The Problem In the past five years the New York City multifamily market has experienced tremendous fluctuations. The passing of HSTPA in June of 2019 was the starting point of a transformative marketplace.  COVID ushered in new regulations and record low interest rates. This was quickly replaced with rapid rates hikes causing valuations to drop precipitously. Minimal rental increases for rent stabilized properties combined with upwards pressure on costs have created a distressed situation for both borrowers and lenders. Cash flow constraints, depressed valuations, and rates doubling when loans roll…

Despite being in the commercial real estate business and not the residential market there is a surprising amount of emotion involved in my day to day. Many of the clients our team has represented in 2024 have been selling long-held family heirlooms disguised as rent stabilized apartment buildings. My goal is to clarify the underwriting norms for rent-regulated buildings in 2024, easing emotions and setting realistic expectations from the onset. How We Got Here New York is different than the rest of the country. Vacant buildings can often be more…

My team and I often get asked: who are the buyers and sellers, and are deals actually getting done? Transactions are happening but there are more obstacles than ever before. Our team has taken on a record amount of new inventory and the pace seems to be increasing each month. The motivation behind new inventory is driven by maturing or rollover debt, sellers not seeing a path to profitability, inability to complete or pay for compliance mandates, and general management fatigue. Rent stabilized buildings aren’t selling themselves. The broker, as…