ATHENS—Two of the world's oldest tradingmarkets, Athens and Cairo, have seen better days. Greece cutthousands of jobs in February to help gain billions of dollars inbailout from euro zone partners, and Egypt has struggled to recoverfrom the revolution-spurred removal of president Hosni Mubarak.Commercial real estate in the two countries is locked in recoverymode.

Greece has made the biggest headlines recently, as the countryhas taken billions in bailout money from European finance ministersand the International Monetary Fund. The country's troubles led thedebt crisis problems in the second half of 2011. Now, it seems likethe country's leaders have showed that the government is ready toinitiate austerity measures, though residents launched riots inprotest.

Recently, L.P. Ellinas Real Estate Consultants & Valuers,based here, joined the TCN Worldwide organization. General managerEvi Chaviara says she believes Greece's original entrance into theEuropean Community was one of the catalysts for her country'scurrent crisis.