Crosson's Commentary

Articles by Steve Crosson

A Fight is Sure to Break Out at this Party
For the uninitiated, there's an upcoming real estate event like no other. It's Fight Night, presented by The Real Estate Council on May 3 at the Hilton Anatole. Read More

Rent Control—Constitutional, or Compensable Taking of Property Right?
Thankfully, owners of rental apartments in Texas need not be concerned about government-mandated rent controls. But for those with investments in other areas that have such law, the ramifications of a current challenge to rent control, aka "rent stabilization," may be profound. Read More

The Importance of Forecasting Demand
The forecasting of commercial real estate performance has historically focused primarily on supply in the supply-demand equation. Prior to the mid-1990s, there was some logic in so doing, as downturns were typically caused by excessive capital, which led to ruinous overbuilding. The tacit assumption was that demand levels would continue at least at current levels and would probably increase. Read More

What is it About Texas?
Businesspeople know that Texas is a great place for enterprise of all types. The explanation of why this is so includes the obvious (relatively low rates of taxation, the paucity of union influence, the pro-business stance of government, and so on). However, such explanations don't go to the heart of what makes the Lone Star State unique. Read More

For Real Estate Investors, Timing is Everything

Opportunistic real estate investors buy when required returns are relatively high and sells when rates are low. Over time, returns tend to regress toward an historical "average." The trick, of course, is to be able to understand where current returns are in the real estate cycle. Read More