National Association of Realtors® Announces Launch of Commercial Real Estate Leading Indicator

Business Wire, Feb 16, 2006

NAR will launch a new leading indicator February 22 at 10:00 a.m. EST for the commercial real estate market: the Commercial Leading Indicator for Brokerage Activity. The index, to be published quarterly, is designed to provide early signals of turning points between expansions and slowdowns in commercial real estate markets.

The index utilizes modeling of a variety of series over an extended period of time to demonstrate a change in commercial brokerage activity that can be seen two quarters later through two measures: net absorption of space in the industrial and office sectors, and the value of building construction put-in-place on completion of retail, office, warehouse and lodging structures.

The first published index will project national commercial market activity that can be expected in the third quarter of 2006.

A news release announcing the index will be posted on the Internet at http://www.realtor.org in the News Media section on February 22, and sent to reporters and news organizations through normal channels including NAR's e-mail distribution list. A white paper explaining development of the index also will be posted in the Research area of the Web site.

REALTOR(R) is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS(R) and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics.