Content Partner Archives - REBusinessOnline

Q4 2025 Demand Overview: Industrial and Multifamily Slowed, Office Stabilized, Retail Held Steady

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Lee & Associates’ 2025 Q4 North America Market Report looks at diverging market demand across industrial, office, retail and multifamily spaces nationwide in the last quarter. Demand continued to soften for industrial spaces, while multifamily saw a reversal: decreased demand after seven consecutive quarters of strengthening. Office saw a slow increase in net absorption, but only after six years of negative absorption; retail demand was mixed. Industrial and retail spaces contended with tariff concerns, while all four types of commercial real estate saw either decreased or slowed rent growth in the final quarter of 2025. Lee & Associates’ full, detailed market report is available to read here. The overviews for the sectors below illustrate the market landscape through data on net absorption, leasing and development activity, sales transactions and rent growth, in addition to demand. Industrial Overview: Demand Falls Under Tariff Pressure Falling demand for industrial space continued in 2025 under the added strain of the United States’ aggressive trade and tariff policies affecting commercial property markets across North America. In the United States net absorption declined again in 2025 as tenant and rent growth fell to their lowest levels since the aftermath of the financial crisis. Meanwhile, inventory growth has been scaled back…

The post Q4 2025 Demand Overview: Industrial and Multifamily Slowed, Office Stabilized, Retail Held Steady appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Navigating Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Small Balance Multifamily Loan Programs

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

By Ann Atkinson, Regions Real Estate Capital Markets Most multifamily real estate owners need to finance or refinance their apartment community at some point. Many utilize the small balance multifamily loan programs available through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to do so. Understanding how lenders navigate each phase of the loan cycle can give owners a strategic advantage, especially in a time of elevated rate volatility. A significant amount of multifamily debt is maturing in 2026. Borrowers should not wait to refinance to avoid the concentrated competition later in the year when lenders are faced with refinancing demand. In addition, modest rent growth today offers refinancing upside; and finally, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have higher production caps in 2026, providing more runway for lending. The following overview, based on Regions Real Estate Capital Markets’ experience, outlines five key phases of the process, with helpful tips throughout: 1. Screening and Term Sheet Loan screening kicks off the relationship between borrower and lender. The lender’s production representative often conducts an introductory call with the borrower, who completes an application and provides due diligence items. Access a checklist of items to provide to Regions for screening here. Tip #1: Get all required (and…

The post Navigating Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Small Balance Multifamily Loan Programs appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

AI-Driven Approach Powers the Next Phase of Commercial Real Estate Strategy

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Commercial real estate is in the middle of one of its biggest transitions. For years, the challenge was finding data. Now, the challenge is knowing what to do with it. Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to change that. The conversation has shifted from if we should be using AI to how we can use it in a way that actually improves business outcomes. REBusinessOnline recently spoke with Rob Finlay, founder and CEO of Defease With Ease | Thirty Capital, and Trevor Albarran, VP of product at Lobby AI, about how AI is changing decision-making in commercial real estate (CRE), what early adopters have learned and what leaders should be focusing on next. REBusinessOnline (REBO): What’s the biggest opportunity facing CRE executives today? Rob Finlay: It depends on the context, but right now, AI is the most powerful tool a real estate executive can have in their arsenal. AI finally gives principals — the people paid to think — the space to actually do that. When I started in real estate, I was paid to do. But as my role evolved, my value shifted to thinking — being strategic, motivating teams, and making high-level decisions. AI amplifies that ability. It takes…

The post AI-Driven Approach Powers the Next Phase of Commercial Real Estate Strategy appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Capital Returns as 2025 Signals a Market Reset

