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This year marks a watershed moment for commercial real estate stakeholders. The erratic nature of the market demands a deep understanding of financial tools and the willingness to embrace alternative approaches. Success hinges on adaptability, innovation and a thorough grasp of market dynamics. While the headwinds are expected to persist, this environment offers unique opportunities for those who are prepared.
Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman wrote about those challenges in this blog post: 2025 CRE Market Forecast: Adapting to Disruption.
Below, the Peachtree Group team shares their insights into how the market is evolving and their strategies for overcoming challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities in this transformative period for the commercial real estate industry.
“2025 could mark the end of the 'kicking the can' era in commercial real estate, as outside pressures - banks, brands and partnerships - force transactions that can no longer be delayed. We've already seen the shift begin in late 2024, with assets that stalled during prior marketing cycles resurfacing under note sales and distress-driven deals. As equity takes a backseat and control shifts to outside parties, prepared investors will find unique opportunities in this evolving landscape.”
Michael Bernath, SVP Acquisitions & Dispositions
"With debt maturities as the primary catalyst for capital events, the elevated interest rate environment and shifting property fundamentals are driving investors toward alternative strategies such as rescue capital, preferred equity and special situations. Borrower indecision and bank disagreements are fueling loan sales, while partnerships face stress from owner fatigue and capital calls, creating opportunities for M&A and large-scale equity trades. Against a backdrop of geopolitical risk, inflation and rising fixed costs, innovative and strategic approaches are essential for achieving growth."
Michael Ritz, EVP, Investments
“Banks, buoyed by strong reserves, are expected to sell commercial real estate loans as they manage risk exposure, address tighter regulatory requirements and free up capital. This trend will likely increase note transactions, offering investors access to discounted or even distressed assets. The market is also witnessing a significant rise in hybrid credit structures, blending debt and equity characteristics to provide flexible capital to borrowers while delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns to investors. The shifting environment in which traditional financing avenues are evolving presents opportunities for those equipped to navigate this chaotic market."
Jeremy Stoler, EVP, Debt Capital Markets
“In anticipation that public equities markets will generate lower annual returns over the next decade than in the decade prior, investors will increasingly seek alpha through alternative investments. Foreign capital partners in certain geographies and markets will continue to turn to U.S. commercial real estate to hedge against currency and geopolitical risks. Meanwhile, sponsor and LP fatigue will create a fertile environment for secondaries, special situations and structured finance deals, where fundamentally strong assets with challenged capital structures may be acquired or recapped at attractive valuations.”
Daniel Savage, VP Investments & Strategy, Equity Capital Markets
“The EB-5 program offers commercial real estate developers a distinctive advantage by providing lower-cost capital that enhances investment returns while creating jobs and driving economic growth. By including EB-5 financing into their capital stack, developers can better navigate stricter lending conditions and rising construction costs. This approach not only maximizes value but also positions the property for long-term success.”
Adam Greene, EVP, EB-5 Program
“Lenders holding post-COVID distressed loans, recognizing they won't recover cash flow, are preparing to liquidate in 2025, creating opportunities for strategic buyers. However, a 'higher-for-longer' interest rate environment continues to stall the transaction market, as sellers resist trading at elevated cap rates, prolonging the bid-ask gap."
Jared Schlosser, EVP, Hotel Lending & Head of CPACE
“The commercial real estate development landscape continues to evolve, and the fundamentals of the hospitality industry enable it to standout as a strong and flexible sector ready to take advantage of new opportunities. With generally higher cap rates, supply growth well under the long-run average and strong investor appetite in areas supported by the federally backed Opportunity Zone program, the hotel industry is well-positioned to lead new projects, especially in infill locations. This growth shows how development will move forward, even as other real estate sectors face tougher challenges and economic struggles.”
Will Woodworth, VP, Investments
Greg Friedman offers a wide perspective on the real estate market. He uses the 10-year treasury yield as a market indicator but notes inconsistencies in the latest trends compared to real estate. Greg believes there will be better buying opportunities on the horizon once real estate finds a bottom to build a new foundation. Listen to the full broadcast on Schwab Network.
In a timely and insightful conversation on the Peachtree Point of View podcast, host Greg Friedman sits down with Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody's, to discuss the current economic landscape and what investors should be watching.
