Steve Rushmore's April 2010 article for Lodging Hospitality. In a typical year, 400 to 500 hotels change hands in the U.S. This volume of transactions is significantly higher than any other region of the world. With the massive recession contributing to a huge erosion of operating profits, hotel owners are facing property value declines of 40 percent to 60 percent in many parts of the country. Couples with an almost total lack of mortgage money to finance acquisitions, most owners are sitting on the sidelines waiting for a recovery to develop before putting their properties on the market.

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