From WSJ.com…

Howard Lutnick, CEO of investment-banking firm Cantor Fitzgerald, doesn’t just want to join the commercial real-estate game. He wants to change how it is played.

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Cantor Aims to Change Game

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From WSJ.com…

Condo associations, struggling as troubled homeowners stop paying condo assessments, are becoming increasingly aggressive about ways to recoup unpaid fees. And they have lawmakers on their side.

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Condo Associations Get Tough on Fees

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From WSJ.com…

Steve Wynn, who made his name reinventing the Las Vegas Strip with large, luxurious casino resorts such as The Mirage, the Bellagio and Wynn Las Vegas, has a new canvas: China.

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Wynn CEO Sees Future in China

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From WSJ.com…

With rising inflation and the potential of a real-estate bubble in the Philippines, can the recent growth last? Century Properties’ Robbie Antonio thinks so.

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Remittances Fuel Philippines Property Boom

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From WSJ.com…

Hotel investor KSL Capital Partners purchased a luxury resort near Phoenix from the banks that foreclosed on it two years ago, paying a price that underscores the recovery in hotel values.

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Hotel Deal Signals a Recovery

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Data related to housing, consumer confidence and economic growth will all be eyed next week by investors looking for signs that the U.S. economy is strengthening. The housing sector has been especially slow to rebound after the worst financial downturn in the U.S. since the Great Depression. Analysts believe a full-fledged recovery won’t occur until the housing market hits a bottom. All signs seem to indicate that that hasn’t happened yet. Sales of new single-family homes in April will be released on Tuesday. These homes are competing with a surplus of existing homes put on the market due to record foreclosures . Housing experts say buyers are sitting on the sidelines waiting for prices to fall further, which is good for individual buyers but bad for the nation’s housing market. The March S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index will be released on Tuesday and HFA House Price Index on Wednesday. Both indexes are expected to show that home values are still falling. The National Association of Realtor’s Pending Home Sales Index for April is due Friday. Economists are expecting slight improvements at best. In the Northeast, rainy and unseasonably cold weather has cut into sales. On Wednesday home builder Toll Brothers (NYSE:TOL) is expected to report its quarterly earnings and those figures will certainly have an impact on the broader markets. Meanwhile, on Tuesday two Congressional committees will hold hearings important to U.S. consumers. A Senate committee will discuss the future of the housing finance system, and a House committee will hold a hearing on domestic oil and gas production. The second estimate of first-quarter GDP is due Thursday. The preliminary report placed growth at 1.8%, but that number is expected to be revised higher as a result of an increase in consumer spending. Consumer spending comprises 70% of the U.S. economy. April personal income and spending reports are due Friday and are expected to show that incomes rose modestly, while spending was slightly higher. Consumer spending rose in no small part due to increased costs tied to soaring food and energy prices. Final readings for consumer confidence in May are due Tuesday from the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, and on Friday for the Reuters/University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index. Earlier readings showed improved confidence as labor markets seemed to be gaining traction earlier this spring. But revisions my inch downward as higher gas and food prices eat into consumers’ pocketbooks. Among the bellwether companies reporting earnings next week are:

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Week Ahead: Housing, Consumer Confidence, GDP

Costar… This week’s People of Note includes the following markets: Chicago, Long Island, New York City, Northern New Jersey, Richmond, San Francisco and Washington, DC. CHICAGO, SAN FRANCISCO Gworek and Weilbach Join Cushman’s Capital Markets Group Cushman & Wakefield added two top investment professionals to its leadership ranks. Multifamily investment specialist Steven Weilbach joined the company as senior managing director of capital markets and… See the rest here: CoStar’s People of Note (May 15-21) Find our Weekly Commercial Real Estate, Private Equity and Fund Newsletters at www.WeeklyBrief.net

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CoStar’s People of Note (May 15-21)

David Rifkind, Bio Principal Managing Director, George Smith Partners , Inc. Mr. Rifkind is responsible for leading the operations and strategic platform at George Smith Partners , Inc. A long-time Real Estate Finance … Link: Next Chai Society Lunch

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Next Chai Society Lunch

Mr. Rifkind is responsible for leading the operations and strategic platform at George Smith Partners , Inc. A long-time Real Estate Finance Executive, Mr. Rifkind has a broad range of expertise with an emphasis on … View original post here: Mr. David Rifkind

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Mr. David Rifkind

David Rifkind, Bio Principal Managing Director, George Smith Partners , Inc. Mr. Rifkind is responsible for leading the operations and strategic platform at George Smith Partners , Inc. A long-time Real Estate Finance … View the original here: Chai Society Lunch – Mr. David Rifkind

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Chai Society Lunch – Mr. David Rifkind