Decade Answers: Tony Sabatino

Tony Sabatino is an associate broker at Realty USA, Albany, N.Y. What was one of your corporate or career highlights of the decade? I have been Realty USA's top commercial broker for 10 consecutive years. From 2005 to 2008 I listed, and sold the William Boyd property. I had it under contract 4 times. The building consisted of 64,000 s/f on 1.3 acres in downtown Albany. I was responsible for purchase of 20 mulitifamily buildings in 90 days, and keeping the project under budget. I acted as broker for an intentional unknown purchaser. The purpose, was the assemblage and take down of those properties ,for medical buildings for Albany Medical Center. What are your predictions for commercial real estate in the new decade? I expect 2010 will continue to provide mixed signals with regard to the recovering economy and real estates markets. It will be interesting to see if inflation raises it's ugly head. Transactions should increase, but volume will be lower. Commercial mortgage will also be an question mark. Many loans will mature in 2011 and 2012. In order to refinance these mortgages the capital markets will need to restart their engines, hopefully that will happen, if not, there will be a abundance of inventory available. No matter what any one says, or predicts. Office, retail, apartment, medical, industrial, and hospitality will all face challenges in the coming months, and only the well priced properties will sell.