S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

The term mentor comes from a character in Homer’s Odyssey.  Mentor, a trusted friend, was given the responsibility of guiding Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, while the hero was fighting the Trojan war.  The word refers to a relationship where wisdom and guidance are passed from one person to another. Each of us has had mentors and […]

This is an excerpt from 5 Things That Should Be on Your Due Diligence Check List, a course taught by John Brennan, an S.E.C. member and past president, and Vicki Yeomans, an S.E.C. member. During the due diligence period we rush to check certificates of occupancy, surveys, utility availability, and myriad items that appear on […]

A new product for commercial real estate investors Residual Value Insurance is a new product for commercial real estate investors. Although you may not have heard of this product, probably you or someone you know has been involved with a lease where residual value insurance has brought benefits to the transaction. RVI is common in […]

The lending sources for commercial real estate loans are commercial banks, thrifts, insurance companies, private investors and mortgage brokers. Mortgage brokers package loans for institutional lenders; hold mortgages in their own portfolio or package loans for commercial mortgage backed security (CMBS) issuers. The CMBS loans or commercial mortgage backed security loans are known as Wall […]

Margaret H. Sedenquist, S.E.C., is a long time member of the Society and served as its President in 1995 and 1996. Her biography is a story of adventure, intellect, and courage. Childhood and school: Margaret has deep roots in the state of Wyoming and in its history. She told me, “The history of Wyoming is […]

The commercial lenders’ newest hot button is environmental insurance. The product they are talking about usually costs less than a Phase I Site Assessment and can be written in a few days. Is this a way to save time and money? Who is actually protected against loss? What is the coverage and who is the […]

Found Money I received a K-1 this morning and decided that the General Partner of our little group was a genius. Not only did we have good cash flow, but also we have a reportable loss for income tax purposes. After the euphoria subsided, I began to worry. Was this some accounting error? No, the […]

Attention Developers: New “Gap in the Market” found. Ed Ryland, CCIM, is a commercial real estate broker in Houston, Texas. He holds a BA from William Penn College. Ed is a recognized leader in the real estate community as former President of the Houston Association of Real Estate and former Chairman of Houston Association of […]

Art Ramseur, S.E.C., who left Coldwell Banker to form his own office recently reached out for ideas and experiences on building a good team for his new venture. Art says that he already joint ventures many of his clients and projects with Jack Harper, Debbie Biegler and Caroline Du, but he would like to hear […]

Marilee Anderson, S.E.C., has stopped playing telephone tag. If she cannot reach a party, she leaves a complete message including the response she needs. She also makes telephone appointments and logs them into her schedule like her other appointments. Before Ed Killian, S.E.C. leaves his office, he lines out his schedule for the following day […]