SAN ANTONIO (San Antonio Express-News) – Economists with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University are noticing a large interest in Texas land from baby boomers, the generation now driving the demand in the state’s land market.

Both the boomers and big-money investors have driven prices higher. People nearing retirement are prowling for 100-acre properties or smaller, said Dr. Charles Gilliland, a research economist with the Center.

The business news currently written in the press isn’t all pessimism and negative reporting – in fact, there are encouraging articles being published about the economy and the current commercial real estate market conditions. Below is a compilation of some recent articles with a positive slant and helpful strategies that have run in nationwide media outlets.

Small Deals Still Finding Funding

Globest.com has an article about financing that states despite the notion that lending is frozen, there is actually lending money to be had, only for smaller deals. Although this article is specific to the D.C. market, this theory might extend beyond that region. According to the article, top projects are still attracting capital--even from beleaguered sources. Insurance companies, for instance, still have an appetite for real estate. HFF Senior Managing Director Bill Asbill is quoted saying "It takes top quality real estate and sponsors and they generally lend at lower leverage than we have had in the past, but they are still out there."

With residential real estate in a slump, many investors are searching for other alternative investments to help offset potential losses in their investment portfolios. Other investors are seeking to take advantage of a weakening economy and high foreclosure rates. Commercial properties are a popular choice, as they can carry much bigger payoffs than residential properties.

Who said the economic slowdown isn’t affecting millionaires? Growth in the number of millionaires slowed worldwide last year, to 6% from 8.3% in 2006, according to the World Wealth Report, released by Merrill Lynch and Capgemini Jjune 24, 2008.

The U.S. rich took an especially hard hit. The study showed that the population of financial millionaires — those with investable assets of $1 million or more — grew only 3.7% last year. That compares with growth of 9.4% in 2006.