Commercial Real Estate Now

Hosted by Karly Iacono

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256

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Commercial Real Estate Now explores the trends, investment strategies, and market shifts shaping commercial real estate today through an investor and capital markets lens. Hosted by Karly Iacono, the show features conversations with leading investors, operators, developers, and industry experts covering retail, capital markets, AI, consumer trends, and the forces driving where capital is moving next. Subscribe today and stay informed to stay ahead.

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October 22, 202622 min

Are College Towns a Hidden Retail Gem? | What’s in Store with Karly and Chris

Are college towns the retail markets investors keep overlooking? Karly Iacono and Chris Ressa of DLC break down why shopping centers near universities can outperform what the demographics suggest, from back-to-school spending to game-day crowds, and how to underwrite a market where the census misses much of the demand. CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome and Halloween costume check-in 02:35 Why college towns? The retail case 03:22 What draws DLC to a college market 07:33 Sales and traffic: Target and Walmart data 09:34 Seasonality: what happens when students leave 12:47 Risks: funding, enrollment and AI 15:05 Sports as a demand driver: FBS, Omaha and Williamsport 18:10 Underwriting: thesis, cap rates and comps 21:16 The brokerage view 22:25 Wrap-up #CommercialRealEstate #RetailRealEstate #CollegeTowns #CRE #WhatsInStore Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

October 16, 202635 min

Bullish on Retail Real Estate: ICSC COO Whitney Livingston on Where the Opportunity Is

Sales per square foot no longer tells the whole story. Today's store is a fulfillment center, a discovery space, and a marketing billboard, and the smartest retailers are using all of it. Whitney Livingston, Chief Operating Officer of ICSC, built Centennial from 8 assets to 32 before taking the operational helm of the industry's largest convening organization. Few leaders see retail real estate from as many angles. In this conversation: ✦ How stores make money now, and how we should measure success ✦ Strong fundamentals vs capital markets pressure ✦ Why redevelopment will unlock before new development ✦ ICSC's next gen surge and the talent pipeline ✦ ICSC+ Tech, ICSC+ Women in CRE, and what's coming in 2027 Learn more at ICSC.com #commercialrealestate #RetailRealEstate #ICSC #Investing Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

September 24, 20266 min

Equipment Rental Net Lease vs. Industrial Outdoor Storage: Same Land, Different Trade

Same physical profile, completely different underwrite. United Rentals and Sunbelt Rentals anchor the equipment rental net lease space, but one carries an S&P investment-grade rating and the other doesn't — and neither trades like industrial outdoor storage (IOS), even though both sit on sub-20% FAR land. Karly Iacono breaks down the tenant credit, cap rates, and lease structures that actually separate these two products. 0:22 The key tenants: United Rentals vs. Sunbelt 1:23 Equipment rental vs. IOS — same land, different play 1:53 IOS vacancy and the mark-to-market gap 2:57 Tenant credit: IOS vs. equipment rental 3:54 Cap rates by market tier 4:20 Lease term and escalation structure 5:16 The bottom line Subscribe to Commercial Real Estate Now for weekly net lease and capital markets breakdowns. #CommercialRealEstate #NetLease #creative Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

September 11, 202636 min

Why Institutions Are Under-Allocated to Retail Real Estate

Retail real estate is outperforming — so why are institutions still under-allocated to it? In this episode of What's In Store?, Karly Iacono and Chris Ressa look at retail through an institutional lens: how institutional investors underwrite, price, and allocate capital to retail differently than private buyers, and why retail still lags multifamily and industrial in institutional portfolios. Topics covered: -Why retail sits at just 13% of institutional holdings vs. 29% for multifamily and 34% for industrial (NCREIF data) -How the allocation gap traces back to the 2008 financial crisis, not today's fundamentals -Co-tenancy clauses demystified: what triggers a violation, what remedies apply, and why newer leases increasingly favor landlords -CAM billing and operational complexity — real underwriting concern or overstated risk? -The NOI growth story: why rising rents and tight vacancy make the case for retail right now -Is retail "the next multifamily" from a cap rate and stability standpoint? Whether you're an institutional allocator or a private investor, this episode breaks down why the smart money is starting to take a second look at retail. 🔔 Subscribe to stay informed at the intersection of retail and real estate. #CommercialRealEstate #RetailRealEstate #InstitutionalInvesting #NetLease #CRE #CapitalMarkets #WhatsInStore Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

