Peachtree Group Names Michael Brunner as Executive Vice President, Credit Investments

‍ATLANTA (Sept. 30, 2024) – Peachtree Group (“Peachtree”) is pleased to announce that Brent LeBlanc is now leading the firm's business development efforts across its investment platforms. In his new role as executive vice president, business development, Brent will support Peachtree's efforts to grow and expand its vertically integrated investment platforms. His responsibilities will include focusing on cross-marketing strategies, fostering business development and collaborating closely with the investment teams to drive innovation and capture new opportunities.

With roughly 30 years of hospitality real estate experience, LeBlanc has successfully launched hotel brands and completed complex real estate transactions with the largest hotel operators and developers in the U.S.

"This year, Peachtree surpassed $10 billion in transaction investment value, and we see a tremendous opportunity to grow our business further but realize we need to prioritize our business development efforts to enhance our competitive edge in the market,” said Greg Friedman, Peachtree's managing principal and CEO. “Brent is a long-serving trusted leader and the right person to guide Peachtree's business development forward effectively.”

LeBlanc joined Peachtree in 2012 to lead an aggressive growth strategy to expand Peachtree’s footprint into the western U.S. and strengthen relationships with premium-branded hotels such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt andIHG. During that time, LeBlanc participated in more than $4.0 billion in real estate transactions across the enterprise.

"The core of our business development efforts is a strong commitment to innovation and strategic partnerships,” said LeBlanc. “We are dedicated to identifying and capitalizing on new opportunities to ensure the firm's growth and long-term success. By continuously adapting to market trends and fostering a culture of collaboration, we are well-positioned to drive our business forward and achieve outstanding results."

LeBlanc most recently served as executive vice president, capital markets, building and expanding the leadership team for Peachtree's broker-dealer affiliate, Peachtree PC Investors ("PPCI"). He has been instrumental in scaling up PPCI’s capital markets, investor relations and sales efforts and strengthening its financial and compliance operations. Most notably, he brought in Brian Cho as PPCI's president last year, who will continue to oversee all areas of equity capital markets.

"By prioritizing business development, we are positioning ourselves to capitalize on emerging opportunities and navigate the evolving financial landscape," Greg Friedman said.

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About Peachtree Group
Peachtree Group is a vertically integrated investment management firm specializing in identifying and capitalizing on opportunities in dislocated markets, anchored by commercial real estate. Today, the company manages billions in capital across acquisitions, development and lending, augmented by services designed to protect, support and grow its investments. For more information, visit www.peachtreegroup.com.

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In a rapidly shifting economic environment, hotel developers and lenders are adapting their strategies to secure successful outcomes for hotel projects. We sat down with Jared Schlosser, EVP of Hotel Lending and Head of CPACE at Peachtree Group to discuss how rising interest rates and inflationary pressures are influencing lending criteria and financial planning. Hear more insights from Jared during his panel Active Lending at Lodging Conference.

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Q: Given the rising interest rates and inflationary pressures, how are lenders adjusting their underwriting criteria for hotels?

Jared Schlosser: Right now, it's all about cash flow. It’s hard to underwrite any sort of pro forma growth unless there’s a real story behind it. Lenders are focused on the cash flow, and if you can achieve a 13% debt yield or higher, you qualify for generally permanent debt, CMBS, life company, or even bank takeouts. If you don’t meet that threshold, then you typically fall into the private credit space, which is where Peachtree Group comes in.

Q: What are the current trends in loan terms, such as loan-to-value (LTV) ratios or interest rates?

JS: It’s been quite varied, depending on what each lender's risk threshold is. The biggest trend I’m seeing is uncertainty around how long rates will stay elevated. Because of that, borrowers are seeking flexibility. They’re willing to pay a premium for loans with shorter yield maintenance or reduced prepayment penalties. Many are hesitant to lock into long-term fixed-rate debt like they used to.

We provide both fixed-rate and floating-rate loans, but even with fixed-rate products, borrowers are trying to secure as much flexibility as possible. We’re still getting to 70% loan-to-cost (LTC) or LTV, sometimes pushing up to 75% or scaling back, depending on our underwriting. In contrast, the banking market is closer to 50-55% on average, which highlights the difference between our space and traditional banks.

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Q: How should developers adapt their financial strategies in this market?

JS: I always say in a volatile market, get ahead of it. Be proactive—get ahead of your maturity dates and start conversations early, whether it’s with us or other competitors in the space. Early engagement is key right now because the future is so uncertain.

With upcoming elections, the volatility surrounding Federal Reserve policy, and questions about whether rates will be cut or stay elevated longer than expected, liquidity is fluctuating. The sooner borrowers are out in the market looking for refinances or construction financing, and the more well-prepared their packages are, the better their chances of securing favorable terms.

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Peachtree Group is a direct balance sheet lender focused on funding first mortgage bridge loans, mezzanine loans, preferred equity investments, and commercial property assessed clean energy (CPACE) financing, lending to all commercial real estate asset classes with a specialty in hotel financing. The Peachtree Group team has executed more than 297 transactions, originating more than $4.5 billion for projects seeking capital to complete acquisitions, recapitalizations, refinancing and renovations.

ATLANTA (April 2, 2024) – Peachtree Group ("Peachtree") ranked as the seventh largest U.S. commercial real estate investor-driven lender by the Mortgage Bankers Association ("MBA") 2023 loan origination rankings. In 2023, Peachtree deployed over $1.0 billion in commercial real estate credit investments.

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Peachtree was also ranked as the tenth largest U.S. commercial real estate hotel lender, its third consecutive year in the top ten. In addition, the firm was among the leading lenders in the retail, multifamily, industrial and 'other' sectors.  

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"We have experienced a wave of activity since the fourth quarter of 2023, driven by the expectation of persistent high-interest rates and a constrained lending environment from banks," said Greg Friedman, Peachtree's CEO and managing principal. "With traditional lenders stepping back, we have seen a pronounced shift in the capital markets at a time when there is a steep increase in debt maturities within the industry, potentially nearing $1 trillion in this year alone."

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Amid the debt market dislocation, Peachtree has already deployed nearly $1.0 billion in credit transactions this year.

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"The tidal wave of maturities and trillions of dollars more through 2028 favors private credit lenders like Peachtree to capitalize on these opportunities and close the funding gap left by traditional capital channels," Friedman said.

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As a direct commercial real estate lender, Peachtree offers permanent loans, bridge loans, mezzanine loans commercial property-assessed clean energy (CPACE) financing and preferred equity investments across all commercial real estate sectors.

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Stakeholders in the commercial real estate arena are navigating through this era marked by rising capital costs and limited liquidity. These conditions are particularly challenging when securing necessary capital for acquisitions, recapitalization and development initiatives.

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"Years of dedicated effort in building our capital foundation have equipped us to support real estate owners in executing their business strategies, a commitment that remains firm even during uncertain times," Friedman concluded.

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About Peachtree Group
Peachtree Group is a vertically integrated investment management firm specializing in identifying and capitalizing on opportunities in dislocated markets, anchored by commercial real estate. Today, we manage billions in capital across acquisitions, development, and lending, augmented by services designed to protect, support and grow our investments. For more information, visit www.peachtreegroup.com.

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Contact:

Charles Talbert

678-823-7683

ctalbert@peachtreegroup.com

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