51 Market Rate Units in Hollywood Set For Construction Beginning Summer 2011

The Daily Journal of Commerce reported today on 51 market rate units set for construction adjacent to the Hollywood Theatre beginning this summer.  Read more.

Texting Residents To Remind Them To Pay The Rent: It Works

The National Apartment Association reported recently that some apartment mangers are having a great response to texting residents with timely reminders -- including reminders to pay the rent.

Read the story.

New on HFO-TV: What is a Cap Rate? Our Apartment Brokers Explain

HFO partners Greg Frick and Tim O'Brien answer the question: "What is a cap rate?" And they do it in abou three minutes.

CoStar Group Names HFO 2010 Power Broker

CoStar released its 2010 Power Broker awards today, saying:

"The market was tough. The economy was hard. And the top dealmakers, well, they stood tall, brave and faced the market like true power brokers. They put in long hours, sacrificed weekends and the results are proof of their incredible dedication and talent.

"Now it's time for the industry to recognize these top dealmakers. After receiving a record number of submissions, CoStar Group is proud to announce the winners of the 2010 CoStar Power Broker Awards."

Top 2010 Sales Brokers (listed alphabetically) in the Portland metro market:

• Apartment Realty Advisors
• Capital Pacific, LLC
• CB Richard Ellis
• Cushman & Wakefield of Oregon
• Eric Fuller & Associates, Inc.
• HFO Investment Real Estate
• Kidder Mathews
• Macadam Forbes
• Marcus & Millichap
• NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson

Congratulations to our peers!

Apartment Owners/Investors Invited To our Next Roundtable Luncheon in Portland May 24th

Our sixth year of complimentary roundtable events for apartment investors continues in May!

Speakers for our Roundtable & Topics are:

"Raising Money For Real Estate" - Joel Kaplan, Oregon Law Group.

"Earthquake Insurance Market Update 2011" - Ted Stark & Heidi McCauley - USI Northwest Insurance.

"The Way Forward In An Uncertain Interest Rate Environment" - Patti Cordon, Chase Bank

Investors, e-mail aaron@hfore.com for your personal invitation, or click here to fill out a registration request form.

Videos from our January, 2011 Roundtable are online here!

HFO Marketing Executive Earns A Top Multnomah County Award for Volunteerism

HFO is pleased to announce that marketing director Aaron Kirk Douglas has received the Multnomah County 2011 Hilltop Award for individual achievement from the Commission on Children, Families & Community. The award recognizes Douglas as a “local hero” for making a positive difference for low-income individuals and families in Multnomah County through his involvement with Big Brothers/Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.

Douglas, who is a member of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Ambassador Board, said “receiving the award was a real honor. Being part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program has been the most rewarding experience of my life and I am grateful to HFO for its ongoing support of my involvement with community nonprofit groups.” Douglas and his little brother were featured on a Portland TV morning show in February.
HFO Partner Greg Frick said “We’re delighted that Aaron is being recognized and we are proud to have him demonstrating our company’s ongoing commitment to community service.”

About the Hilltop Awards. Multnomah County's Commission on Children, Families & Community (CCFC) and its Poverty Action Council established the Hilltop Award in 2006 to honor individual and organizational efforts to address poverty in our community. Award recipients include those who have assisted low-income people in pursuing personal goals and self-sufficiency.

About HFO. For the last three years, HFO has been named among the area’s top corporate philanthropists by the Portland Business Journal. HFO builds wealth and generates cash flow for its clients through apartment investment and brokerage services throughout Oregon and SW Washington. Learn more at www.hfore.com.

Prevailing Pessimism About Residential Market Contrasts to Strong Demand for Apartments

PSU has released its quarterly real estate report. To read the chapter on the local apartment market, click here. To read the full report, click here.

Portland Apartment Appraiser Jeremy Snow Discusses Recent Portland Metro Multifamily Trends

HFO Partner Greg Frick talks with Colliers International MAI Appraiser Jeremy Snow about the latest trends in Portland OR, Vancouver, WA metro area apartment appraisals.

Apartment Industry Record Rent Growth Expected

According to a report from Dallas-based apartment research firm Axiometrics, effective rents grew 4.65 percent for the year ending February 2011, the largest such gain since the firm began tracking rent fundamentals in 1996.  Both Axiometrics and Carrollton, Texas-based RealPage’s MPF Research division, noted the largest rent increases in terms of effective rent growth include San Jose, Calif. (Axiometrics: 10.51 percent; MPF: 7.8 percent); Portland, Ore. (Axiometrics: 10.43 percent; MPF: 5.7 percent).
Read the full story in the Multifamily Executive.

Brand New 18-Unit Eco Flats Completely Leased Within 30 Days

Eco-Conscious Portlanders have snapped up 594-sq. ft. 1-bedroom apartments for $1,000 month and  770 sq. ft. 2-bedroom units at $1,550/month.  All 18 flats of the city's first net-zero apartment build leases up in 30 days -- before it's even ready to be lived in.  The lease-up smashed banker's predictions of a 1-year lease-up timeframe.  Read more in the Daily Journal of Commerce.

Oregon Economy Improves

While unemployment claims edged up, they remain well below 2010 levels and overall labor market trends are strong. Employment services payrolls, largely temporary employment, were up 3.2 percent and non-farm payrolls were also up, adding about 9,800 new jobs last month. Since October, the Oregon economy has added about 5,900 jobs each month.

Read more: Oregon economy climbs higher | Portland Business Journal

The Latest on Freddie Mac Apartment Loans

HFO Partner Greg Frick talks with Oregon Law Group Partner Joel Kaplan about Freddie Mac Apartment Loans.

U.S. Apartment Vacancies Fall

The U.S. apartment vacancy rate declined to 6.2 percent from 8 percent a year earlier and 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010, the New York-based research firm REIS said in a report today. The rate was the lowest since it reached 6.1 percent in the second quarter of 2008.  Read More.

New on HFO-TV - Attractive Nuisances & Owner Liability

Greg Frick interviews Ted Stark and Heidi McCauley of USI Northwest Insurance on the topic of "attractive nuisances" as a potential liability for apartment owners. Watch now on HFO-TV.

Portland Business Journal: Portland Apartment Market "Sizzling Hot"

The Portland Business Journal reports on the latest apartments being built in the area and the "sizzling hot" market. Read More.