The Mortgage Bankers Association of Georgia Commercial Property Group held its quarterly meeting on June 24, 2010. Coordinated by M. Todd Westfall of Howick, Westfall, McBryan & Kaplan, LLP, the group meets quarterly for a networking luncheon.

David Haddow, CRE, President of Haddow & Company, served as this month’s speaker.  Haddow & Company is an Atlanta based real estate consulting firm founded in 1989 by David Haddow. The company represents individual and institutional clients in commercial and real estate investments.  In addition to his consulting business, Mr. Haddow is a part-time instructor at the College of Business Administration at Georgia State University and the College of Architecture at Georgia Institute of Technology.

Mr. Haddow discussed Atlanta area trends in economic development for the past decade, explaining the relationship among three key economic indicators: population, unemployment rates and housing permits. Of special note was Mr. Haddow’s “10 Reasons For Optimism About Atlanta’s Economic Future” as follows:   

1. Strong Population Growth
2. Favorable Employment/Population Ratio
3. Continued Corporate Relocations and Expansions
4. Intrinsic Business Advantages
5. Job Growth Capacity
6. Economic Shocks Absorbed
7. Emerging Industries
8. Vital Distribution Center
9. Major Research Universities
10. Improving National Economy

 Mr. Haddow’s entire article may be found at: 

http://haddowandcompany.com/marketdata/Haddow's%20Real%20News%20-%202nd%20Quarter%202010.pdf, Haddow’s Real News, Second Quarter 2010.