GWCAR Quarterly: Fall 2002 - Third Quarter Market Wrap Up

CBQ >> Fall 2002 Issue

Regional Breakfast Meetings Focus on Today's Marketplace

Facing Tenant Bankruptcy
Virginia Regional Meeting

Bankruptcy is a fact of life in today's business climate. More and more landlords are faced with how to handle bankruptcy among their tenants.

Attorneys Ed Dolan, a Partner with Hogan & Hartson, LLP, and Thomas Wilson, an Associate with the firm, addressed the problem and what landlords and leasing agents can do to protect themselves at the Virginia Regional Breakfast in August.

Mr. Dolan described what a tenant must do when it files bankruptcy and what a landlord can do to help ensure rent payments without having to file legal proceedings.

Mr. Dolan also explained when and how to use a Letter of Credit and what a leasing agent should consider including in a lease regarding potential bankruptcy. Among the items he suggested including in a lease were parameters on how to define "adequate assurance of future performance" and a clear definition of which party owns what (such as tenant improvements).

What Makes Washington, DC THE Hot Investment Market?
DC Regional Meeting

It is no surprise that commercial real estate investors from across the nation are attracted to the Washington, DC area. The October DC Regional Breakfast meeting provided a look into the reasons why the market is so attractive for investors.

Mark Portner, Senior Vice President of Capital Transactions with Shorenstein Company in New York City discussed why his company has made investments in the Washington, DC area part of their strategy.

Jeff Brown is a Vice President with Beacon Capital Partners in Boston. According to Jeff, the three main reasons that Washington, DC is such a strong market with investors are liquidity, the limited supply of buildings and the lack of any other emerging markets that promise to be as profitable as Washington.