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

By Patrick McGlohn, senior managing director, Berkadia After two years of caution and recalibration, capital is flowing back into commercial real estate. The bid-ask gap between buyers and sellers is narrowing, underwriting assumptions are stabilizing and both equity and debt investors are once again finding common ground. At Berkadia, we’re seeing equity move from the sidelines to the playing field, selectively, but decisively. Equity’s Comeback: Selective, but Strong Private equity and institutional investors are increasingly re-entering the market, with activity strongest in the “Smile States,” stretching from Northern Virginia to the western states and extending into major cities like Chicago. Much of the capital is chasing value-add and opportunistic plays rather than core, stabilized assets. Over the past couple of years, many equity investors would only touch preferred equity because of valuation uncertainty, but now we’re seeing common equity return in a meaningful way. The change reflects both greater pricing clarity and a collective sense that the bottom of the market cycle has passed. Navigating the Wall of Maturities The looming wall of debt maturities remains a defining storyline for 2025 and beyond. Nearly $950 billion in commercial mortgages matured in 2025 — roughly 20 percent of all outstanding commercial…

The post Capital Returns as 2025 Signals a Market Reset appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Lee & Associates’ Report: Q3 Results Shaped by Market Uncertainty, Questions of Legality, Tariffs, AI Considerations

Sarah Daniels — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Lee & Associates’ 2025 Q3 North America Market Report examines a commercial real estate landscape experiencing some pauses as the effects of exogenous forces work their way through the market. Economic and legal questions, the second- and third-order effects of tariffs, persistently high costs, unemployment concerns and the new realities of artificial intelligence (AI) have combined to produce mixed results across all property types. Demand for office and retail has increased (and their respective pipelines remain constrained). Of the four property types covered in the report — industrial, office, retail and multifamily — only retail saw transaction momentum in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, the overbuilt industrial and multifamily sectors have witnessed weakening or negative demand in the third quarter. Lee & Associates’ full, detailed market report is available to read here. The overviews for the sectors below reveal a market that seems to be holding its breath, awaiting new information. Industrial Overview: Markets Await Tariff Clarity Net absorption of industrial space increased in the third quarter across North America, but demand was weak and failed again to keep pace with the supply of new buildings, while tenant growth remained hobbled by tariff concerns and interest rates. In the United States, following 8.1 million square feet…

The post Lee & Associates’ Report: Q3 Results Shaped by Market Uncertainty, Questions of Legality, Tariffs, AI Considerations appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Multifamily Operators Elevate Operations, Resident Experience with Bulk Broadband

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Enterprising multifamily players are shifting the industry’s views on community connectivity, elevating broadband from a stand-alone amenity into a performance booster for larger real estate strategies. Rather than leave their residents’ connection quality to chance, these developers, owners and managers are contracting with specialized internet service providers (ISPs) to blanket entire properties with high-speed Wi-Fi access for the best possible online experience. “On the operations side, rolling out community Wi-Fi lets us give residents the full connectivity they expect from other parts of their life, because all areas of the property function together for a seamless experience,” says David Walther, chief revenue officer at third-party property manager Asset Living. Asset Living manages more than 300,000 units at client communities including conventional multifamily, student housing, affordable and other property types across the country. At nearly all student housing and a growing share of the multifamily communities Asset Living manages, matrices of Wi-Fi access points keep residents and property teams alike online as they traverse the property, from inside residential units to pools, fitness centers, garages and other common areas. Earlier this year, Asset Living made internet service provider Pavlov Media a preferred national partner for bulk managed Wi-Fi at its communities.…

The post Multifamily Operators Elevate Operations, Resident Experience with Bulk Broadband appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Lee & Associates’ Report: Q2 Net Absorption Declines Across All Property Sectors Except Multifamily

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Lee & Associates’ 2025 Q2 North America Market Report looks back at shrinking (or negative) net absorption for industrial, office and retail sectors in the last quarter. Meanwhile, multifamily tenant demand beat previous expectations in the same three months, as a feared recession failed to materialize. The mix of factors for absorption varied by property type: industrial and office markets saw increases in vacancy, while competition for retail space remained high, even in the face of high-profile closures. Lee & Associates’ full market report is available to read here (plus detailed vacancy rates, cap rates by city, market rents, square footage information, information on Canadian markets and more). The recaps for industrial, office, retail and multifamily sectors below detail trends and outlooks for each property sector in the remainder of 2025. Industrial Overview: Vacancies Rise, Rent Growth Slows Concern over the impact of tariffs has added to slowing tenant growth in logistics and manufacturing across North America. But the continued easing demand has resulted in more choices and benefits for users that have been subjected to a prolonged stretch of steep rent growth. Vacancies in the United States have risen to 7.4 percent, a decade-long high, while deliveries continued to outpace tenant expansion. Net absorption fell…

