Dubai, UAE: Rapid increases in global inflation, oil prices, and unemployment rates, coupled with the continued conflict in Ukraine, have set the stage for anticipated economic challenges in the upcoming years. However, despite these hardships, recent consumer behaviour trends and market research indicate a high demand for all-inclusive, upgraded shopping centre concepts across the globe.

According to DJM Capital, California's leading Investor-Manager Real Estate Group with two billion-dollar assets under management, before acquiring a property for a proposed elevated shopping centre project, investors should ask the following questions: How tight is the market? How high are the barriers? What is the competition like? What is the ability to replicate a property that one is tempted to acquire easily? Is the same land currently available, or is there an expansion of the market in other places nearby? 

D. John Miller, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DJM Capital, reflects on his company's strategy, stating, "We are going into highly constrained, fully developed markets. There is generally a high barrier to entry, high socio-demographics, high buying power, high level of education, for the most part, high employment, and lots of consumptive dollars available to go into properties that are in high demand." 

He continued, "Essentially, we've created products and spaces that can't be replicated because there is no land available that could come in and be directly competitive to ours. Instead, we simply take an existing project and 'activate' a place that draws enormous amounts of attention in the media or through word-of-mouth."

DJM cites numerous successful projects in their portfolio following this concept, such as Lido Marina Village in Newport Beach, where DJM renovated from the ground up a decrepit, empty shopping centre on Newport Harbour. Currently, the property boasts the highest traffic property in all of Orange County because of the company's 'activation' and integration of a beautiful Marina with iconic buildings built in the 1960s, which were layered with walkways, landscaping, and numerous fantastic restaurants that drive traffic. The company also curated interesting and creative design concepts and apparel to attract public intrigue further.

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