WASHINGTON, DC-There will be 400 attendees at the ninth-annual RealShare Washington, DC this year, being held on February 15, at the Ronald Reagan Building. This is roughly the same number of attendees as last year with one notable distinction, RealShare conference producer Kim Last tells GlobeSt.com that the mood is visibly brighter among participants and panelists alike.

“People are very bullish this year about both local and national prospects,” Last says. “For example, speaking with panelists to prep for the sessions they have mentioned new construction projects in the planning stages for offices and other signs of growth, such as a pickup in leasing activity in the suburbs.”

In some respects, though, the conference is taking a different approach than last year, she adds. It will be shorter with sessions focused on the essentials of the market. The keynote speaker is Willy Walker, CEO of Walker & Dunlop, which recently went public.

Other panelists include Doug Donatelli, chairman and CEO of First Potomac Realty Trust; Clay Adams, head of asset investment and management firm Jamestown, which recently acquired the Madison Hotel; Brian Berry of Tishman Speyer; Jones Lang LaSalle’s Dave Bevirt and Scott Melnick; Bill Collins of Cassidy Turley; Akridge’s Brian Connolly; Bill Fortier of Hilton Worldwide; Studley’s Tom Fulcher; Pat Gniadek with AvalonBay; Helen Haerle with Quadrangle Development Corp.; Monday Properties’ Timothy Helmig; Adam Ifshin with DLC Management; David Kessler with the Reznick Group.

Also in attendance will be: Bob Kettler of Kettler; Esko Korhonen with Federal Capital Partners; and CB Richard Ellis’ Pat Marr; Paul Massey of Massey Knakal; Brookfield Properties’ Greg Meyer; Joe Michel with Transwestern; Nelson Migdal with Greenberg Traurig; Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services’ Hessam Nadji; and Brendan Owen of Vornado/Charles E. Smith.

For more information or to register, click here.