The post Lee & Associates’ Report: Q2 Net Absorption Declines Across All Property Sectors Except Multifamily appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Institutional Investors Resume Activity Amid Stabilizing Conditions

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Since the Federal Reserve began raising rates in March 2022 to combat inflation, the real estate market has faced challenges such as rising interest rates, capital market volatility and economic uncertainty. These factors caused many institutional investors to pause their real estate investment activities compared to historical levels. Despite ongoing volatility, investors are gradually re-entering the market, driven by several factors. Key reasons for the pause included a challenging fundraising and capital markets environment, the unpredictable cost of capital, a scarcity of transactions leading to a lack of pricing discovery and widening bid/ask spreads. Some institutional investors were impacted by the “denominator effect,” resulting in an overweighting to real estate and the need for portfolio rebalancing. Additionally, to create bolster funds for other portfolio issues, some institutional investors entered redemption queues seeking liquidity. Broader capital market constraints reduced the availability of equity, while simultaneously driving a growing preference for structuring investments as debt rather than equity among those who remained active. During this period of muted transaction activity, private investors capitalized on the market’s dislocation. These investors increasingly prioritized their acquisition efforts toward newer vintage core and core-plus assets over value-add or development opportunities, reflecting a shift toward higher quality…

The post Institutional Investors Resume Activity Amid Stabilizing Conditions appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Innovative Design Can Promote Positive Outcomes for Continuum of Care Residents

Sarah Daniels — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

As the demand for senior living communities continues to rise, so does the complexity of designing environments that meet the evolving needs of residents across the entire continuum of care. Facilities that seek to cater to independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation needs must strike a balance: fulfilling stringent functional and regulatory requirements while remaining inviting, promoting connection to nature and others and offering comfort for people of all ages and abilities. The biggest challenge, according to designers and seniors housing experts alike, is “seamlessly weaving protective elements, like perimeter security or grade changes, into a design that feels warm and inclusive, not institutional,” explains Adam Alexander, director of planning, landscape architecture and design at Bohler, a land development design and consulting firm. “Features like fences or bollards don’t need to be emphasized as one-note safety features. They should be invisible contributors to a resident’s experience of comfort and care.” An overall trend toward smaller sites for seniors housing means that continuum of care communities are innovators in inclusive and multi-purpose space use. They may also serve to address increasing calls for solutions to the loneliness epidemic ongoing in the lives of many adults. While less square…

The post Innovative Design Can Promote Positive Outcomes for Continuum of Care Residents appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Multifamily, Seniors Housing Sectors Remain Positive Real Estate Performers

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

By Troy Marek, Regions Real Estate Capital Markets As we embark on the second half of 2025 amid some economic uncertainty, there are two bright spots within real estate. Both the multifamily and the seniors housing/healthcare sectors boast strong fundamentals and occupancies. RealPage data indicates 138,302 apartment units were absorbed in the first quarter, and NIC MAP data shows a seniors housing occupancy increase to 87.4 percent, or 621,000 occupied units over the same period. This suggests strong demand in both critical housing sectors, at the same time new supply is slowing. Interest Rates Drive Lending Activity Agencies Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and HUD remain the primary loan providers supporting these two asset classes today. Unsurprisingly, interest rates heavily impact lending activity. Since the Federal Reserve decided to hold rates steady in May, sector experts have been closely watching employment and inflation data, as well as tariff impacts, as all three have the power to influence the Fed to lower rates later this year. With the Federal Reserve deciding to hold rates as-is in June, industry players will continue to keep an eye on the data. Once rates are brought down some, perhaps later this year, multifamily and seniors housing/healthcare…

