April 7th – Light the Fuse

What I’m Reading

Light the Fuse: After a decade-long drought, worker productivity might be about to accelerate thanks to pandemic-induced technological adoption, which could lift economic growth and wages in coming years while staving off inflation pressure.  Companies made massive investments in technology, automation and videoconferencing software over the past year.  Now those same investments could be sewing the seeds of an economic boom.  The Wall Street Journal

Concentrated: More than a year into the pandemic, there still aren’t many distressed sales to speak of outside of the hospitality sector where eight percent of sales have involved a distressed asset.  However, in absolute dollar terms, even distressed hotel sales are still way below the levels seen during the Great Recession.  Globe Street

Widespread: Home prices are booming in much of the wealthy world and, wild as things have been of late, the gains in the US are actually rather meager when put in context.

The Economist

Stigma: Despite major advances in recent years, modular construction has not yet hit its mass adoption moment thanks in part to lingering and generally outdated recollections of cheap prefab components or the early days of the mobile home industry.  Bisnow

Well Positioned: The commercial real estate industry is poised to be a prime beneficiary of the Biden Administration’s proposed multi-trillion dollar infrastructure plan, thanks to increased access and connectivity.  Increasing connectivity around seaports and distribution hubs to remove obstacles in the supply chain would likely have the largest positive CRE impact.  RE Journals

Grounded: Look for ground leases to continue to gain popularity in the post-pandemic environment as land owners look for creative ways to reposition underutilized property.  Commercial Observer

Chart of the Day

This is fine

Image

Source: HowMuch.net

WTF

Foiled: A man with a lightning bolt tattoo covering half of his face stole an ambulance from a hospital while first responders were assisting a patient but got the vehicle stuck in sand and mud before being arrested because Florida. Click Orlando

Frowned Upon: A man was arrested for masturbating in his SUV in front of a Publix store because Florida.  TAP Into Coral Springs

Basis Points – A candid look at the economy, real estate, and other things sometimes related.

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