Commercial borrowers with strong projects can expect lots of choice for funding in the coming year, despite rapid changes in risk, interest rates and values.
So says commercial real estate financier Morley Greene, the founder and president of Vancouver-based Trez Capital. “It’s a great time to be a borrower in this space,” says Greene. “I see a lot of competition in the marketplace with everyone just driving down the rates to get the money out there.”
Unlike traditional lenders, Greene specializes in short-term financing for commercial properties undergoing repositioning or renovation. Founded in 1997, Trez Capital now manages a portfolio of more than $1.46 billion, placing it among Canada’s largest private commercial lenders.
Greene says that his success is due to liquid assets, luck, and strategy. He went into Alberta at the right time, for example. He also doesn’t fund projects such as hotels and golf resorts, which are particularly challenging right now.
Keeping current with rapid changes in interest rates and asset values is crucial too. “Right now, values are very high,” says Greene. “A lot of people are buying stuff right now just to buy. They want to have it on their balance sheets just to grow. In our business, the best thing we can do is get back our money. A guy will pay back with interest or he won’t. You’ve got to be careful that you don’t chase transactions just to get them on the books.”
Note: This article appeared on page 40 in the Spring 2013 Real Estate Forum magazine, which can be read in it’s totality at: http://www.realestateforums.com/crefm/docs/!_REF_SPRING_2013_Montreal.pdf.