The post Multifamily, Seniors Housing Sectors Remain Positive Real Estate Performers appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Lee & Associates: Tariffs Add to Q1 Industrial Challenges; All Sectors See Constrained Development

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The end of the first quarter of 2025 saw market uncertainty in the face of new U.S. trade and tariff policies combined with an unclear geopolitical outlook, according to Lee & Associates’ 2025 Q1 North America Market Report. The effect of these concerns within the commercial real estate world are most evident in the industrial sector, which is also contending with oversupply and softening rent growth. Development is slow across property types. Retail, despite high-profile store closures in early 2025, remains historically tight on space as years of underbuilding keep availabilities near record lows. Office demand has stabilized in several major metros following years of contraction, though vacancy remains elevated. The pipeline of new construction is both drying up and favoring new types of tenants beyond traditional office spaces. Multifamily is seeing strong tenant demand in certain markets despite a flood of new deliveries. Lee & Associates has made their full market report available here (click through for detailed breakdowns and city-by-city information). The information below for the industrial, office, retail and multifamily sectors offers clarity on market-wide demand, rent growth trends and challenges likely to shape trajectories throughout 2025. Industrial Overview: Soft Markets Face Tariff Disruptions North America’s industrial markets…

The post Lee & Associates: Tariffs Add to Q1 Industrial Challenges; All Sectors See Constrained Development appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Looking to Finance Your Multifamily Property? Compare Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Small Balance Loan Options

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

By Ann Atkinson, Regions Real Estate Capital Markets Finance options for owner/operators of multifamily properties are consistently available via Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Both government-sponsored entities (GSEs), are governed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and share a clear mission to support the health of the country’s housing market and its existing multifamily supply by providing financing options to borrowers. Loans Accessible for Affordable, Workforce Properties The support provided by both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to multifamily housing notably extends beyond market-rate rental properties, with both agencies dedicated to the availability of affordable and workforce housing units to low-income renters. Thus, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offer good loan options to consider for owner/operators active in these multifamily subsets. Let’s compare their offerings specific to small balance loans, as these are often the appropriate solutions for this range of multifamily properties. Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac programs offer financing for the acquisition or refinance of stabilized multifamily properties. The properties must include five or more residential units and be stabilized. The agencies define stabilized as 90 percent occupancy for 90 days. In addition, both programs offer the following product features for small loans: Let’s now…

The post Looking to Finance Your Multifamily Property? Compare Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Small Balance Loan Options appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Invest in Stability: Section 8 Housing Offers Strong Returns and Community Impact

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

By David Leopold, SVP, Head of Affordable Housing, Berkadia In today’s shifting real estate landscape, investors increasingly prioritize stability and long-term value. One sector that has consistently demonstrated stability is affordable housing — particularly Section 8 properties backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With guaranteed rental income and high demand, Section 8 housing has become an attractive investment vehicle for those looking to diversify their portfolios while contributing to the critical need for affordable housing. As part of this trend, in 2024 Berkadia financed $837 million and sold more than $172 million in Section 8 properties, including the sale and financing of Lauderhill Point, a Section 8 affordable housing community in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This arrangement underpins the firm’s affordable housing expertise, employing production leaders with an average of 25 years in the sector. For investors exploring opportunities in affordable housing, success depends on understanding the unique benefits and requirements of Section 8 properties. Section 8 Housing as a Safe Haven The largest federal subsidized housing program in the United States, project-based Section 8 provides financial assistance to millions of households across the country, making it a steady source of demand that can give…

The post Invest in Stability: Section 8 Housing Offers Strong Returns and Community Impact appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Lee & Associates Report: Final Quarter 2024 Net Absorption Trends in Industrial, Office Likely Temporary; Multifamily, Retail Net Absorption Trajectories Stickier

