SVN International Corporation (SVNIC), a full-service commercial real estate franchisor of the SVN® brand, announces that it has added College Station, Texas-based Riverstone Commercial Real Estate to its franchise roster. Going forward, the new venture will operate as SVN|RIVERSTONE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE.
Founded in 2017, SVN | RIVERSTONE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE is led by Founding Partners and Managing Directors Jim Jones and Jess Buenger. The rapidly expanding firm offers brokerage and advisory services to buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants across the central Texas markets. SVN | RIVERSTONE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE also provides consultancy services on investments and development projects. More information about the firm is available at svnriverstone.com
“SVN | RIVERSTONE’s top priority is getting the most value for our clients. With SVN, we gain expanded visibility and marketing dexterity to deliver the best value possible no matter the geography or asset class,” said Managing Director Jim Jones. “Now, we not only reach a business owner across town, but an investor across the globe.”
“Even prior to our official announcement of our partnership with SVN, we have collaborated on deals sourced through SVN offices in Las Vegas, Chicago, Florida, Austin, and the Northeast,” added Managing Director Jess Buenger. “This partnership has expanded our reach tremendously.”
“In SVN | RIVERSTONE, we have found a firm with a natural fit to our SVN culture that puts clients first, said Marc Seinfeld, SVN’s Vice President of National Franchise Sales and Development. “We are delighted to work with SVN | RIVERSTONE and increase our presence in Texas.”
About SVN International Corp.
The SVN organization is a globally recognized commercial real estate entity united by a shared vision of creating value for clients, colleagues and communities. Currently, SVN comprises over 1,600 advisors and staff working in more than 200 offices across the globe. SVN’s brand pillars represent the transparency, innovation and inclusivity that enable all our advisors to collaborate effectively with the entire real estate industry on behalf of our clients. SVN’s unique Shared Value Network® is just one of the many ways that SVN Advisors create outsize value for all stakeholders. For more information, visit www.svn.com.
SVNIC’s 2016 
Houston is the hub of oil and energy production in the United States and, as such, is uniquely susceptible to the recent oil price declines that appear to have near-term persistence. It is likely that the office market in Houston will experience some pain in 2016 and beyond on a relative basis. Declines are already being felt in key office sectors with Information and Professional and Business Services declining at -2.5% and -1.8% annualized rates, respectively; however, Financial Activities is growing at 2.0% and thus should balance some of the negative effects. Overall, the Houston economy is actually fairly healthy with a 4.8% unemployment rate as of January ‘16 which has stayed near constant for much of 2015; thus, fears of the oil price declines may be overblown.
Dallas remains one of the fastest growing employment centers in the nation, even with the energy price declines of 2015. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate sits near record lows at 3.8% as of January ‘16, with the city creating over a half million new jobs since the recession. The office markets have fared well, as key office sectors of Financial Activities and Professional and Business Services have grown at strong annualized rates of 4.8% and 2.3%, respectively. Information has remained fairly flat at 0.4% annualized growth. As Dallas has become a modern international city with the help of the DFW airport, it is perhaps the best positioned market in the oil-producing region of the U.S. to weather any pain from the petroleum industry. The office market should remain stable and growing in 2016 and beyond.
The Dallas economy remains one of the strongest of the major metros in the nation with unemployment at 3.8% as of January ‘16 and steadily rising total employment at a 3.4% annualized rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The fastest growing sector of employment in Dallas is an industrial space using Trade, Transport, and Utilities, which is growing at an annualized rate of 5.2%. This is the sector, where most of the 2016 and beyond gains in the industrial space market will be generated. Dallas has unparalleled airport and rail access making it an ideal business and distribution hub. In fact, the area surrounding the DFW airport is best poised to expand. Manufacturing is the weakest sector declining at a –1.6% annualized rate. This sector touches oil and gas production and exploration, and is thus most at risk for declines in 2016 and beyond.
