The number of new funds created to take advantage of U.S. properties with little hope of securing refinancing continues to grow, but the recently created Valeo Fund will not be looking for the most coveted opportunities.

Plenty of firms have formed new divisions to snap up loans on distressed commercial real estate and Kennedy Wilson is among them. The Beverly Hills, Calif.-based real estate investment and services firm has made its first move for its newly created investment platform, and it’s a big one.

When will the distressed-asset market reach a point at which buying such properties will make sense? Respondents to CPE’s latest fast poll largely think the time is now or fast approaching.

It comes as no surprise that 2009 was a bad, bad year for property sales across the globe. According to Real Capital Analytics’ new Global Capital Trends report, the volume of commercial property sold last year reached only $381 billion, a staggering 30 percent drop from 2008.

Morgan Stanley has given a $110M boost to Chicago-based Low Income Tax Credit syndicator National Equity Funds Inc. in order to inject necessary funding into low-income multifamily projects across the nation.

With the recession having taken a chunk out of consumers’ pocketbooks around the world, the retail real estate market has been struggling for quite some time, and the situation is no different in Germany. However, the discount retail sub-sector is thriving in the country, and Dallas-based commercial real estate firm Behringer Harvard has positioned itself to capitalize on related development opportunities with the recent formation of Behringer Harvard German Retail, a joint venture with Hanover, Germany-based real estate investment and management company Rahlfs Immobilien GmbH.

In most sports, coaches use specialists to deal with pressure situations. In football, for example, they will bring in a slash-type runner on offense to cross the goal line or a pass rusher on defense to sack the quarterback. These specialists have specific skills and in many cases prove to be the difference between victory and defeat. For those in real estate, and particularly with Stan Johnson Co., specialization is the maxim for those that want to succeed in these trying times and get deals closed, no matter what the size or complexity.

Good news in the commercial real estate world seems to be in short supply these days. In a study released earlier this week by Fitch Ratings, they’re indicating that losses will increase this year and next for the U.S. CMBS.

The graying of America may arguably be one of the single most dramatic demographic megatrends shaping our landscape. Although the U.S. population growth for individuals age 55 and over during the past nine years hasn’t been impressive—from 21.06 percent to 24.17 percent—growth for individuals age 55-64 increased by 30 percent over the same period. Given that the oldest Boomers turned 63 this year, maybe it’s time investors consider the opportunities this megatrend offers.

Northstar Commercial Partners has acquired a 370,000-square-foot distribution center in Sugar Land, Texas, near Houston.