ryan persitza

UWM: Real Estate Finance

ryanpersitza — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:55:19 +0000

The fall 2010 semester at the University of Wisconsin is underway and with it my Real Estate Finance class. For the past 4 years I have taught this 3 credit 400 Level finance and real estate class to juniors, seniors and graduate students which discusses and analyzes real estate finance in the context of micro and macro economic factors, as well as property development and investment. Students are typically in Accounting, Finance, Urban Planning or Architecture

Contact me for lecture notes, questions pertaining to any of the topics below or to arrange for an opportunity to visit my class.

Below is a synopsis of the Fall syllabus:

Real Estate Market Segments

Office
Industrial / Flex
Retail
Medical
Hospitality
Institutional
Senior Housing
Single Family
Apartments
Condominiums
Conservancy
Agricultural

Discussion of Due Diligence and Underwriting:

Title Reports and Insurance
Matters of Survey
Environmental Risk Management
Governmental and Municipal Approvals
Debt / Equity Finance Strategy and Options
Physical Inspections
Appraisal
Financial Analysis

General Discussion of Zoning and Incremental Value

Zoning Classifications
Smart Growth Master Plan
Sewer Service Districts
Water Detention and Retention
Wetlands
Primary and Secondary Environmental Corridors
Groundwater
Soil Composition Impact on Development

Municipal Approval Procedures

Occupancy Permits
Conditional Use
Preliminary Approvals
Architectural Review
Rezoning
Building Permits
Real Estate Tax Implications in Wisconsin

Discussion of Monetary / Credit Supply

Residential Debt Markets
Institutional Debt
Bank Loans
Equity Investment Options and Considerations

The Construction and Building Process

Architectural Plans and the Design Process
General Contracting
Design Build Process
Competitive Bid
Owners Advocate
Green Construction Methods

Green Technologies and Renewable Energy

Wind and Site Site Analysis
Photovoltaic and PV Site Analysis
Solar Hot water: Flat Plate Gas vs. Evacuated Tubes
Active vs. Passive Solar
Bio Diesel
Fuel Cells
Plasmafication
Compressed Earth Block
Grey water Systems
Nano Technology Applied to Real Estate Management
Whole Wood Construction
Efficient Lighting: Induction and LED’s

Local, State and Federal Incentives Pertaining to Real Estate

Business Improvement Districts
Job Creation Tax Credits
State and Federal Historical Tax Credits
Tax Incremental Financing
Federal Urban Renewal Zones
Brownfield Grants
HUD Financing

Mathematics of Value

Property Valuation/ Appraisals
Sales Comparison Approach
Replacement Approach
Income Approach
Capitalization Rates

Mathematics of Finance

Cash Flow
Time Value of Money
Fixed Rate & Variable Rate Mortgage Calculations
Investment Analysis
Sale Lease Back Analysis
Land Development
Buy Vs. Lease Evaluations

Tax Issues and Laws Pertaining to Real Estate

Property Tax Assessments and Challenges
Cost Segregation and Cost Engineering
Improvements vs. Repairs
Expenditures: Deducted or Amortized?
1031 Exchanges: Rules and Procedures
Reverse Starker Exchanges

Wisconsin Foreclosure Law

Lis Pendens
Judgments and Liens
Redemption Periods
Short Sales
Sheriff Sales
REO, Bank Owned Properties: Perspectives and Strategies

Estate and Tax Planning for Real Estate

Trusts
Partnerships
Corporations

Visit www.cradvisorsmke.com for the best real time and consolidated information on commercial real estate news in Southeastern Wisconsin.

The Power of Limits

ryanpersitza — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:12:34 +0000

Modern design has lost it’s way. Frequently it finds the least efficient and most expensive solution. Gyorgy Doczi illustrates and documents the sacred geometry in everything from snowflakes, to frog, dinosaurs, and ancient art in his 1985 compilation “The Power of Limits: Proportional Harmonies in Nature, Art, and Architecture”

In 2006, 2007, 2008 the US Department of Renewable Energy spent a total of $1,064,784,000 in the areas of hydrogen technology and vehicle technology. My friend and I spent $6,000 on my 1963 Volkswagen VW on adapting fuel efficiency systems design to sacred geometries. The results? The vehicle has been independently certified by a 3rd party to get 128 mpg. That’s right it consumes 1 ounce of fuel per mile. (Most on this in a future post) In the meantime, let us all watch the video below and marvel both at the geometries and efficiencies of design, and lastly little it resembles any of the wind turbines adopted by public utility companies. I give you the Windflower . . . .

Non-Linear Expression

ryanpersitza — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:30:37 +0000

I’ve learned its always best, when possible, to proceed in a forwardly manner as opposed to moving straight ahead. I’ve also learned that all that is required to save earth and humanity from is current predicament(s) is that we collectively remember what we have collectively forgotten (more on this in a future post). Yup, the simple truth is we already have the knowledge and technology to sensibly approach the world’s most serious problems. Of course creative expression must and will play a major role in the adaptation and application of unified and universal truths to what ails us and our planet.

Jay Harman has awakened to sacred geometries that are proportions are present everywhere in the known universe and all living things. His simple observations of the movement natural world have inspired the creation of the Lilly Impeller, an inspiring expression of spherical math that efficiently creates movement.

Protege shows some skill

ryanpersitza — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:13:44 +0000

Thanks to @afflictedyard for sharing this underground footage of up and coming Jamaican artist Protege. This video is a bit rough and his buddies give him a hard time near the end which is kind of annoying but it definitely worth watching.

For those that have never heard of Peter Dean Rickards or the Afflicted Yard, a self proclaimed Non Member of the Jamaica Tourist Board, he is an extremely talented photographer whose depictions of Jamaican culture and life is often funny, often beautiful, and sometimes “enough to make a rat puke” to quote his website. The site is an un-edited source of all things Jamaican. For those hungry for more Protege here is part one of a live performance at Jamnesia this past April.

