Real Estate - Publications - Faculty & Research

November 2010 (Revised October 2012)
Background Note

Farmland Investing: A Technical Note

By: Ray Goldberg, Arthur I Segel, Gustavo Herrero and Andrew Terris

This note seeks to provide an overview of farmland investing, the investment thesis behind investing in agriculture, how and why investors would choose farmland, and the general risks and return characteristics of this asset class. In recent years, a growing number of... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Investment; Investment Return; Risk Management; Property; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Financial Services Industry; Real Estate Industry; Asia; United States; South America

Citation

Educators

Purchase

September 2009 (Revised December 2009)
Supplement

Genzyme Center (C)

By: Michael W. Toffel and Aldo Sesia

Genzyme Corporation is in the midst of planning its new corporate headquarters, which incorporates many innovative green building features. After learning that the building as planned would likely earn a LEED Silver rating, an intermediate score in the LEED green... View Details

Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Standards; Cost vs Benefits; Real Estate Industry; Real Estate Industry; Real Estate Industry; Real Estate Industry

Citation

Purchase

28 May 2013
Research & Ideas

Can LEGO Snap Together a Future in Asia?

competitors could only offer three. However, LEGO offers a 30-35 percent margin to retailers, compared to competing brands offering 40-50 percent margins. What if local retailers wanted the higher margins and could care less about turnover? Outsourcing risks. With... View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard; Entertainment & Recreation

01 May 2007
First Look

First Look: May 1, 2007

Business School Case 207-090 As part of its expansion and diversification strategy, the Chiaphua Group explored real estate investments in emerging markets. The Group was one of the largest privately held... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

22 Aug 2024
Research & Ideas

Reading the Financial Crisis Warning Signs: Credit Markets and the 'Red-Zone'

of periods of overheated credit markets. We try to track crises using a measure of overheating that we developed and call the “Red-zone.” The Red-zone is a combination of credit expansion and high asset prices. In the domain of houses and View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Banking

13 Apr 2010
First Look

First Look: April 13

contrast to other models for green or smart cities that are variations on a massive real estate development project. The main economic engine driving Living PlanIT's model is a partner channel strategy... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

23 Aug 2004
Research & Ideas

New Challenges for Long-Term Investors

on stocks or other assets. This would evidently have a negative effect on the prices of those assets. The return on residential real estate might be affected by the aging of baby boomers though, if this... View Details

Keywords: by Ann Cullen

05 Jul 2006
First Look

First Look: July 5, 2006

Millennial Net worth another round of backing? Purchase this case:http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=804173 The Pilgrim Assurance Building 206-078 A local real View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

11 Dec 2007
First Look

First Look: December 11, 2007

developing Chinese real estate market and introduces issues concerning the search and property acquisition that are specific to Beijing. Also deals with the direct and indirect cost involved in home... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

24 Apr 2013
Research & Ideas

Who Sets Your Benchmarks?

in the Midwest, and my mother was a real estate agent who took on other work as money needs arose. They both hoped that I wouldn't have to deal with the financial stresses they had faced. They wanted me to... View Details

20 Jun 2016
Research & Ideas

When Predicting Other People's Preferences, You're Probably Wrong

predicting other people’s tastes, we tend to assume that liking one thing precludes enjoying another, dissimilar option. (Photo: iStockphoto) For example, a real estate agent might forego the opportunity to... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Retail

September 2009 (Revised December 2009)
Supplement

Genzyme Center (B)

By: Michael W. Toffel and Aldo Sesia

Genzyme Corporation is in the midst of planning its new corporate headquarters, which incorporates many innovative green building features. After learning that the building as planned would likely earn a LEED Silver rating, an intermediate score in the LEED green... View Details

Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Standards; Cost vs Benefits; Real Estate Industry; Real Estate Industry; Real Estate Industry; Real Estate Industry

Citation

Purchase

10 Jun 2014
First Look

First Look: June 10

(A-3) China Vanke's president is considering whether and how the company might make further inroads into the commercial real estate sector, while continuing to lead in the residential sector. He is also... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

02 Mar 2015
Research & Ideas

‘Retail Revolution’ Excerpt: The Scale of the Ecommerce Threat

take their place and the need for stocking or tidying up merchandise at store level doesn't exist. Without a store network, real estate costs are confined to a handful of distribution centers. Inventory... View Details

Keywords: Re: Rajiv Lal; Retail

23 Mar 2015
Research & Ideas

It’s Called ‘Price Coherence,’ and It’s Surprisingly Bad for Consumers

historical or ongoing regulatory investigations in several other markets with price coherence: travel booking sites, hotel booking sites, insurance brokerages, insurance comparison services, online retail marketplaces, search engine advertising, View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Retail; Air Transportation; Food & Beverage; Entertainment & Recreation

20 Dec 2016
First Look

December 20, 2016

School Case 217-013 Nirvana Vihar Rehabilitation Homes Kumar Builders (KUL) was finally nearing completion on the four luxury condominium towers that comprised the first phase of its bold vision for the redevelopment of more than 70 acres of prime View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

17 Mar 2015
Research & Ideas

Where Did My Shopping Mall Go?

brands. However, retail then becomes a real estate play, as is true in Japanese department stores. Alvarez: This isn't something that would happen overnight but you could imagine it as people get more and... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Retail

24 Oct 2017
Research & Ideas

Tax Reform is on the Front Burner Again. Here’s Why You Should Care

territorial tax system and a one-time mandatory repatriation tax. Repeal of the estate tax, elimination of personal exemptions and most itemized deductions, and repeal the alternative minimum tax. (Editor's note: The tax reform proposal... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

21 Jul 2010
Research & Ideas

HBS Faculty Debate Financial Reform Legislation

from auto dealers, retail stores, and real estate brokers). Finally, Congress missed the main cause of the financial crisis—Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the housing agencies. Given the fragility of the U.S.... View Details

Keywords: by Staff

February 2014 (Revised December 2015)
Case

Mara Group

By: Eugene Soltes and Sara Hess

Mara Group is a rapidly growing Pan-African conglomerate run by its entrepreneurial CEO Ashish Thakkar. The case explores Thakkar's decision on which African markets to expand operations into. View Details