Agenda- Eastern Standard Time

• How competitive is the real estate financing market today? What is the role of banks, debt funds, insurance companies and ‘new’ alternative lenders in the current lending landscape?
• Assessing social, political, and economic risk: what level of risk is acceptable in today’s climate? Are lenders becoming more cautious?
• What do the expected changes to interest rates and inflation mean for real estate debt? 
• What is happening to pricing across the US? How does the cost of capital vary between refinancing, development, and new acquisition financing?
• How has the US real estate and mezzanine lending markets changed since the onset of COVID-19 and what are the predictions for 2022 and beyond?

• Asset class favorites: with so much capital chasing so few opportunities, which sectors are providing the most upside? 
• Hunting for yield: how are secondary and tertiary markets performing? What levels of returns can be expected?
• Are industrial, multifamily, and self-storage priced to perfection?  
• What is the outlook for office, retail, and hospitality? What is the current appetite for mezzanine lenders to (re-) finance deals in these sectors? 
• What is the availability of debt finance for niche asset classes?

• How does mezzanine and high yield debt fit into the capital stack?
• What is the current appetite for mezzanine debt: who is providing it and what are they financing? 
• Will deal flow in the mezzanine space start to accelerate as we move out of the pandemic or is preferred equity now the go-to structure for high yield debt?  
• What are the pros and cons of a senior subordinated structure? Is the market moving to a senior mezzanine structure? 
• How is the rise in real estate debt funds impacting the mezzanine loan market?

• Traditional vs. non-traditional lenders: which do borrowers prefer and why? What are the pros and cons of each what type of financing?
• Relationship lending: does it really exist or is lending purely transaction driven? What are the key characteristics to look for in a lender?
• What are the biggest changes that have been seen in terms of sourcing finance since the pandemic? How easy has it been to secure funding over the past year?
• What types of real estate are you looking to finance with mezzanine debt?

Technology’s role in the future of the real estate debt market 

• Innovative financing platforms, crowdfunding, marketplace lending, digital lending: how will traditional lenders innovate to stay relevant?
• How are new dynamic financing models being regulated? And what happens in a market downturn? Do new models work through a real estate cycle?
• How can disruptive technologies make the real estate lending market more efficient?