LONDON—As Greece now considers a pulloutfrom the euro currency, and Spain and even the United Kingdomplunge back into recession, most commercial real estate expertsagree that problems across the pond have a strong impact on theglobal markets. However, they also agree that the United States canbenefit from the troubles as well, as lenders look for alternativeinvestment regions.

Ross Ford, president and CEO of TCN Worldwide, shares the viewthat the debt crisis presents major implications, and that if thechallenges in facing this economic crisis are not met, there willbe a significant negative impact on the overall US economy. "It'sshortsighted not to recognize the degree to which we are aninterwoven global marketplace in many respects," Ford says.

Raymond Torto, global chief economist for CBRE, also said hefinds it incredible that real estate professionals would ignorewhat happens in Europe. "On the pricing side of the equation, theEuropean crisis adds to the risk premium, and on the leasing sideit hampers overall economic demand," Torto says. "There is also alesson from watching Europe for US political decision-making as weapproach our own "fiscal cliff" at the end of the year. Avoidancein making the hard decisions will buy time, but not solutions. Thesolutions to the problems in Europe will get more difficult, noteasier, as this year wears on."