Greg Biggs

A recent report from the Tax Foundation details states with the best business tax climates, and for all of the reasons we all talk and read about, I expected to see Texas at the top of the list. To my surprise, the state came in at No. 11.

A number of major charitable events in North Texas were started by local commercial real estate professionals. Here are a few that come to mind. All offer a great opportunity for getting involved and giving back.

With the announcement of three new speculative buildings under construction in west Plano and Frisco, commercial developer optimism seems to have returned to North Texas. These developers are investing millions of dollars on buildings that don’t have a single tenant committed to them. The interesting thing is that it’s not really today’s bet. It’s a bet on the strength of their particular submarket for the fourth quarter of 2014 and first quarter of 2015.

In 1978, H. Ross Perot completed the acquisition of 2,665 acres in North Plano, with the idea of creating a first-class corporate headquarters park. Today, about 45,000 people live and work in Legacy. It's home to more than 30 major employers, 35 restaurants, 50 retail stores, 600 hotel rooms, and 3,300 residential homes.

Base office rents for Class A space in Dallas range anywhere from one-half to one-fourth of what's charged for East Coast properties. But North Texas has a big advantage when it comes to operating expenses, too. For example, a company that leases 50,000 square feet can save about $297,000 a year if it picks Dallas over Boston. That's nearly $3 million during the course of a 10-year lease.