The Power of PowerPoint... "Inside the Pentagon, the 'killer brief' is everything...If your timing is right, you can change U.S. policy or help to redefine its expression. In short, the right brief can change history." That's Thomas Barnett writing in his new book, The Pentagon's New Map, about the importance of graphical images (yes, PowerPoint!) to convey complex information.

And isn't this true for real estate information, too? So how would you summarize the "key demographic trends that may affect real estate in coming years"? That's the challenge faced by Property & Portfolio Research (PPR), in its recently released 55-page report, Who's in the Driver's Seat?, sent to me last week by George Manthous.

This colorful document is sprinkled with dozens of charts, graphs and maps. What sticks in your mind are the images and the lively writing. "If you’re standing on land drained by the Mississippi River, you’re looking at a real challenge if you’re trying to attract young adults." (The twenty to thirty-year-olds are headed for the coasts over the next decade.)

Here's another interesting factoid. The "gap between educated young women and young men is widening…fast! The National Center for Education Statistics projects that within 10 years, women will be picking up 850,000 four-year diplomas per year, compared to just 587,000 for men.

"Think this doesn’t affect your office properties? For starters, think security. Think ground-floor retail. Think daycare. We’re quickly heading toward a time when women will be the majority of office workers rather than a marginal share." ... Hey, the world is changing. Get the picture?

--Peter Pike