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Real estate outlook 2016: Create your deals

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Okay, a new year is upon us. The last several of them have been fraught with volatility and uncertainty, but that doesn’t mean you have to be volatile and uncertain.

I’ve been in this business a long time, so I think I’m safe to make a few recommendations that will help you prosper in the months ahead.

Create the deals

The continuing search for yield will be a major theme this year.

And most people won’t find it. Instead, they’ll have to create yield the way I do it. You have to get out there and make it happen. Create the deals.

It isn’t going to be easy. You’ll probably have to start changing your business plan now.

For example, I’ve been meeting with a bunch of new family offices that are looking to do real estate deals.

Pay it forward

The number one thing you’ll need to do this year in the real estate business is pay it forward. I do it by helping at least a couple of the kids every year who are graduating from the many university real estate programs.

I help them get a foothold in the industry, but then I continue to help as much as I can as they move ahead in their careers. It’s the right thing to do, and it always pay dividends.

Sell – or not

Now, on the more technical site, Otto Travieso, CCIM, of Real Capital Partners, LLC, told me that if you need to sell, now is the time.

That’s absolutely true. But, if you have great cash flow in a great location, I think it’s time to add some debt. I don’t think rates will skyrocket, but they are heading up.

Retail

Retail is still good, but be careful. Check on the credit worthiness of current and potential tenants. Watch the slow-pays and no-pays. Try to focus on goods and services that can’t be provided online.

Office

I like office in the right location. Not so much in the wrong location. In the “donuts” – those self-contained environments where people live, work and play, I want to be right there. And I might even build more if there isn’t enough space next to the apartments and hotels.

Apartments

Pick and choose. Make sure you have the right operator. If you own a good property, put some long-term debt on it and make it an asset of a solid family office structure. Something for the kids to inherit.

Condos

Condos will be okay in South Florida and will continue to evolve. Watch for interviews with Carlos Rosso of Related Group and Gil Dezer of Dezer Developments about this subject in the coming weeks.

Those are the high points. Click here to listen to the audio of my commercial real estate outlook 2016.

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In Episode 827 of Fried on Business, host Jim Fried is joined by capital markets expert Michael Cohen, founding partner of Brighton Capital Advisors, to talk about where the money is—and how to get it—in today’s evolving real estate environment.

With interest rates elevated and banks pulling back on commercial lending, many investors and developers are facing a new challenge: how to secure capital for deals in a shifting, risk-conscious market. Michael offers real-time insights into how Brighton Capital Advisors helps clients bridge that gap with creative financing strategies, tailored debt solutions, and targeted equity partnerships.

The conversation covers:

How capital markets are reacting to rate pressure

The role of private credit and alternative lenders

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How to position deals to attract institutional interest

Trends in debt restructuring, refinancing, and construction lending

Michael also shares lessons from working across market cycles, emphasizing transparency, speed, and strategic alignment as the new pillars of deal-making.

Whether you're a developer, investor, broker, or family office executive, this episode will give you clear insights on navigating capital markets in 2025 and beyond.

🎧 Tune in and discover how smart capital strategy is still possible—even in a tight financial environment.

🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

In Episode 827 of Fried on Business, host Jim Fried is joined by capital markets expert Michael Cohen, founding partner of Brighton Capital Advisors, to talk about where the money is—and how to get it—in today’s evolving real estate environment.

With interest rates elevated and banks pulling back on commercial lending, many investors and developers are facing a new challenge: how to secure capital for deals in a shifting, risk-conscious market. Michael offers real-time insights into how Brighton Capital Advisors helps clients bridge that gap with creative financing strategies, tailored debt solutions, and targeted equity partnerships.

The conversation covers:

How capital markets are reacting to rate pressure

The role of private credit and alternative lenders

Which asset classes are getting funded—and which are stalled

How to position deals to attract institutional interest

Trends in debt restructuring, refinancing, and construction lending

Michael also shares lessons from working across market cycles, emphasizing transparency, speed, and strategic alignment as the new pillars of deal-making.

Whether you're a developer, investor, broker, or family office executive, this episode will give you clear insights on navigating capital markets in 2025 and beyond.

🎧 Tune in and discover how smart capital strategy is still possible—even in a tight financial environment.

🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

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🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

In Episode 824 of Fried on Business, host Jim Fried welcomes Ed Cairo, founder and principal of American Home Finance Group, for a timely and strategic conversation about the state of the mortgage market in 2025.

As homebuyers, investors, and real estate professionals navigate the uncertainty of rising interest rates, tighter lending conditions, and shifting credit strategies, Ed brings clarity and practical advice from the front lines of financing.

Drawing on decades of experience in residential and investment property lending, Ed shares:

What interest rate movements mean for first-time buyers and investors

How banks are changing their underwriting in today’s market

The biggest mortgage mistakes buyers are making right now

When refinancing makes sense—and when it doesn’t

How brokers can better educate and guide their clients

Whether you're trying to secure a home loan, advising clients, or investing in income property, this episode delivers the financial insights you need to make smart, confident decisions.

Ed also discusses how private lenders and smaller firms are stepping up as big banks tighten credit, and why personalized service is more important than ever in today’s lending landscape.

🎧 Tune in now for a real-world look at what’s happening behind the mortgage curtain—and how to use it to your advantage.



🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

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🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

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With inventory rising and interest rate pressures reshaping buyer behavior, Peter gives a candid and research-backed look into what’s really happening in South Florida’s most dynamic property segment. The conversation explores pricing correction signals, stalled absorption rates, and how developers and brokers are reacting—or not reacting—to shifting conditions.

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🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

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🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

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🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

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Warren Henry Automotive is a sponsor of Fried on Business. This episode features a discussion of their training program as part of that ongoing relationship.

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🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6126418013716480

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