REal Talk with Adam Perrotta-July 21

By Adam Perrotta, News Writer

--A good deal of activity on the investment front today, a sure to be welcome indicator that, despite the generally shaky state of the commercial real estate market, there is certainly still money out there.

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani's firm, Giuliani Partners, has teamed with Berman Enterprises to launch a fund of between $500 million and $750 million. The firm is looking for about 15 or 16 additional investors, and given Giuliani's high profile and clout in New York, there will likely be no shortage of investors lining up. For his part, Giuliani is no doubt hopeful that the fund will turn out better than his recent presidential bid.

In other fund news, San Fran-based Liquid Realty Partners' $60 million investment into a West London office fund can be taken as evidence that--despite suffering from economic problems similar to those currently afflicting the U.S.--Britain's real estate market is considered, by at least some American firms, to be worth taking a stake in, even despite the relative weakness of the dollar.

Finally, Perseus Realty Partners' new participating loan program will provide up to $1 billion in financing for a variety of sectors and project types. Given the fact that banks and other lenders are currently sitting on the sidelines while the mortgage backed securities market sorts itself out, Perseus' move to fill the financing void could prove to be a very smart one.