Beginner Tips for Commercial Real Estate

An entrepreneur in the entertainment industry, Bill Asher is the owner of Lucid Entertainment and co-owner and co-chairman of Vivid Entertainment. In the mid-2000s, Vivid co-owner Bill Asher began leveraging his extensive contacts in the entertainment industry to expand into the profitable business of commercial real estate.

As with any professional endeavor, due diligence is a key aspect when getting started in commercial real estate. First, understand how the commercial real estate market differs from the residential market. Properties are valued relative to usable square footage, and leases last longer, both of which contribute to higher income potential.

Next, analyze comparable properties in the area to gauge the current market value of the property you are interested in, and research future developments to get an idea of how that value might change over time. Calculate all costs as precisely as possible, including operating fees such as utilities, insurance, repairs, and property tax, as well as capitalization rates and return on investment. Finally, work with a trusted financial advisor to get the best commercial real estate loan rate possible.

A Brief Look at Fantasy Sports Gaming

A graduate of the University of California with an MBA in finance and entertainment, co-owner of Vivid Entertainment Bill Asher is a successful entrepreneur who has launched more than 25 companies. In addition to serving as co-Chairman and co-owner of Vivid Entertainment, Bill Asher is currently pursuing business ventures related to virtual reality and fantasy sports gaming.

Fantasy sports leagues invite participants to create virtual teams of real professional players in different sports. Players compete against each other in different formats, and points are awarded based on how well virtual player selections perform in real live games. Once considered a fringe hobby, fantasy sports has become a multi-billion dollar business with similar corporate interests as real sports.

In North America, 58 million people participate in fantasy sports leagues, either with friends or in public online leagues. Mobile apps and websites allow participants to track their players’ performances, and the sport generates more than $18 billion in wagers each year. Interestingly, a recent study in MIT’s Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Review found that fantasy gaming relies more on skill than chance or luck.