Featured News

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What's Next for the Economy? With 2012 upon us and a presidential election fast approaching, many of us are trying to make sense economic news and data that alternately points to a potential stabilization and recovery or to a double-dip recession and a global debt crisis. To get a better idea of what to expect, we asked several Graaskamp board members and our own faculty experts to share their insights and wisdom on these important topics.We asked Graaskamp board members David Neithercut and Michael Robb, and our own faculty experts Professors Tim Riddiough and David Shulman to share their insights and wisdom on these important topics. Read More.

2012 Wisconsin Economic Outlook: Déjà vu All Over Again The cover story to this month's Wisconsin REALTORS Association magazine is Professor Stephen Malpezzi's economic outlook for the state for 2012. Readers of a certain age will know our title (Déjà vu All Over Again), one of the most enduring quotes from baseball great, philosopher, and life-long learner, Lawrence Peter ("Yogi") Berra. For the past few years I have shared some of my views about the state of Wisconsin's and the nation's housing market with the readers of Wisconsin Real Estate. Read More.

New York, DC and Then...Sao Paulo? The 5 Top Cities for Investors Results of the 20th annual survey of members of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) conducted by the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate were published this week. Although the U.S. is still regarded as providing the best opportunity for capital appreciation, its first-place score shrank from 64.7% in last year's survey to 42.2% this year, with Brazil closing the gap in second place with 18.6% of the votes. Read More.

Long-Term Solutions Needed to Revive Economy During a recent interview at REITWorld 2011, Professor Tim Riddiough shared his perspectives on education, commercial real estate and the economy. Looking at commercial real estate, Riddiough says, "Not enough attention has been paid to the looming debt maturity crisis in the commercial real estate sector. Because 2003 to 2007 was the boom for commercial real estate lending the majority of these loans will begin coming to due in 2013 and will cause a real issue through 2017. This will be an even bigger issue as we get into 2012, especially if the economy doesn't improve." Watch the video.

"The Long Slump" by David Shulman Let's face it, despite a modestly growing GDP, the labor market remains mired in a long slump. Next year will mark the fourth year in a row with an unemployment rate exceeding 9%, the worst performance of the postwar. Indeed, the broader U-6 series, which takes into account part-time workers seeking full time employment and discouraged workers, has consistently been above 16%. Put simply, there are currently 25 million Americans looking for full-time work. Read More.

Real Estate Alum Jake Wood Delivers December Commencement Speech When Jake Wood enrolled in the Wisconsin School of Business, his primary goals were to complete his bachelor's degree and join the NFL. Five years later, however, he found himself in Haiti assisting the victims of the January 2010 earthquake, which destroyed millions of homes and lives. Read More. Watch Jake Wood's Address.

Round Two Application Deadline for Real Estate MBA is February 3 The application process for the Wisconsin Real Estate MBA is well-underway. The second round deadline is February 3. Alumni and friends of the program are encouraged to refer candidates to the Graaskamp Center. Please contact Sharon McCabe or apply here.For some application advice, see Sharon's tips on our blog here.

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Student Update

New Real Estate Students Start the Fall Semester Looking Ahead to Career Opportunities
Hire Wisconsin's best and brightest for internships, special projects or permanent positions! For MBA students, contact MBA Career Services at (608) 265-2353 or Sharon McCabe at (608) 890-2493 and for undergraduate students, contact the Business Career Center at (608) 265-3771 or Joe Walsh at (608) 890-2914.

Faculty & Staff News

Update from the Department Chair Stephen Malpezzi (as published in the WREAA Equity Kicker)
I'm honored to have been asked by my fellow faculty, and our new Dean François Ortalo-Magné, to once again chair the Department of Real Estate and Urban Land Economics at the Wisconsin School of Business. Together with Graaskamp Center Academic Director Morris Davis, Executive Director Michael Brennan, and all the faculty, staff, students and alumni and friends that comprise the Wisconsin Real Estate Program, we face an exciting and challenging time. Read More.

Faculty Activities
The driving force behind the Wisconsin Real Estate Program is the intellectual leadership that the faculty and lecturers provide in academic research, business practice and teaching. Our faculty continue to make important contributions in all these areas. Read More.

Alumni News & Events

The Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association (WREAA) Events
From conferences to golf outings, the Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association (WREAA) has a variety of fun and informative activities for alumni to connect with each other. Learn more about WREAA activities.

Graaskamp Center Board Update

Spring Board Meeting Scheduled for April 17-18, 2012 in Chicago
Mark your calendars! The Graaskamp Center Spring Board Meeting will be held on April 17-18, 2012 in Chicago at the Four Seasons Hotel. You won't want to miss the high-level discussions and presentations on important trends and issues in the industry, as well as the opportunity to network with fellow board members, faculty, and our bright and talented MBA students!