Essex Property Trust Inc. has expanded its presence by nearly 1,000 residences in metropolitan Seattle with the purchases of Redmond Hill and The Bernard for an aggregate $165.1 million.

Ranieri Real Estate Partners, in conjunction with private-equity funds affiliated with WL Ross & Co. L.L.C., has just announced its acquisition of Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank.

Despite the prevailing economic headwinds, the net-lease space continues to perform. As proof, look no further than the opening of Stan Johnson Co.’s New York City office, the firm’s fourth major expansion since 2009.

U.S. commercial properties have seen some minor improvements of late, but the sector still has quite a ways to go before it can completely shake off the effects of the economic recession, according to Fitch Ratings.

Various Euro-zone policymakers met in Washington over the weekend to take a look at the markets, and ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet characterized the situation as very serious.

Another quarrel in Congress, more investor panic, and everyone’s confidence is low. What a week. CPE’s economic analyst Dees Stribling gives his podcast for the week ending Sept. 23, 2011.

The CPE/MHN list of Leading Real Estate Law Firms shows how real estate practices are evolving alongside the commercial real estate industry.

Fifteen Group has been on a bit of a buying binge in the metropolitan areas of Miami and Los Angeles, recently shelling out $65 million in cash on various investments, predominantly in the multi-family sector.

Inland American Lodging Advisor has sold five TownePlace Suites for $30 million to GVM Hotel Partners, a joint venture involving affiliates of Gatehouse Capital, Varro Hospitality and the Muse Family Office.

Amid the other bad news, it’s good to read a report that claims “it is tough not to be optimistic regarding the future of U.S. hotels.” PKF Hospitality Research’s analysis of the hospitality industry claims a 7.2 percent rise in RevPAR for 2011.