Weekly Perl: A Commercial Real Estate News Recap

Marc Perlof • April 3, 2026
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'Mild stagflation': Bank of America rips up economic forecasts, braces for $100 oil all year on Iran war disruptions

Bank of America analysts are projecting slower growth, higher inflation, and $100 per barrel oil all year as a result of the Iran war — even if it ends within weeks.

"The war dividend so far: mild stagflation," BofA economist Claudio Irigoyen and his team wrote in a note on Wednesday, referring to the economic phenomenon of higher inflation coupled with slower growth...

The front of an aldi store with a sign in front of it.

CRE Sentiment Gap Signals a Resilient Market

Sentiment vs. Reality: A Growing Gap


According to Virtus Real Estate Capital, commercial real estate sentiment remains cautious despite improving fundamentals. However, the underlying data points to a strengthening recovery across the US CRE market.


Real GDP grew 2.2% in 2025, while inflation cooled to 2.4%. At the same time, unemployment held near historic lows, reinforcing economic stability. Together, these factors continue to support demand and performance across commercial real estate...

An elevated outdoor view of a modern shopping mall promenade with manicured greenery, palm trees, and pedestrians.

Why Franchisee Yogesh Patel Believes Currito is the Next Big Growth Brand

Franchisee Yogesh Patel’s journey with Currito began when he decided to try the concept for lunch one day around two-and-a-half years ago. The chain was—and still is—a small, emerging health-focused chain, which aligns with Patel’s lifestyle. 


“I went and tried. When I walked in, I loved the atmosphere, the cleanliness, and then the fresh food, obviously,” Patel says. “When I tasted the food, I loved how it tasted and everything. Obviously me being vegetarian, I had a lot of options.”


Patel’s next venture is opening five new Currito locations, on top of the three he already has in Illinois...

The American flag waves against a bright blue sky between towering glass skyscrapers, viewed from a low angle.

Aldi makes debut in 40th state

Aldi has officially staked its claim in the state of Maine.


The discount grocer opened its first store in Portland on Thursday, making Maine the 40th state with an Aldi store. The store is located at 1100 Brighton Ave. and will be open every day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.


The opening is one of 180 Aldi expects to celebrate in 2026, which would move the Batavia, Ill.-based grocer to almost 2,800 locations. Aldi wants to have 3,200 stores by the end of 2028. The expansion also includes entering Colorado for the first time and continued growth in the Western and Southeastern markets and the construction of three new distribution centers...

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Santa Monica Investing Millions to Bring Back Shoppers

An average home in Santa Monica today sells for about $1.7 million – and double that north of Montana Avenue. Yet, the city’s prime shopping destination along Third Street is suffering high vacancy rates, with long stretches of the famed Promenade sitting empty.



Of course, a national shift to online shopping has caused changes in the retail landscape nationwide, and movie theaters are struggling as viewers watch movies at home. Then the robots came for food delivery, and apparently, that translates into substantial numbers of people never leaving the house...

The main entrance of the NuHAA building, featuring a modern glass and stone facade, at sunset.

CVS plans 20 pharmacy-only stores in shift toward expansion

CVS Health Corp. said it plans to open “nearly 20” pharmacy-only locations in 2026 after the second such outlet opened this week in Chicago.

The openings are among the 60-plus new stores that CVS has planned for this year, as the company said it has optimized its footprint following nearly 1,000 store closures during the last three years...

A modern two-story commercial office building with a stone-accented entrance at dusk, seen from a paved parking lot.

Powell says Fed can 'wait and see' how war affects inflation


CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, March 30 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Monday said the U.S. central ​bank can wait to see how the Iran war affects the economy and inflation, noting that policymakers typically look through shocks such as those from higher oil prices.

"We ‌feel like our policy's in a good place for us to wait and see how that turns out," Powell said during a question-and-answer session held as part of a macroeconomics class at Harvard University...


A green Publix Food & Pharmacy sign mounted on a white and beige building exterior against a blue sky.

Introducing the Fast Casual FutureMakers: Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks

Fast casual has always been a category defined by evolution.


Built on the promise of quality, speed, and accessibility, it continues to adapt as operators face new pressures.


The Fast Casual FutureMakers is a new annual report from QSR magazine designed to spotlight brands and founders building what comes next. In its inaugural year, the report recognizes leaders who are driving meaningful progress across the category...

Two bundt cakes on small plates: one with chocolate drizzle, one with caramel drizzle, with cinnamon sticks nearby.

Footwear brand Allbirds to be acquired by American Exchange Group

Allbirds is getting a new owner.


The sustainable footwear brand, which launched online in 2014, is being acquired by American Exchange Group. According to the deal, American Exchange Group will acquire all of Allbirds’ intellectual property and other assets and liabilities for an estimated $39 million.


The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, and a distribution to stockholders of net proceeds -- as well as a winding-down of the public business -- will be complete in the third quarter of 2026...

Interior of a casual restaurant featuring blue chairs, red accents, brick walls, and a

Los Angeles posts major population losses

The most populous state in the nation has posted negative population growth once more, according to recently released estimates from the Census Bureau. Los Angeles, the state’s largest market, lost 62,454 people in 2025 on a net basis...