For those hungry for the next installment of Camp Cabarita sponsored artist Blacka Blacks stay tuned for the upcoming live a capella episode “She Shampoo Mi Locks” . . .

Camp Cabarita 101: 9 Steps to Decompression

ryanpersitza — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:27:26 +0000

Decompression Camp Cabarita style is a powerful, simple, safe, proven, enjoyable and effective 9 step process based on family tradition, ancient wisdom, and common sense. Best of all you don’t need to travel anywhere to do it. It was Bob Marley who rightly said, “My head is my home.” I have however included the above video shot at Camp Cabarita to put you in the mood.

#1: Wake up well rested, reach up toward the sky and take 20 deep slow breaths.
#2: Refresh with pure water in a serene and natural environment
#3: Take a moment to calm your mind; appreciate what gives your life meaning
#4: Invigorate yourself creating intention
#5: Nourish yourself with fresh, live foods
#6: Have fun connecting to yourself and others
#7: Reflect on your progress and plan the next step
#8: share your discoveries and gain perspective
#9: 20 more long, deep, slow, slender, calm and uniform breaths.

check out the Cabarita River and adjacent Mayfield Falls:

Bill Mollision: Embodiment of Ancient Wisdom Whilst Decades Ahead of His Time

ryanpersitza — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:38:38 +0000

Although the environment at Camp Cabarita looks very lush, the reality it is the eco system is fairly fragile. The fact that the ancient volcanic soils have lost topsoil to seasonal rains and dramatic topography; many varieties of fruit trees still thrive but as in many places of the world top soils are reletavely depleted. Camp Cabarita aims to implement many of the methods discussed in :

Bill Mollision’s millenial piece “Permaculture Designer’s Manual”

Check out the incredible customer reviews on Amazon

Or check out the documentary below:

Building with Earth

ryanpersitza — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:15:28 +0000

Compressed earth construction is on of the oldest and perhaps the most sustainable type of construction. Approximately 70% percent of Earth’s soils are suitable for earth construction. Soil is comprised of three components: clay, sand, and silt. Clay and sand are both needed for compressed earth construction. Soils for your building site can be approximated immediately by visiting the European Union Joint Research Centre’s website and locating the appropriate soil map.

Clay and sand are both critical to the structural integrity of compressed earth, small percentages lime and Portland cement are often added for stabilization and a large variety of organic cold climates. Soils for your building site can be accurately approximated through a variety of field test described in Building With Earth: Sustainable Architecture and Design by Gernot Minke; the preeminent work to date on compressed earth block, brick and as stabilized rammed earth construction. Minke has both developed and aggregated the most accurate field protocols for testing the compressibility, assessing thermodynamic properties and a host of other factors with near laboratory accuracy.

View this document on Scribd

Auroville Earth Institute‘s website is a virtual panacea for those seeking information on compressed earth construction. The Institute offers training courses and workshops on stabilized rammed earth construction and compressed earth block domes and vaults. This link connects to page with various demonstrations, the video testing an equilateral pointed arch is particularly impressive; especially since the arch is mortarless!!

Fernco Metals is an Albuquerque, NM manufactured of manual, pneumatic, and hydraulic Compressed Earth Block machines. They also sell attachments that make bricks and tiles.

Powell and Sons manufactures compressed earth blocks machines that would in tandem with an automatic hopper and conveyor system. Application include large scale building projects.

Of course sustainable efficient construction is only but a part of self sufficiency.

Self-Sufficiency

ryanpersitza — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:18:56 +0000

Self-Sufficiency per se wasn’t on my mind at the 2009 Midwest Renewable Energy Fair; it was the 20th Anniversary of the World’s largest renewable energy fair. The Fair is headquarted in Custer, Wisconsin where annuals green technology companies and experts from United States, Europe, and Asia demonstrate the latest in market leading renewable solutions ranging from wind, PV, evacuated tubes, geo-thermal, and bio diesel. I attended 20 – 1 hour seminar is 3 days topics ranged from whole wood and timber construction, wind site analysis, solar dc water pumps, permaculture, grey water systems, compressed earth construction, hay bale construction, biodiesel conversions, bio-pellet production were among the highlights. Notable omissions were hydrogen vehicles and cells, multi layer photovoltaics, and various methods of using nanotechnolgy to amplify the efficacy of renewal energy technologies. The perhaps most instructive was my host for the week end Dr. Michael, whose own home on 15 acres was entirely heated by about a foot and a half sand which served as a heat sink for about 8 months out of the year after which the sand passively heated his floor. The remainder of the heating load is more than met which a centrally located 20 ton stone oven. Dr. Michael’s library was vast and included the work of John Seymour, whom Michael has studied under during a time which he built his over shelter with hand tools and lived a totally self-sufficient lifestyle in the Appalachian Mountains. Those with advanced biodynamic and permaculture overstandings will find his agricultural methods a bit crude, but will certainly acknowledge Seymour’s pragmatic genius.

The “Self Sufficient Gardener” is also a fantastic and practical guide to when, how, and what to plant. Such a vast undertaking that no single book could be exhaustive on the topic, but Seymour has done the best job to date.

My own belief is that no landscape is complete without incorporating Permaculture Design principals as integral to the design process . . a good introduction can be read free of charge but Bill Molison’s seminal work

View this document on Scribd

Blacka Blacks representin’

ryanpersitza — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:52:42 +0000

Blacka Blacks imparts some knowledge while representing Camp Cabarita and Westmoreland, Jamaica

K’Naan: Waving Flag Remix

ryanpersitza — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:34:56 +0000