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Lee & Associates’ 2024 Q4 North America Market Report looks back at the tenant demand, absorption rates and vacancy trends for industrial, office, retail and multifamily sectors nationwide to extrapolate what might be on the horizon for 2025 and beyond. While net absorption in industrial and retail is down from the same period in 2023, the reasons — too much supply in the pipeline versus too little — are opposite for each sector. Similar mirroring due to reverse factors can be seen in the net positive absorption last quarter in office and multifamily. Net industrial absorption was down 45 percent in the last quarter of 2024, compared to the same quarter in 2023. However, vacancy rates are likely to decline this year due to a lower volume of construction starts completing in 2025. New in-office policies among prominent companies contributed to the office market’s second consecutive quarter of positive absorption, but overall, office vacancy numbers are expected to continue rising until 2026. Low vacancy and factors challenging development meant very few options for retail tenants seeking new, high-quality space. Retail tenants in the food and beverage arena have been taking advantage of increased national spending on food outside the home…

The post Lee & Associates Report: Final Quarter 2024 Net Absorption Trends in Industrial, Office Likely Temporary; Multifamily, Retail Net Absorption Trajectories Stickier appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Multifamily, Industrial, Office Transaction Activity Trends Upward Amid Shifting Valuation Landscape

Sarah Daniels — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The spike in interest rates nearly three years ago brought investment sales to a virtual standstill, as deep disagreements over valuation between buyers and sellers dominated the market. While recent Federal Reserve cuts to the federal funds rate raised hope for a resurgence in transactions, ongoing volatility in the bond market, concerns about reemerging inflation and uncertainty over fiscal and monetary policy continued to weigh on a full-blown rebound in investment activity. The uncertain environment makes it difficult for investors to easily evaluate commercial property values, underscoring the importance of access to comprehensive, real-time data on transactions, market fundamentals and emerging trends, says Alex Hoenig, MAI, Midwest regional managing director at Apprise, Walker & Dunlop’s independent valuation firm. “Our understanding of current values for commercial real estate relies on transactions actually taking place, and sales velocity has started to inch back up,” reports Hoenig. “But there’s no question that there has been a lot of volatility in the market, which requires a local expert with access to a strong network and a constant pulse on market comparables.” Walker & Dunlop launched Apprise in 2020 to accelerate technology-driven solutions in the commercial real estate sector. Apprise serves owners and investors nationwide,…

The post Multifamily, Industrial, Office Transaction Activity Trends Upward Amid Shifting Valuation Landscape appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Part 2: Elective Refinances, New Business Plans: What’s Driving Activity Today?

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

By David DiRienzo, director — business development, at Talonvest Capital, Inc. This is part two of a two-part series discussing the key drivers behind transaction volume and the steps owners can take to ensure they are well positioned going forward. As highlighted in part one, despite substantial changes in the market over the past few years, the capital markets continue to offer quality financing solutions for real estate owners. Part two of this article series delves into two key drivers of current financing activity: elective refinancing to optimize the capital stack and the initiation of new business plans. Given the plethora of value-add projects in the pipeline and the interest in undertaking new business plans as equity capital returns to the market, these financing strategies are taking on greater importance than in past years. Interestingly, elective refinancing and starting a new business plan are two scenarios where the borrower’s actions are optional because an impending maturity is not a consideration. For this reason, it is important that borrowers understand the nuances behind these strategies as well as the approach that a capital expert might take. Elective Refinancing to Maximize Investment Performance While loan maturities trigger many refinancings, owners run into a…

The post Part 2: Elective Refinances, New Business Plans: What’s Driving Activity Today? appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Collaborative Construction: How Contractors, Engineering Teams Together Drive Project Success

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Some commercial real estate developers work primarily with architects and engineers to establish a project’s scope and expected cost, leaving the selection of a general contractor or project manager until they are nearly ready to break ground. And by following this traditional approach, they may be leaving money on the table. A better practice is to engage contractors during project planning, industry experts advise. That’s because experienced contractors can provide practical insight into pricing and availability of materials and labor, informing critical planning decisions. Those same builders can be a sounding board for site civil engineers mapping out site preparation, utility installation, access and sequencing for the various tradespeople working on a project. “Involving a general contractor early is particularly beneficial for large-scale or phased construction projects,” says Daniel Hines, a principal in Bohler’s Charlotte office. “It enables us to approach the design more strategically, reduce costs and deliver more accurate timelines.” “The overall goal of getting a general contractor and an engineer working together is to maintain your schedule and your budget,” agrees Jeff Mitchell, director in the Charlotte, North Carolina office of Duffey Southeast Construction Inc. “Engineers are the experts at designing projects, but ultimately it is the…

The post Collaborative Construction: How Contractors, Engineering Teams Together Drive Project Success appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Part 1: Navigating the Financing Landscape: What’s Driving Activity Today?

