CHICAGO-In terms of retail investment growth and activity, thegrowth rate in 2011 should match that of the growth of 2010 from2009, according to Jones Lang LaSalle. Buyers, especially REITS,will be lining up for acquisitions next year, the company said.

Sales of significant retail properties totaled $13.9 billionthrough October of this year, representing a 62% increase over the$8.9 billion of sales during the same period in 2009, JLL said inits recent 2011 Retail Outlook. Cap rates continue to decline andpositively impact retail values, the company said.

Greg Maloney, CEO and president of JLL Retail, said that pent-updemand combined with a lack of new construction and more realisticseller expectations should result in a strong pipeline of closedtransactions moving into the new year. The first quarter willlikely be slow, like this year, Maloney said, but things will pickup in the third quarter.