If 2011 was the Year of the REITs for hotels, then 2012 might be the Year of Watching the Clock. It can't be denied that there's a great deal of uncertainty regarding the economy, the election and the direction of CMBS—to name but a few issues—but as the year opens, it seems that industry professionals should prepare to dust off their timepieces and start to plan. Things may be starting to recover, but among those entrenched in hotels, the consensus seems to be "don't get too excited—yet.

NEW YORK CITY—The industry has lost three iconic figures—all company founders—in a span of little more than three weeks, most recently with the passing of Wm. Polk Carey, chairman of locally based W.P. Carey & Co. LLC and the W.P. Carey Foundation. The sale-leaseback pioneer died Jan. 2 in West Palm Beach, FL at age 81.

PHOENIX-Barbi Reuter, principal at Cushman & Wakefield and PICOR Real Estate Services is a force to be reckoned with in the field. She tells Globest.com about her plans for the local CREW chapter in 2013, increased industry use of social media and her predictions for market changes in the new year.

NEW YORK CITY-Brokers, traders and industry professionals alike are making their lists, checking them twice – and maybe three times – and starting to look towards 2013.

SAN DIEGO-Carey Watermark Investors bought the 317-room hotel property for about $85M.

BOSTON-Cassidy Turley's Senior Vice President Linda McDonough chatted with Globest.com about how the commercial real estate industry can benefit from online technologies, and how women are upping their presence in the field.

NEW YORK CITY-Cole Real Estate Investments has picked up Canarsie Plaza here for $124 million.

NEW YORK CITY-According to the LWHA Q3 2012 Major US Hotel Sales Survey, there has been a lot of action from REITs and coastal markets still reign supreme.