Eric is a four-time award-winning travel writer and photographer, and a business journalist. His articles appear in a variety of print and digital publications.
Winter in Québec: Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
My bucket list trip to experience winter in Québec was made even more memorable by the excursion to Saguenay.
A winter visit to Québec has long been on my bucket list. It seems pretty offbeat to leave Arizona in February and land not far from the Arctic Circle. The trip to Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean was an unexpected detour from Carnaval in Québec Citie. Bundling up meant I was never cold despite an air temperature that never cleared 12F (-11C). The Québecoise are exceptionally welcoming hosts. ...
Step-by-Step Guide to the Build-to-Suit Process
Users crave custom products that are catered to them. No matter if it is custom cars, tailored clothing, or custom jewelry, end users like custom products. Commercial real estate is no exception. Tenants appreciate spaces that are customized to their needs and preferences, and that is called build-to-suit. When buying commercial property as a location for your business, it may also be time to consider the build-to-suit process and create a new building that meets specific business needs.
Buil...
How to Have More Fun on a Sedona Girls Weekend Getaway
A Sedona girls weekend can be a lot of things — active, relaxing, insightful — or just a way to take a step back and reconnect.
What did Hayley Ringle and her friend choose?
“Relaxing,” Hayley says. Laughing, her friend Alicja Wierzchowska agrees. The pair saw Sedona, Arizona, as a perfect girls’ getaway idea.
Gathering friends and heading to Sedona is the way to experience Arizona red rock country at the tip of the Verde Valley and the toe of the Colorado Plateau. It’s a land of food, crysta...
What Are Impact Fees & Why You Need to Know Them
What Are Impact Fees?
“(Developer) impact fees are a charge or tax on construction to pay for associated capital development,” said Julian. “The money has to be used for public facilities.” Impact fees are used primarily to fund new streets, parks, utilities, and emergency and government services.
“It’s a matter of meeting a community halfway,” said Nicholas Julian, senior program manager for land use at the National Association of Home Builders. “We believe in paying our share of capital cos...
» The Ancient Salt Trails: Once A Journey For Life; Now It’s A Ceremonial Quest
It was a well-trekked sandy trail leading us into the thick brush. A gentle breeze rustled the shrubs and straggling mesquite and ironwood trees. In an instant on the short track, we seemed to leave the Sonoran Desert behind and move into a stunted but lush preserve.
Two of us were camping for a long weekend at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, along the Arizona-Sonora, Mexico border at Lukeville, ...
Important OAC Meeting Details Developers Need To Know
Every development plan begins somewhere, and that is usually with a feasibility study and an abundance of due diligence to conclude the project is worth pursuing. Once confirmed, there is what seems like an endless list of planning to accomplish, and in new development that includes OAC meetings – Owner, Architect, Contractor.
“(Owner-Architect-Contractor) meetings are the most important component of any project,” Chris Bokstael, AIA, emphasized. “That means communicating with your consultant...
Adventure in Bahía de Loreto
Looking for an adventure in the less-traveled part of Baja California? Read on for an adventure in Bahía de Loreto, Mexico.
“This is an Adam tree,” said Rafa, our guide. “It’s called the Adam tree because, without rain, it always looks naked, except for the red flower.”
Rafael Murillo, a certified guide, tour leader, and scuba diver from Sea and Land Tours, led the line of hikers across the top of a coral dune towards the foot of the Coronados volcano.
Commercial Real Estate Development Process: What You Need To Know
The answer to the unasked question is that commercial real estate development is not the right name. Lynn McKee, director of the Masters of Science in Commercial Real Estate program at Georgia State University, makes that observation.
“Commercial real estate is mislabeled,” he said. “It always has been because when people hear (CRE), they think of office buildings and shopping centers; it really should be called ‘income-producing real estate.’”
McKee says that virtually all real estate develo...
An American Photographer in Paris
It’s hard to describe the mystical value of standing next to La Siene, seeing the historic buildings all around, and realizing, “OMG, I’m in Paris.” Read on for a look through the lens of an American photographer in Paris.
On the first day in Paris, the 340 stairs in the Arc de Triomphe rose skyward in a claustrophobic spiral. Camera gear slung in back, the camera snapped to the sling in front; it was one small step up and many to go. Once upon the windswept top of the arch, a “vue magnifique...
Carried Interest and Its Part in the CRE Industry
Carried interest finances development in a way that spreads the risk and balances rewards. It is an important method for real estate finance.
“Carried interest is a common method for financing development,” said Matthew Berger, vice president of tax for the National Multifamily Housing Council. “It’s a way of aligning a developer’s interest with those of the general partners.”
The Real Estate Roundtable defines “carry” in private equity as “…the interest in partnership profits a general partn...
7 Days in Paris Itinerary: How to See the Best of the City of Lights
It’s entering another world of language, history and amazement. It’s a lifetime experience for the first-time visitor. Come along and explore the best way to spend 7 days in Paris.
Here are some travel tips for planning your Paris one-week itinerary. There are some essential tips, ideas and common French phrases at the end of the article.
Paris Itinerary Day 1: We’re Here, Now What?
When arriving in Paris for the first time, it’s exhilarating. I was tingling with excitement. It’s so new and y...
What Are Impact Fees & Why You Need to Know Them
What Are Impact Fees?
“(Developer) impact fees are a charge or tax on construction to pay for associated capital development,” said Julian. “The money has to be used for public facilities.” Impact fees are used primarily to fund new streets, parks, utilities, and emergency and government services.
“It’s a matter of meeting a community halfway,” said Nicholas Julian, senior program manager for land use at the National Association of Home Builders. “We believe in paying our share of capital cos...
Salt Lake City: Plan the Perfect Weekend Getaway
Sitting next to the lofty windows in a restaurant at 11,000 feet (3,350m) up in the Wasatch Mountains, through the cleft between the towering mountains, I believe I could see the mountain where we hiked earlier in the day.
This was a getaway to Salt Lake City and Utah. Arriving, there’s the Great Salt Lake on one side and the west slope of the Rocky Mountains on the other. It meant a morning hike under a warm spring sun and an afternoon skiing down the slopes.
Find Surprising Sips at the Wineries near Phoenix
It’s just a two-hour drive from the bustle of metro Phoenix and Scottsdale to the lush green Verde Valley north of the cities. This is one of three Arizona viticulture regions. With the Verde Valley Wine Trails map in hand, there are 25 Arizona wineries with tasting rooms ready to quench a wine thirst. It’s not Napa, but it is surprisingly scenic and sippable.
Arizona Wine and Its 600-Year History
Those picturing Arizona as a desert will be stunned by the state’s ecological diversity when vis...
Unlock Creative Financing For Commercial Real Estate Development
What Will Happen? Presidential Election 2024 Trump vs Harris
Today is election day 2024. It is the day of the 2024 presidential election in which voters decide between their options to be the next President...
By Shaun Larson
Discover creative sources of financing for real estate development. Explore innovative funding strategies and alternatives to traditional financing that can help you succeed in your next...
By Sierra Parker
Economic Development Incentives; What Is The Success Rate?
Incen...