Peachtree's track record in commercial real estate is impressive. Our team has thrived through three significant economic disruptions. Our senior leaders have been instrumental in that success. Recently we asked those leaders to reflect on their lessons learned and share how that experience has shaped their thought process moving forward.
Here are a few of those insights.
"Building a formidable team is crucial for realizing your vision. Select individuals based on their exceptional skills and expertise and then trust them to excel in their roles. Empowering your team unlocks their full potential, driving extraordinary results and propelling your organization to new heights."
Greg Friedman and Jatin Desai – Managing Principals
“Foresight is critical in the investment process, requiring continuous consideration of macroeconomic conditions alongside local economic factors. This dual analysis enables us to identify nuanced opportunities and manage risks more effectively. By integrating global and regional insights, we can make more informed and strategic decisions, enhancing the potential for the investment's long-term success."
Greg Friedman, Managing Principal and CEO
“Ensure sufficient liquidity to maintain resilience. We have implemented and consistently maintained this approach for our Funds. While it may impact internal rates of return (IRR), it will allow us to endure market volatility and retain assets. Asset values typically rebound if adequate capital is available to weather downturns.”
Jatin Desai, Managing Principal and CFO
“Navigating through development always entails its share of challenges and victories, a reality underscored especially during Covid. While previous downturns primarily revolved around financial aspects, the pandemic introduced disruptions in cost, labor, and material supply chains. Reaching a semblance of normalcy took nearly three years, during which we remained steadfast in risk mitigation across these fronts. Adaptations in processes, timing, procurement strategies, and collaborations with skilled contractors were pivotal in this regard. Despite each disruption, we observed a consistent upward trend in average daily rates, particularly for newer or like-new assets.”
Mitul Patel, Principal
“Anticipate various exit scenarios: While one of our investments succeeded with the SBA refinance strategy, another encountered challenges. Legal issues with the borrower disqualified them from SBA eligibility, leading to loan refinance challenges. In hindsight, we were too dependent on a single exit source and now underwrite deals to ensure there are several (refinance, sale, loan sale) exit options available.”
Michael Harper, President, Hotel Lending
“Constant exposure to various transactions across different levels has enabled us to recognize patterns and anticipate issues during negotiations. This depth of experience has honed our ability to streamline the process, focusing on the crucial issues and avoiding unnecessary distractions. Ultimately, efficiency is paramount.”
Kevin Cadin, General Counsel
“The priority lies in cultivating a pipeline rather than managing individual transactions. The true value lies in the pipeline itself, not the deals outlined in term sheets. This approach grants the freedom to negotiate without the pressure of immediate results. Consequently, I rarely push terms or additional proceeds because I know the depth of additional opportunities and have confidence in the channels that have been developed to continue generating opportunities.”
Daniel Siegel, Principal and President, CRE
“The90% rule. It is often better to make a decision with 90% of the information or90% of what you would ideally like an output to be. That last 10% which is for perfection often leads to analysis paralysis and the opportunity cost of waiting is often greater than the value achieved in getting the last 10%. There is no such thing as perfect.”
Brian Waldman, Chief Investment Officer
Amid a market downturn, the retail space continues to defy inflationary pressures. Retailers seemingly didn’t get the memo of a softened market and are instead poised to continue opening storefronts and leasing space across the US. How can this possibly be? Mortgage Professional America turned to Greg Friedman, founder and CEO of commercial real estate private equity investor and lender Peachtree Group for answers.
After many years focusing on the hospitality sector, Peachtree has recently expanded its investment strategy to other asset classes, transitioning from Peachtree Hotel Group to Peachtree Group. Together with its lending division, Stonehill, the private equity investor and lender is now active across all real estate sectors, including retail—which has been grabbing headlines in the past few years due to the multiple changes it underwent. Commercial Property Executive asked Peachtree Group Founder & CEO Greg Friedman to talk about the opportunities and challenges for investors looking at this constantly evolving asset class. Today, retail seems to be defying inflationary pressures as retailers continue to open storefronts and leasing spaces across the U.S. For more market insights from Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman, follow him on LinkedIn.
The global financial crisis that began in 2007 reshaped the real estate market. Today, commercial real estate is facing a similar “Great Reset.” Property valuations are resetting, capital availability is restricted, and investment activity is curtailed. Thanks to stress on properties’ balance sheets, the situation is set to get worse. More than $1.5 trillion of commercial real estate loans will mature over the next three years. Traditional lenders and the securitization market are unlikely to provide a clear path to replacing these loans. Without one, property valuations will reset further and reprice at levels that reflect current economic conditions. Basically, investors need to prepare for further losses. For more market insights from Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman, follow him on LinkedIn.