A government select committee has this week started to listen to submissions on Auckland’s governance and how people view the plans and legislation for a Super City.

It is going to be fascinating to see the impact it will have on the region once the changes are implemented.

In the commercial property lease market, the way the councils throughout the region are reorganised could have a range of impacts. (more…)

To steal a line from the well-known telco ad, now is good for having a close look at reviewing commercial leases across New Zealand. There are a number of reasons why now is good.

Firstly, I think it’s time we moved on from a wait and see attitude about the markets and international economic conditions.

Secondly, there are very few new leases being drawn up at the moment. Many new building projects are on hold, and the majority of Parallel Direction’s work with tenants right now is getting better outcomes on renewals and rent reviews. (more…)

I love it when great ideas collide, offering far reaching solutions.

One such idea I just came across was the concept of a 14 Hour Working City from James Calder reflecting on new solutions for efficiency in London. (more…)

Don’t blame the recession for all those empty commercial properties you see. The recession is merely a short-term trend with a severe short-term impact on commercial property vacancy rates. But the digital age is a longer term trend with an even more profound impact on vacancy rates. (more…)

Now like never before, businesses need solid information for decision making.

There is certainly no lack of information around with Google at our fingertips. But the trick is to be able to discern the real oil; what’s accurate, and doesn’t have hidden agendas or bias.

The other thing is that people need that solid information fast, without spending hours researching.

Realising this need was part of my motivation to prepare Parallel Directions’ first e-book special report. The topic is: What You Should Be Aware of Before Relocating Commercial Premises. (more…)

When it comes to leasing property, size is starting to really count.

It has always been prudent to lease just the right amount of space that you need, and if you were confident of growth, you might, as with a growing child, perhaps take on a size to grow into. (more…)

It is no good business leaders muttering into their beards that if the market was right, everything would be right.

The truth is the market is always right! While that might sound a bit philosophical, my point is that if the market shifts, (more…)

Our challenging economic times are great for one thing; sharpening thinking.

There is no room for coasting in the current market conditions and it will be those who continue to hunt for opportunities, and solutions out of the problem that will come out on top.

Discussions with a client in the retail sector in the past weeks brought home to me once again the immense value of (more…)

I’m just back from some time off on the beach in Raratonga. There’s nothing like a break in a place where the way of life is slow and straightforward to pause and think about what’s really important in life. And so too in business.

In third world countries like many pacific islands, there is far less separation between work and home life. They blend together smoothly. And now with food and transport costs soaring in New Zealand and around the world, we are being forced to think more and more about how we physically integrate our work and home life. (more…)

Economists like to talk about ‘correction’ when viewing the economy.

They view the current trends in our economy and markets that are variously being called a ‘downturn’ , ‘credit crunch’ and even recession as a ‘correction’ after times of growth that one can only assume they viewed as incorrect, or as others would put it; times of growth or even boom times.

Whatever the language, there is no doubt rising interest rates, soaring fuel prices, and food costs have (more…)

I’ve talked before about how we underestimate the opportunity property can be to business strategy. As number two on most balance sheets, property can significantly impact a business’ profitability.

But there are other potential hidden benefits. And it is all about timing. (more…)