August 20, 202633 min

The Retail Real Estate Supply Crunch: What the Next 5 Years Look Like for Landlords & Tenants

Vacancy is historically low, retailers want more space, and new construction still doesn't pencil — so what breaks the logjam? In this episode, Karly Iacono of CBRE and Chris Ressa of DLC dig into the structural dynamics driving today's retail real estate market and what the next five years could look like for landlords and tenants alike. They cover: *Why meaningful new shopping center development in the U.S. remains elusive *The push-pull between supply-constrained landlords and expansion-hungry retailers *How lease negotiation dynamics are shifting and which provisions are (and aren't) moving *Brand partnerships and retail cross-branding in unexpected places Whether you're a landlord, retailer, broker, or just obsessed with where retail is headed, this one's for you. #RetailRealEstate #CRE #Retail #ShoppingCenters #commercialrealestate Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

July 16, 202610 min

Net Lease Tenant Credit Decoded: 3 Buckets Behind 2026's Biggest Expansions

Real expansion is happening in net lease right now with a focus on gas convenience, drive-thru coffee, fitness, and QSR. Tenants across all these categories are actively adding locations in 2026. But a public ticker on the door doesn't tell you who's actually on the hook if the tenant defaults and that answer changes everything about how you underwrite the deal. In this episode, Karly Iacono breaks down net lease tenant credit into three buckets every investor needs to underwrite differently: Bucket 1: The lease sits directly with a publicly rated parent. The credit is transparent and Wall Street prices it every day. Bucket 2: No public rating, no SEC filings but the lease still sits with a real corporate entity. Some of the strongest credits in net lease live here. Bucket 3: The one that catches investors off guard. The brand is publicly traded and expanding fast, but the franchisor is not your tenant. The franchisee is. And several of the biggest names in this bucket have stated explicitly they do not guarantee the lease. The takeaway: match your diligence to the credit, not the brand's fame and keep an eye on these expanding tenants. 🔔 Subscribe to Commercial Real Estate Now for weekly market insights. #CommercialRealEstate #KarlyIacono #CommercialRealEstateNow #netlease #underwriting #tenant #credit The opinions expressed in this video are those of Karly Iacono and her guests and may not represent those of CBRE or its affiliates. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your state and a licensed financial advisor before making any investment or legal decisions. This video may reference trade names or trademarks of various third parties; all product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders, and any such reference is solely for illustrative purposes and does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between such holders and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

July 9, 202622 min

Assistive Intelligence, Not Artificial: Rethinking AI in Commercial Real Estate

AI in commercial real estate isn't about robots replacing brokers, it's about clearing the administrative grind so humans can do the relationship-driven work only they can do. Choon Lee, CEO of Abstra and Abstra Point, joins Karly Iacono to break down 15 years of building AI for lease abstraction and site tracking, why CRE has lagged the AI adoption curve, and his three-part framework for where AI actually delivers value today. 🎙️ Guest: Choon Lee, CEO, Abstra & Abstra Point 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of commercial real estate, capital markets, and the technology reshaping how deals get done. #CommercialRealEstate #AIinRealEstate #PropTech #KarlyIacono #CommercialRealEstateNow #realestatetech The opinions expressed in this video are those of Karly Iacono and her guests and may not represent those of CBRE or its affiliates. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your state and a licensed financial advisor before making any investment or legal decisions. This video may reference trade names or trademarks of various third parties; all product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders, and any such reference is solely for illustrative purposes and does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between such holders and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

