I live in Houston for the last 17 years and for the last 4-5 years and accelerated pace in the last 3 years, I have seen so many stores closed and never been rented by any company. This is all over the city.

We have so many malls, strip malls and all and believe me go to any neighborhood poor or rich, white or Hispanic, except for Walmart anchored exceptional ones, the mall and retail business is dying. JC Penny Sears Radio Shack, Macy's either closing down or on the way to bankruptcy. A quick internet search can reveal this is due to online shopping.

Lately, the rumor is that Kohl's burning cash quick so as Sage Stores. Maybe that explains why they have sales more frequent than ever before.

The reason I brought this issue up, I have more money left after investing fully in 401k and IRAs and this money keeps getting bigger. I was thinking of investing in land or a strip mall with a buddy of mine who has done this before. But my observation is telling me don't do it.

Yesterday I logged in to loopnet.net to see strip malls and offices for sale. I was expecting some groovy occupancy ratios but not 50% in most office buildings for sale. This is depressing. So the question is how do these investors still make money when occ. ratio is so low? They made their money in the good old days and they don't have to worry about it anymore? What about the new guys like me? What should we expect?

I know at least some Sears stores where the parking lot is almost empty all the time. There are so many other developments sitting idle for several years now and I don't understand why they keep building. Anybody understands?

This is a game where retail will definitely lose to internet, there is no way brick and mortar store can win against Amazon ebay or walmart.com this is impossible. It is not an if but when before most of these retail businesses die.

Did you know that the biggest women clothing store in the US is now Amazon? Who would think that women will be inclined to shop clothing online without trying it on or see herself in the mirror? That was a shocker to me as well.

The only thing I can think that pushes this real estate market is legal and illegal immigration from South America. This is huge in numbers but most can not even speak English

Second one is Chinese money. A real estate agent told me 2 years ago that 1/3 of all real estate transactions in Sugarland is cash. And I said how is this possible to which she replied: Chinese money

Folks, something is really artificial with this market. But to my surprise it keeps going.

Houston, Texas

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I don't understand the commercial real estate market in Houston

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