Real estate industry still faces tough times

Seems like a week can't go by without a commercial real estate survey that is comprised of some good news with a lot of bad news caveats sprinkled about.

Take the latest survey from Ernst & Young, entitled Market Outlook: Trends in the Real Estate Private Equity Industry 2010.

According to the survey, 87% of industry players believe a gradual opening of debt and equity markets could begin to happen by the end of 2010. That could lead to what the report calls a “generational buying opportunity” by the first quarter of 2011.