By Marc Perlof July 3, 2026
10-Year Treasury Yield Rises to 4.420% — Data Talk The 10-year yield rose 0.045 percentage point to 4.420% today. The price fell 11/32 to 99 20/32. --Largest one-day yield gain since Monday, June 22, 2026 --Yield is up for two consecutive trading days --Yield is up 0.048 percentage point over the last two trading days --Largest two-day yield gain since Monday, June 8, 2026 --Highest yield since Tuesday, June 23, 2026, --Yield is off 0.248 percentage point from its 52-week high of 4.668% hit Tuesday, May 19, 2026...
By Marc Perlof June 29, 2026
By Marc Perlof | MarcRetailGuy CA #01489206 June 29, 2026 If you own retail real estate, here’s what just changed for you. The consumer is still spending, but buyers are not treating all retail income the same. The simple answer is this: retail properties with clean, durable income are getting more attention, while properties with weaker tenants, short leases, or messy income are getting discounted. The K-shaped economy is now a pricing issue for retail property owners. What Changed The K-shaped economy is not just a consumer story anymore. It is becoming a real estate pricing story. A K-shaped economy means some consumers are doing well, while others are under more pressure. Higher income households may keep spending. Lower and middle income households may become more careful with food, gas, rent, credit cards, and discretionary purchases. Bank of America Institute reported that total credit and debit card spending per household increased 4.8% year over year in April 2026, but spending growth slowed in several discretionary “nice to have” categories.¹ That matters for retail owners. Consumers are still spending, but they are choosing more carefully. That creates a stronger market for some tenants and a weaker market for others. What is causing it? Retail sales are still positive. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that advance U.S. retail and food services sales for May 2026 were $763.7 billion, up 0.9% from April 2026 and up 6.9% from May 2025.² That is supportive for retail. But it does not mean every shopping center, strip center, or Triple Net (NNN) property is protected. CRE Daily recently reported that the K-shaped economy is also creating splits inside real estate asset classes. Investors are becoming more focused on assets tied to stronger demand, demographics, and durable income.³ That is the real change. The market is not just separating retail from other property types. It is separating stronger retail income from weaker retail income. Why It Matters How does this affect your property value? Your property value is based on income. If your tenants pay on time, reimburse NNN charges, renew leases, and serve steady customer demand, buyers have more confidence in your NOI. If your leases are short, your Common Area Maintenance (CAM) recovery is unclear, your tenants are weak, or your rent is above market, buyers will underwrite more risk. That risk shows up in price. For example, if your NOI is $250,000 and the buyer uses a 6.25% cap rate, the value is about $4,000,000. If the buyer sees more risk and uses a 6.75% cap rate, that same NOI supports about $3,703,704 in value. That is almost $296,000 of value difference. This is why income quality matters. How are buyers underwriting retail today? Buyers are looking harder at tenant durability. They want to know if the tenant sells something people need, something people want, or something people cut when money gets tight. They are looking at lease term, rent level, rent increases, options, NNN reimbursement language, CAM, insurance, taxes, roof, HVAC, parking, and future capital exposure. They are also asking one simple question. Can this income survive a more selective consumer? If the answer is yes, your property gets stronger attention. If the answer is no, the buyer will either reduce price or move on. What does this mean for Los Angeles and Southern California owners? Los Angeles retail is not one market. A grocery-anchored center in a dense trade area is not the same as a small strip center with weak parking and short leases. A NNN property with a strong tenant and limited landlord responsibility is not the same as a value add center with deferred maintenance and uncertain leasing. CBRE reported that U.S. retail availability was 4.9% in Q1 2026, with average retail asking rent up 2.4% year over year.4 That shows retail supply remains tight nationally, but local property quality still matters. In Southern California, buyers are not buying the headline. They are buying the income stream. Strategic Advice for Retail Property Owners What should you do right now? Identify which tenants benefit from a selective consumer. Daily needs, value, grocery, discount, food, service, medical, and necessity driven tenants should be separated from more discretionary tenants. Position your property around income durability, not just occupancy. A full center is not enough. Buyers want to know if the tenants can keep paying rent if consumers pull back. Price the property based on the weakest part of the income stream If one tenant has a short lease, above market rent, payment issues, or unclear reimbursements, buyers may use that risk to reprice the whole asset. Real Deal Insight This is how deals are being underwritten today. Buyers are separating durable retail income from weaker retail income and pricing each one differently. Owner Self-Assessment If a buyer reviewed your leases, rent roll, and NNN recovery today, would they see stable income or future risk? If you own a strip center, shopping center, NNN property, or retail redevelopment site, I can help you review the income, pressure test buyer underwriting, and identify where value is protected or exposed before you make a sale, refinance, or hold decision. What would a serious buyer question first if they reviewed your retail property today? Based in Los Angeles. Serving Southern California. Active across California. Advising clients nationwide. Sources 1 Bank of America Institute, Consumer Checkpoint, May 2026 2 U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, May 2026 3 CRE Daily, “K-Shaped Economy Drives Asset Class Splits in Real Estate,” June 23, 2026 4 CBRE, U.S. Retail Figures, Q1 2026
By Marc Perlof June 26, 2026
10-year Treasury yield is little changed after May inflation data comes in as expected U.S. Treasury yields were relatively unchanged on Thursday as Wall Street assessed key inflation data for May. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note — the key benchmark for mortgages, auto loans and credit card debt — fell less than 1 basis point to 4.396%. The 2-year Treasury note yield, which more closely tracks short-term Federal Reserve interest rate policy, declined 1 basis point to 4.127%. The longer-dated 30-year Treasury bond yield was up less than 1 basis point at 4.861%...
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