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Back-to-school sales and traffic have historically served as a key indicator for the winter holiday shopping season for retailers. This year, retailers can expect bitter and sweet news: Retail industry experts project that back-to-school shoppers will spend more than last year, but make fewer trips to the store.

Many retailers posted solid sales during the kickoff to the back-to-school season as deep discounts and sweltering heat in July drove shoppers to air-conditioned malls. Back-to school shopping trends are an opportunity for retailers to gain insight into consumers' shopping habits heading into the holiday shopping season that starts on the day after Thanksgiving.

Consumer electronics are the bigger-ticket bellwethers of the holiday season. But this year, TVs and DVD players are likely to lose ground to newer, smaller—yet just as pricey—electronic devices.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has recently named Boyd R. Zoccola as its Chair and Chief Elected Officer. Zoccola, who has worked as a commercial real estate owner, operator, and developer for over 20 years, has been executive vice president of Hokanson Companies Inc. since 1989. He has devoted most of his time to development while at the company, overseeing more than $400 million in commercial real estate transactions.

The Washington, D.C., office complex that stretches from 1100 to 1101 4th St. at Waterfront Station has recently been traded in a $356 million transaction. The trade took place between owner and developer Waterfront Associates L.L.C. and USAA Real Estate Company. Waterfront Associates began construction in 2008 and finished just one year ago, costing roughly $245.9 million.

Hawaii Senate Bill 975, which introduces new stipulations concerning the way in which leasehold land rent negotiations are determined, was passed into law on July 12. The bill was originally vetoed by former Gov. Linda Lingle, but current Gov. Neil Abercrombie let the bill through, as expected.

The City of Miami, Fla., has been hunting overseas for prospective commercial developers in an attempt to revitalize its struggling commercial real estate market and minimize a projected $54 million budget deficit in 2012.

Federal prosecutors have charged the host of a South Florida real estate talk show with defrauding investors by creating a Ponzi scheme. According to authorities, Anthony F. Cutaia, host of the local TV and radio show “Talk About Mortgages and Real Estate,” recruited investors for commercial real estate projects arranged by his Boca Raton-based companies. He turned himself in and later was released after posting a $410,000 bond, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International recently joined several commercial real estate organizations in support of legislation introduced by Reps. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), targeted at the equity crisis.

Washington, D.C.'s, chief financial officer is looking into claims made by a group of attorneys that the District failed to collect more than $100 million in taxes from commercial real estate transactions.