Daily Real Estate News  |  August 13, 2007  |   Orlando a Hot Spot for Shopping Center Deals
Orlando led Florida in retail growth in the first half of 2007, according to an International Council of Shopping Centers retail report being released today.

A total of 45 shopping center transactions worth about $850 million took place in Orlando in the first half of 2007. “People are really chasing after deals here," says Justin Greider, co-author of the report and senior financial analyst at Staubach, a Dallas real estate company.

Greider says interest in retail opportunities is driven by the anticipated population growth in the region, as well as stable occupancy and rental rates over the last six months.

The retail boom comes at a time when real estate sales have dipped, but Greider thinks the housing slowdown is a temporary blip. "People believe [Orlando] is an inherently strong market," he says.

Source: Orlando Sentinel, Mark Chediak (08/10/2007)