Buyer's ability to manage the store, store location (demographics, access, traffic counts etc), store upkeep, clean environmental reports also play big roles.Unless you have a strong note in all three areas, you will likely not be able to sell more than 3 or 4 years worth of payments at a time.Scott

There are so many reasons, but here are some of the highlights:  (1) they are valued on the sales comp. approach; (2) they are hard to finance because they are valued on the sales comp. approach (comps are hard to find); (3) it's much harder to find deals on them (more sophisticated owners with inflated senses of value); (4) they tend to be clumped together as opposed to interspersed in SFRs, the result is that other landlords actions have a much more significant impact on the operation of your property; (5) you don't achieve any economies of scale (they're too small); (6) they are more management intensive (anytime people share walls, there's always going to be drama); (7) they tend to be illiquid (see point 2); (8) they have more turnover than SFRs; (9) unless you're getting good deal on one, they don't cash flow that well; (10) a lot of them have owner paid water.  

Act and other Gov Regs (I call it Govt Crap).Here is one, a letter from the NAR, "Impact of Loan Originator Final Rule"

Does anyone know how new regulations on lending are going to impact Hard Money Loans?

I think that in the past everyone who has purchased an older home had enough smarts to know they were not buying a new home and really...probably didn't expect the old two story with gingerbread and leaded windows to be as efficient as the new home across town....kinda common sence.So, I don't really care what my energy rating is, it will be burried in all the other disclosures for lead paint, who died in the bedroom 15 years ago, mold reports, environmental studies, home inspection reports, appraisal and mortgage documents....etc.

When I evaluate a market, I look at it's economic base for future growth (i.e. industries, military, tourism) - obviously, the potential for strong future growth will usually translate into stronger demand for real estate...I also look RE growth potential contrasted to what has inhibited past growth - for example, it the community land locked, controlled by environmental regs, lack of water, etc...

How does it impact the ability of an investor to get hard money loans or private loans for investment purposes?

Big impact for relatively low cost.

So, taking a loan doesn't generally impact an investment strategy, such as if I were investing in stocks.I will usually do the annual loan to get me over a cash flow crunch when I have the opportunity to do more deals than I have cash for.

Is the new convention center having an impact on commercial real estate?