and financing throughout Florida with investment sales and financing of over 22,298 Apartments in 158 deals. SEREIA sold some of the first condo conversions in Florida and now is focused on helping banks understand and dispose of non-performing assets tied to condominium conversions.

(Photo of clubhouse at Summerlin at Winter Park Condominiums is at right above)

For more information, please go to www.amecs.com or call (407) 422-0704.
MEDIA CONTACT:

Kimbra Hennessy,
407.290.1060, ext. 102

Arbor Closes $55,692,000 in Fannie Mae Loans at 3 Apartment Sites in San Antonio, TX; Milford, NH and Boston, MA



UNIONDALE, NY, April 28, 2008--Arbor Commercial Funding, LLC (“Arbor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC, announced the recent funding of three loans totaling $55,692,000 under the Fannie Mae DUS® product line to finance the complexes totaling 1,115 units known as Rolling Ridge Apartments (photo at right below) in San Antonio, TX, Woodland Heights (photo above) and Laurel Hills (photo at left below) in Milford, NH and 480 & 490 Norfolk Street in Boston, MA.

Each of the three, five-year loans amortize on a 30-year schedule and carry a note rate of 5.11 percent. DUS and 3MaxExpress are registered marks of Fannie Mae
The loan was originated by John Kelly, (top right photo) Director, in Arbor’s full-service Boston, MA lending office. (Laurel Hills Apartments photo is at left)

“Arbor was pleased to have the opportunity to work with the Mayo Group, one of Boston’s largest national owners and developers of multifamily properties,” said Kelly.

“Mayo’s execution of their property management plans shows with each one of the communities. We very much appreciate the client’s trust in our ability to deliver as promised, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue to grow this financial partnership.”

Arbor Commercial Funding, LLC, Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC, and Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., have extensive experience in mortgage origination, servicing and securitization and have built a reputation for service, quality and flexibility.
(Rolling Ridge Apartments is at right)

Arbor’s seasoned management team specializes in debt and equity financing for multifamily, office, retail, hotel and various other commercial real estate properties.

The company offers a broad array of financing options including Fannie Mae DUS®, FHA, CMBS, Bridge and Mezzanine products. Currently, Arbor services approximately $3 billion in loans. Arbor is a rated Standard & Poor’s third-party commercial loan and special servicer.

Arbor also manages Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust, (REIT), formed to invest in real estate-related bridge and mezzanine loans, preferred equity investments and in limited cases, discounted mortgage notes and other real estate related assets. Arbor is headquartered in Uniondale, NY, and has full-service lending offices throughout the United States.

CONTACT:

Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC
Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.
333 Earle Ovington Blvd, Suite 900
Uniondale, NY 11553
Ingrid Principe
Tel: (516) 506-4298

Arbor Closes $541,300 Fannie Mae DUS® 3MaxExpress® Loan for Gables Court at Fayetteville, NC



UNIONDALE, NY, April 28, 2008--Arbor Commercial Funding, LLC (“Arbor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC, announced the recent funding of a $541,300 loan under the Fannie Mae DUS® 3MaxExpress® product line to finance the 20-unit complex known as Gables Court (photo above) in Fayetteville, NC.
The 10-year loan amortizes on a 30-year schedule and carries a note rate of 6.30 percent.

The loan was originated by John Edwards, (top right photo) Director, in Arbor’s full-service Boston, MA lending office.

“This financing reflects Arbor’s flexibility in providing top-level customer service regardless of loan size,” said Edwards. “We were pleased with the opportunity to fulfill this client’s financing needs.”

CONTACT:

Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC
Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.
333 Earle Ovington Blvd, Suite 900
Uniondale, NY 11553
Ingrid PrincipeTel:
(516) 506-4298