The Good, the Bad, and the Unknowns: CRE Finance Trends and Tips for ‘25
Strategies for Navigating the Ups and Downs of Today’s Commercial Real Estate Landscape
By Joe Derhake, PE, CEO of Partner Engineering and Science Inc., and Eric Enloe, MAI, CRE, FRICS, Senior Managing Director of Partner Valuation Advisors | Published Feb. 26, 2025, on GlobeSt.com.
The recent MBA CREF conference was illuminating both on a macro forecast level, as well as in several important themes that emerged. MBA is projecting a positive year overall, but not as positive as previously forecasted - MBA revised its 2025 C/MF mortgage lending forecast down to 16% from its August 2024 projection of 24%. MBA’s chief economist and other panelists pointed to a mix of tailwinds and headwinds, including:
- A strong appetite to lend across all debt types
- Significant unpredictability – in the 10-year treasury, macroeconomic environment, and the US economic and policy environment
- Continued elevated interest rates, and borrowers continuing to wait for drops
- The “wall of maturities”, while an overplayed term, will be a reality in 2025 with nearly $1 trillion in CRE mortgages set to mature
- Lenders will likely take a “no more free extensions” stance, adding to the maturities and forcing some action in the form of sales, refi’s, loan workouts, or foreclosures
In this Globe St. article, Joe Derhake and Eric Enloe break down key property trends for 2025 and beyond and offer guidance on how to make the most of this unique market.
Senior Housing Sector Getting Hit With Depressed Demand, Billions In Loan Maturities
Published in Bisnow National on Sept. 4, 2023
Betting on a forecast "silver tsunami" of baby boomers seeking varying levels of at-home healthcare after retiring, developers in the five years leading up to the pandemic poured billions into new assisted living centers and skilled-care facilities.
But now, with that population hesitating to take the step into senior housing, many of these bets are in question as the sector deals with a labor shortage, depressed demand, and $2B in encroaching loan maturities.
Read more in this article, featuring Partner's own, Brian Chandler.
Holistic Approach to Affordable Housing Due Diligence and Impact on Valuation
By JR Lephew, Director of Affordable Housing at Partner Engineering and Science, Inc,
and Owen “Chip” Ard, MAI, at Partner Valuation Advisors
The due diligence process is critical for ensuring the success and sustainability of affordable housing projects. The margins for affordable housing developers and owners are razor thin, and it is critical that they have a full understanding of the project's needs to ensure profitability and achieve the highest possible valuation.
Read more in this article from GlobeSt.com.
How Retail Owners Are Staying Profitable in Today's Market
By Joseph Miller, MAI, MRICS, Managing Director
Value changes in retail assets are not as dramatic as in other sectors, but landlords must fine-tune tenant mix and address big-box vacancies to stay viable.
While the retail market is undoubtedly difficult right now, the positive news is that retail is no longer the least desirable asset class. The commercial real estate slowdown has affected all asset classes, but the retail market, which faced its own difficulties prior to rising interest rates and return-to-work challenges, is somewhat less impacted. Unlike industrial and multifamily properties, retail did not see significant pricing spikes over the last few years. While cap rates are increasing on retail properties, the changes in value are not as dramatic as with other sectors.
Read more in this article from GlobeSt.com.
Strategies for Office Properties in a Down Market
By Eric Enloe, Senior Managing Director
As the office market struggles to recover, property owners and managers are challenged to preserve value through leasing efforts and must embrace resourceful, creative asset management and repositioning strategies.
Read more in this article from GlobeSt.com.
Four Ways to Safeguard the Value of Your Construction From a Market Drop
By Eric Enloe, Senior Managing Director
Unlike existing assets, construction projects lack financial history to demonstrate value—there’s no rent roll, leases, or income statements for an appraiser to review. How, then, do commercial valuation consultants place a value on a construction project?
In this article, Eric Enloe, of Partner Valuation Advisors, discusses how to evaluate and protect a construction project’s value.
Partner Valuation Advisors’ Michael Wahl Emphasizes Investors’ Need for Up-to-Date Data
By Michael Wahl, Managing Director
Partner Valuation Advisors' new Managing Director, Michael Wahl, was interviewed by ConnectCRE's Paul Bubny to discuss what insights Michael is seeing in the current market and what investors should be mindful of. In this discussion, Michael discusses property values, factors that could affect valuations, and what data is relevant to the current market. Read the full interview here.
2023 Multifamily Outlook: Cautiously Optimistic
By Scott Belksy, Managing Director
At the CREFC (Commercial Real Estate Finance Council) January Conference 2023, stakeholders in the multifamily market discussed, among other topics, their expectations for the coming year. Despite the forecasted recession, most seemed cautiously optimistic, and projections were far from dire. Our own observations of the multifamily market align with this perspective. Read the full outlook here.