Category: Martens Companies

Hotel developers in the U.S. recognize that disruptors such as tariffs on goods and shortages of labor aren’t fading anytime soon, and some are faced with shifting investment strategies to make up for it. REPORT FROM THE U.S.—Each development site has its own set of risks and rewards, and as disruptors such as labor challenges and tariffs remain on the horizon, hotel developers are tasked with assessing their current strategies. Bruce Collins, regional director of development, east, at OTO Development, said as the cycle changes, his company will look at…

Overall Economic ActivityEconomic activity increased in most of the U.S., with eight of twelve Federal Reserve Districts reporting modest to moderate growth. Nonauto retail sales grew modestly, as several Districts reported more holiday traffic compared with last year. Auto sales were flat on balance. The majority of Districts indicated that manufacturing expanded, but that growth had slowed, particularly in the auto and energy sectors. New home construction and existing home sales were little changed, with several Districts reporting that sales were limited by rising prices and low inventory. Commercial real…

Wichita State’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research is a great source of information on economic conditions throughout Kansas. From time to time we like to bring you the latest updates. CEDBR Releases January Employment Forecast Kansas total nonfarm employment increased by approximately 20,000 workers from November 2017 to November 2018, a 1.4 percent increase, with growth across most sectors. This was a substantial upturn in employment after near-zero employment growth in the state in 2016 and 2017, with only a cumulative 0.2 percent increase over those two years.…

Although the newly created opportunity zones have some geographical restrictions, the program opens up some tax benefits for hotel owners and investors who have a project in the right location. REPORT FROM THE U.S.—For hotel owners and developers, the chance to receive any sort of tax break or deferment on a new project can be hard to pass up. The newly created opportunity-zone program offers tax deferments on investments in new construction or property improvements. But there are drawbacks. Opportunity zones are located in low-income areas, which could mean fewer…

In spite of rising interest rates and global economic turmoil, U.S. capital markets have proven resilient. Last year has been a record year for the real estate community. Investment activity and the velocity of transactions reached record highs, and fundamentals in many markets across the U.S remained strong. This late cycle success has many wondering if we will experience a softening or market correction in the new year, and what this means for investors, especially in terms of financing. As a mortgage banking firm with more than 30 years of expertise…

Full-service properties may offer higher yields, but select service hotels are less expensive to operate. If the hotel sector was being reviewed on a website like TripAdvisor in terms of 2019 opportunities for high-net-worth (HNW) real estate investors, some segments of the industry might earn five-star status, while others might be a couple of notches lower. But just as with guests’ opinions about hotel properties, real estate professionals don’t see eye to eye when it comes to which types of hotels are white-glove picks for HNW investors and which ones have…

Wichita’s #1 Commercial Appraisal Company Simply put: We know commercial real estate better than anyone else. Since 1948 Martens Appraisal has been providing commercial real estate services to Wichita and South-central Kansas. Unmatched Credentials Under the leadership of Steven J. Martens, who recently received the Kansas CCIM Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Martens Appraisal team is made up of experienced and specialized appraisers including four who hold the MAI designation, the Martens Appraisal team has over 100 years of combined commercial real estate appraisal experience. Experienced Appraisers The Martens Appraisal…