Sarah Daniels — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000

By David DiRienzo, director — business development, at Talonvest Capital, Inc. This is part one of a two-part series discussing the key drivers behind transaction volume and the steps owners can take to ensure they are well-positioned going forward. Much has been written about the decline in transaction volumes over the last 24 months. There is no question that properties are changing hands at a slower pace compared to the activity seen during the low interest rate environment that prevailed during the pandemic. Even so, many investors continue to seek out financing to address a variety of circumstances. In today’s market, beyond simply refinancing due to an upcoming loan maturity, three scenarios have been driving financing activity among owners of self-storage, multifamily and industrial assets: restructuring debt as a project evolves, elective refinancing to improve performance and capitalizing on a new business plan. We will cover the first theme below in part one of this two-part series. Business Plan Progression Offers Opportunities for Owners to Unlock Value As a business plan evolves and the asset matures, it’s beneficial for owners to reassess their capital stack to optimize investment performance and maximize their goals. Completing a refinance at a natural project inflection…

The post Part 1: Navigating the Financing Landscape: What’s Driving Activity Today? appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

Lee & Associates: Absorption Is Positive Across All Property Types According to Third-Quarter Report

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 13:16:13 +0000

Perhaps the most salient information within Lee & Associates’ 2024 Q3 North America Market Report pertains to the office market. The third quarter of 2024 ended nine continuous quarters of negative net absorption in the office sector. However, additional occupancy losses may be on the horizon for the office market, even as supply pressures ease for this property type. Positive retail news has led to positive industrial news, as rising demand for retail goods has bolstered tenant demand for industrial space just as additional industrial inventory is coming on line. Steady economic growth and continuing impediments to home ownership have created strong absorption in the multifamily sector. Rent growth and vacancy rates have largely plateaued. Lee & Associates has made their complete third-quarter report available here (with more detailed information broken down according to property type). Below is an overview of the strengths and challenges in the industrial, office, retail and multifamily sectors. Industrial Overview: U.S. Demand Spikes Industrial demand across the United States dramatically improved in the third quarter. There were 52.8 million square feet of positive net absorption in the country in the third quarter, a 76 percent jump from the same period a year ago and more than double the…

The post Lee & Associates: Absorption Is Positive Across All Property Types According to Third-Quarter Report appeared first on REBusinessOnline.

C-PACE Maintains Appeal in Lower Interest Rate Environment

Sarah Daniels — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The Federal Reserve’s decision to begin aggressively hiking the federal funds rate in 2022 threw the commercial real estate market into turmoil. Property investors found it difficult to refinance much cheaper short-term loans that were often used to renovate or develop properties. However, the interest rate spike greatly enhanced the viability of commercial property assessed clean energy (C-PACE) financing, a type of loan that becomes an assessment that borrowers pay along with their tax bill. The program emerged more than a decade ago and generally pays for energy, water and seismic resiliency upgrades in new construction and rehabs, including retroactively. As a result, developers embraced C-PACE as they sought ways to pay down debt to secure new financing or loan extensions and modifications. Sponsored: A smarter way to finance your next CRE project – PACE Loan Group Now that the Federal Reserve has reversed course with its 50-basis-point federal funds rate reduction in September — and with Wall Street anticipating additional rate cuts before the end of the year — will C-PACE demand start to cool? Don’t count on it, says Rafi Golberstein, founder and CEO of PACE Loan Group, a direct lender of C-PACE financing based in Minneapolis, Minn.…

The post C-PACE Maintains Appeal in Lower Interest Rate Environment appeared first on REBusinessOnline.