June 25, 202630 min

50 Years, Zero Defaults: How Saglo Survives Every Downturn

Commercial Real Estate Now | Episode with Hue Chen, President & CEO of Saglo Companies Karly Iacono sits down with Hue Chen, President and CEO of Saglo Companies — a vertically integrated, privately held retail real estate firm celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. From surviving the S&L crisis and the dot-com bust to navigating COVID, Saglo has never defaulted on a loan. Hue breaks down exactly how they've done it. In this episode, we cover: Saglo's 50-year history and what it takes to survive every down cycle in commercial real estate Hue's day-to-day as President & CEO — and why technology strategy must be led from the top How to identify the right acquisition target: the full checklist Hue's team uses to underwrite neighborhood and community shopping centers CapEx decisions: when renovation makes sense, when it doesn't, and how lender financing changes the math Saglo's capital stack: 65% LTV, banks over CMBS, and a friends-and-family equity model The fund structure vs. deal-by-deal investing — and what made them switch 📍 Saglo Companies operates across Florida, Georgia, and Maryland with over 2.5M square feet of retail. Commercial Real Estate Now is hosted by Karly Iacono. Subscribe for weekly conversations with top investors, operators, and experts across the commercial real estate industry. 🔗 Connect with Karly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlyiacono #CommercialRealEstate #RetailRealEstate #ShoppingCenters #CRE #RealEstateInvesting #ValueAdd #PrivateEquity #SagloCompanies Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono

June 11, 202622 min

What Makes Retail Mission-Critical in 2026? W. P. Carey's Head of Investments Weighs In

What does it actually take for a retail asset to survive the next 20 years? Karly Iacono gets a rare, unfiltered look inside the investment strategy of one of the world's largest net lease REITs — live from the ICSC Las Vegas PropTech floor. Gino Sabatini, Head of Investments at W. P. Carey, breaks down exactly how they decide what's worth owning, what they walked away from, and where they're placing big bets right now. Topics include: -Defining "mission-critical" retail in 2026 -The single metric that drives every underwriting decision -A category they owned 10 years ago they'd never touch today -How they're structuring deals in a higher rate environment -Portfolio construction across industrial, retail, and global assets -The office exit strategy and what came next -Where W. P. Carey is finding opportunity right now 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes weekly. Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

June 4, 20267 min

Cap Rates are Decoupling from Interest Rates: What's Driving Net Lease Pricing Today

Something is shifting in net lease that every investor and owner needs to understand: cap rates are no longer moving in lockstep with the 10-year Treasury. The traditional risk premium framework is breaking down, and in its place, tenant quality, business trajectory, and lease structure are doing the pricing work. In this episode, Karly Iacono breaks down exactly what's happening and why: -What's compressing: McDonald's and Chick-fil-A ground leases are trading in the high 3s to low 4s — tighter than ever — even as rates move against them. -What's widening and why it matters: Dollar General and Dollar Tree cap rates are out due to supply, not business failure. Drugstores are a different story. -The scarcity factor: Few investment-grade retailers have single-tenant expansion pipelines right now. -The maturity wall: Forced sellers heading into Q3/Q4 create opportunity. That's where quality product trades at rational numbers. 🔗 Connect with Karly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlyiacono #netlease #commercialrealestate #cre #retailrealestate #caprates #capitalmarkets #treasuryyield #creinvesting #nnn Warning-IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: CBRE and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed to be tax advice. Please be advised that any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient of any Information for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties; and was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or other matters addressed herein. Accordingly, any recipient of this video should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. You also agree that the information herein down not constitute legal or other professional advice and you should obtain legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. The opinions contained in this video are those of Karly Iacono and may not represent those of CBRE. All content is for educational purposes only. The following content may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and CBRE or Karly Iacono.

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