Institutional lenders have their place when it comes to commercial real estate finance. They are the primary source of loans for real estate projects and they offer a wide array of business and development-oriented services as well, all of which are definitely needed. But traditional lenders are not particularly well-suited to solving development challenges in a rapidly … [Read more...] about Crushing urban innovation.
Crowdfunding
A perfect union. Technology and housing.
Much has been written about the ability of technology to change our lives. But decades into the digital revolution, the results of technological advancement have a mixed track record at best. Every productivity gain or positive connection brought by new tech, is countered by harms such as hacking, service and product outages, and the unprecedented aggregation of wealth among … [Read more...] about A perfect union. Technology and housing.
Greenfields are boring.
Adrian G. Washington is the founder and CEO of Neighborhood Development Company (NDC). Their mission is to develop exciting residential and commercial properties that cultivate vibrant communities. What does that mean? And how does a developer do that? Well, that's what Adrian and I talk about so listen in. Adrian has over 30 years of experience in urban real estate … [Read more...] about Greenfields are boring.
Bite-sized investments.
Equity crowdfunding is changing the real estate development landscape. Importantly, beyond raising equity, crowdfunding can help build support within communities that may otherwise hold neutral or even hostile feelings towards the building of a new real estate project. Micro-investments via crowdfunding platforms give community residents and stakeholders the opportunity to … [Read more...] about Bite-sized investments.
The balancing act.
Modern community development is a balancing act For most of the history of urban development, community input was rare. Top down design and planning prescriptions, like those of “urban renewal” were how communities were made. These days, planners and developers need to be far more agile and responsive to create communities. Working in tandem with the local community is an … [Read more...] about The balancing act.