Recession Risks on the Rise
Zandi doesn't mince words about the current economic situation. He notes that the probability of recession has jumped from 15% to 35% in recent months, primarily due to policy decisions – especially the escalating global trade war. While he believes the economy remains"fundamentally sound," Zandi warns that continued policy uncertainty could tip the scales toward recession within weeks.
"If he continues down this path for another couple, three, four weeks, recession will be more likely than not," Zandi cautions about the administration's trade policies.
Interest Rates and Commercial Real Estate
For commercial real estate investors, Zandi offers a sobering perspective on interest rates. Despite the administration's desire for lower rates, he believes the 10-year Treasury yield (around 4.1%) is appropriately priced for a well-functioning economy. Unless we enter a recession, Zandi doesn't foresee significant rate decreases in the near term.
Commercial real estate, which Zandi acknowledges has"been in a recession the last three years," faces continued challenges. While he believes much of the valuation adjustment is complete, a broader economic recession would mean "another leg down in valuations and pricing."
Key Indicators to Watch
For investors trying to gauge recession risks, Zandi offers practical metrics to monitor:
Private Credit Markets
On private credit markets, Zandi noted that private credit has played a critical role in recent years, stepping in to provide capital when banks pulled back, which he believes helped the U.S. avoid a recession. The market has grown rapidly, now estimated at $1.7 trillion and surpassing the high-yield bond market and rivaling the size of the leveraged loan market.
The Bottom Line
Zandi's parting advice? "Buckle up." With policy uncertainty, trade tensions, and shifting consumer sentiment, the economic road ahead promises to be bumpy.
To hear the full conversation and gain deeper insights on navigating these challenging markets, listen to the complete episode of Peachtree Point of View with Mark Zandi on your favorite podcast platform.
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A prominent investor who shaped modern portfolio strategies, Robert Arnott, once said, 'In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable.'
This idea rings especially true in today's market, where uncertainty, volatility and shifting economic conditions create both risks and opportunities. The most successful investors recognize that these periods often present the most compelling investment opportunities.
We, too, see these moments as catalysts for strategic capital deployment. The evolving commercial real estate landscape is creating precisely the kind of dislocation where disciplined, well-capitalized investors can thrive.
As our team assesses the commercial real estate landscape, recent developments in the credit markets continue to present compelling opportunities.
The latest banking data reveals a noteworthy shift: while demand for C&I loans rises for the first time in two years, banks continue tightening the grip around commercial real estate.
Despite increasing demand for liquidity, traditional lenders remain highly selective, offering lower loan-to-value ratios and requiring stronger borrower covenants. As a result, many commercial real estate owners and developers face significant refinancing challenges, particularly with the substantial level of debt maturities in 2025 and beyond. We are talking about trillions of dollars in loan maturing.
This dynamic reinforces a growing reliance on private credit lending, a space where our firm not only has a long track record but is also well-positioned to capitalize on ongoing market dislocations to deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns.
Our firm's ability to pivot across the capital stack—originating loans, acquiring debt or investing opportunistically - positions us to capitalize on this dislocation.
With rising debt costs and limited refinancing options, many commercial real estate owners will be forced to make tough decisions. While this warning has been repeated over the past few years, we are now at the proverbial end of the line. As a result, we anticipate an increase in asset sale opportunities, acquiring first mortgages and recapitalizations.
Our experience in navigating prior downturns, coupled with our underwriting expertise, allows us to approach these opportunities with discipline, ensuring we secure assets and debt positions at favorable valuations.
As we move through this evolving economic cycle, our focus remains on the disciplined deployment of capital into opportunities that offer strong upside potential while minimizing the downside.
We recognize that market dislocations create compelling entry points for special situation investments. As liquidity constraints tighten across key sectors, we are strategically positioned to deploy capital into high-value opportunities. In hospitality, the deferral of brand-mandated renovations is reaching a breaking point, driving distress and accelerating transactions—further reinforcing the need for flexible, well-capitalized investors to step in.
Our experience in stressed investing and structured finance enables us to use creative solutions when traditional capital sources are unavailable. By maintaining a flexible approach and strong liquidity reserves, we are positioned to act decisively as the market turns, capturing value where others cannot.
The favorable landscape for private credit lending will remain with us for years, but as it evolves, it is also creating new opportunities that we are poised to seize. Our ability to deploy capital where others cannot continue to drive outsized value for our stakeholders.