In the aftermath of the credit crunch, which hit last August, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels reports that fundamentals remain sound and transactions continue to close. Since August 1, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels reports closing 24 transactions valued at more than $1.4 billion in the United States and Mexico, leading the industry in both volume and number of transactions.

 

“Four of our top five deals for 2007 closed after August 1,” said Arthur Adler, managing director and CEO for Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels. The Fairmont Acapulco Princess and the Pierre Marquez, the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa, the Fairmont Hamilton Princess and the Woodlands Waterway Marriott transactions have closed since the credit crunch began taking effect.

According to the December 2007 Hotel Investor Sentiment Survey released by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels earlier this month, investors still have positive trading expectations for the large majority of American markets in both the short and medium term. In addition, “buy” remains the dominant investment strategy for 21 out of the 29 markets surveyed across the Americas, with 37.6% of investors indicating ”buy” as their dominant hotel investment strategy; 14.3% intending to build; 33.3% intending to hold, and 14.8% intending to sell in the short term.

“The critical factor in closing transactions in this environment is the ability to source the most efficient equity and debt capital, regardless of where in the world that capital originates,” said Adler. “With a long standing history in advising hotel investors, and eight years operating on a fully integrated global platform, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels is committed to providing clients with superb investment advisory, asset management, financing, research and transaction expertise.”