2022 Year in Review: Judah Hammer, Meridian Capital Group

What was your greatest professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2022?

My team’s ability to adjust and persevere. Real estate 101- owners need to borrow, banks need to lend - it’s a top-level intermediary/advisor’s job to place the right deal and sponsor with the right lender. We have done an incredible job juggling through volatility. We closed over 100 loan transactions with 23 distant lenders. Relationships mean everything.

What emerging trends will drive investment and development in 2023?

The message for 2023 is defense wins championships. Get through this turbulence and you should come out on top. Don’t be too aggressive, pick your spots, and have discipline–if you position yourself well and have strong liquidity, cash is king. You will see the opportunities with a lot less competition. Brokers won’t be shopping sales to the entire market. They will be approaching the buyers that have the highest hit rate/ability to close. The sponsors with strong cash positions will be able to clean up and talk about how great 2023 was in 2025/2026 when cap rates are back in the 4s (we hope!).