The past year has been a whirlwind of change for many industries, including the world of commercial real estate. Here in the Upper Midwest, we've seen shifting needs in commercial real estate as dictated by pandemic mitigation efforts. As 2021 stretches out before us, industry experts are looking upon the commercial real estate sector with a mixture of anticipation and optimism. Even as we see consumer habits continue to shift and evolve, and businesses responding in kind, we see demand continuing to rise in certai... read more

Tight housing inventory. New construction that can't keep pace. Millennials buckling under student loan debt. And wage growth at a snail's pace.  As the largest generation in the history of the U.S. still struggles to find a home of their own for myriad reasons, a new spin on communal living is taking hold: it's called co-living.  Co-living has been gaining popularity in recent years, particularly in big cities, where housing is at a premium, and millennials are eager to take up residence. But the idea i... read more

When it's time to hire a property manager to oversee your commercial rental property portfolio, you need and deserve the absolute best for the job. But what exactly are you looking for, what qualities are essential, and what questions must you ask to identify the ideal property manager?  Finding the perfect choice can be complicated, and a hiring process where you don't get the answers you need can be wasted time for all involved. Putting careful thought toward the ideal questions beforehand can ensure you're... read more

Office buildings are as varied and diverse as the people who work within them. To help those who might live, work, manage or invest in a building understand how it compares to others, the industry uses a rating system. The system includes three classes: A, B, and C, and it takes into consideration the features, age, systems, maintenance and amenities in a building. After all, not every office building has a fitness center, and not all depend primarily on fluorescent lighting. In fact, buildings can range from a sta... read more

Force majeure doctrine is something that often appears on commercial real estate leases, but tenants and landlords may quickly disregard it — it's not something we have to lean on typically, and the topic doesn't come up very often. Force majeure clauses in commercial leases are called upon in extraordinary times, when circumstances beyond our control arise and wreak havoc on our ability to follow through on contractual obligations. As tenants and landlords alike begin to eye our current reality and post-COVI... read more