Deconstruct

For the most part, construction lending has dried up across the country, with more and more regional banks pulling back from financing ground-up real estate projects. But Kennedy Wilson, a lender based out of Los Angeles, sees opportunity in that. With more lenders on the sidelines, Kennedy Wilson can take advantage of lending to what it determines are the best borrowers and the best projects. And by being active, it can help take some construction loans off regional banks' balance sheets. The Real Deal's Deconstruct chatted with Thomas Whitesell, Kennedy Wilson's head of debt originations, about how the firm is choosing what to lend on, its optimism for multifamily and the difficulties with office-to-resi conversions.

Discussing the NAR settlement and its implications on real estate agent commissions. Exploring the perspectives of industry experts on the changes and the impact on agents and homebuyers. Analyzing the potential effects of altering commission structures on home prices and the evolving dynamics in real estate commissions.

Democrats in Congress introduced a bill to stop hedge fund ownership of single-family homes, affecting developers specializing in build-to-rent. The podcast discusses the rise of institutional investors in the single-family rental market, recent real estate regulation updates, luxury tower sales in downtown LA, and the impact of developers building homes for renting.

From Chicago to San Francisco, office buildings continue to trade at astonishing discounts and reappraisals show value declines as high as 80 percent. But is there further left to fall? The Real Deal's Chicago Bureau Chief Sam Lounsberry and West Coast Bureau Chief Isabella Farr weigh in.

Gil Dezer discusses his success in building branded condos in South Florida, including the Porsche Design Tower and Armani Residences. He shares insights on pre-sales at the upcoming Bentley Tower, construction loans, and his confidence in South Florida. Dezer also talks about his love for luxury cars, including recent additions to his collection.

If you're on RETwit (now Real Estate X), you've probably read Don Tepman's posts. You just didn't know it. Tepman, who heads University Avenue Partners, is StripMallGuy, the once anonymous X account that amassed over 200k followers since 2021. Tepman, now unmasked, sits down with Deconstruct to talk why he went public and of course, what's next for strip malls.

The podcast delves into the challenges faced by Arbor Realty Trust due to issues with loans in CLOs, with insights from Vicerory Research. It also explores real estate controversies, risks in the industry, loan refinancing for property rehabilitation, and Arbor's unique borrower negotiation strategies.

Learn about the evolution of CRE CLO post-2008 crisis, controversies around luxury construction projects, distressed properties, and refinancing challenges. Discover the differences between CRE CLOs and CMBS deals, and how investors are protected in CRE CLOs.

New York Community Bank reported a surprise loss in the fourth quarter, took an axe to its dividend and socked away over $500 million for commercial real estate losses. The bank's stock sunk to a 23-year low and other regional lenders fell in response. Is NYCB a red flag or a one-off for CRE distress in the banking space? Deconstruct digs in.

Not many commercial brokers branch out to start their own brokerages. But in 2015, Kyle Matthews did. Today, his Nashville-based firm Matthews Real Estate has done more than $50 billion in deals and about 650 agents. Most of what Matthews is focused on is advising clients — helping buyers and sellers sort out investments and identify pockets of opportunity. At a time when some asset classes (hint: multifamily and office) are struggling across the Sun Belt, Matthews thinks there's never been a better time for brokers to take on this role. The Real Deal's Deconstruct chatted with Matthews about how values dropping presents an opportunity for buyers and what he's predicting across the Sun Belt in 2024.