Commercial Real Estate Now

Hosted by Karly Iacono

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Aug 2026

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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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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.

May 29, 202633 min

ICSC Vegas 2026 Recap: 5 Takeaways From the Biggest Conference in Retail Real Estate

Karly Iacono and Chris Ressa just came back from ICSC Las Vegas — 25,000 attendees, non-stop energy, and conversations that signal exactly where retail real estate is headed. In this episode, they break down the five themes that dominated: ▶ Retailers are deploying BILLIONS into physical stores ▶ Cap rates and interest rates have decoupled ▶ AI was in every conversation ▶ Healthcare is the new QSR ▶ The hunger for in-person experience at a 25,000-person conference is a leading indicator for the future of physical retail Whether you were at the conference or watching from the sidelines, this is the fastest way to get up to speed on where the industry stands right now. 🎙️ What's In Store? with Karly and Chris covers the intersection of retail and real estate — every month. 🔗 Connect with Karly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlyiacono #RetailRealEstate #ICSC #NetLease #CommercialRealEstate #CRE #PropTech #HealthcareRealEstate #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.

May 14, 202633 min

Inside CRE Lending Today: Spreads, Structures & the H2 Outlook | Matt Pizzolato, CBRE

The CRE debt market is fluid — and that's actually good news for borrowers. In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Now, host Karly Iacono sits down with Matt Pizzolato, SVP in CBRE's Debt & Structured Finance Group, whose team placed over $3 billion in volume last year across multifamily, industrial, retail, and office. Matt breaks down exactly where the lending environment stands today: which capital sources are most active, how spreads have shifted over the past 12–18 months, and what creative structures are getting deals done that weren't possible two years ago. Topics covered: -Why Matt's one word for today's market is "fluid" — and what that means for you -Banks vs. debt funds: who's winning and why -Construction spreads: how quickly things have moved -Stretch senior financing and construction loan takeouts explained in plain English -If you have a maturing loan: exactly how much runway you need to refi -The real risk to watch — private credit contagion and its ripple effect on CRE Whether you're refinancing, developing, or evaluating acquisition financing, this episode gives you a ground-level read on where capital is and how to access it. #CommercialRealEstate #CREDebt #RealEstateFinance #CommercialMortgage #CapitalMarkets #CBRE #RealEstateInvesting #CREInvesting #DebtFinancing #Multifamily #IndustrialRealEstate #CommercialRealEstateNow 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.

April 30, 20268 min

Zero Cashflow Real Estate: Why Savvy Investors Love These Deals

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Now, Karly Iacono breaks down zero cashflow investments; what they are, how the debt is structured, and why sophisticated investors specifically seek them out. Topics covered: -How self-amortizing, non-recourse, assumable loans make these deals work -The pay down readvance feature and why it matters in a 1031 exchange -Depreciation and interest expense as ongoing tax deductions -Phantom income risk under Section 467 and how to plan for it -Who should (and shouldn't) own one of these Zero cashflow deals aren't underperforming assets. They perform differently and for the right investor, they're one of the most efficient structures in the net lease market. 📩 Contact: Karly.iacono@CBRE.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly CRE insights. #commercialrealestate #netlease #ZeroCashflow #1031Exchange #CREInvesting #TaxStrategy 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.

April 23, 202625 min

Show Me the Deals: ICSC Las Vegas Preview

What conversations will dominate the hallways, dinners, and booths at ICSC Las Vegas this year? In this episode, Karly Iacono and Chris Ressa break down the themes they expect to drive every serious discussion and where the conventional wisdom is wrong. Topics covered: -Buyer demand vs. deal availability: why capital is ready but the product isn't -How underwriting has structurally changed and what income-first really means -AI and PropTech: implementation inflection point or conference theater? -The bid-ask spread that's still not fully closed -Why this year's show will come down to one phrase: "Show me the deals" Retail real estate remains one of the most attractive asset classes in commercial real estate but it’s now firmly operator-driven. This episode explains what that means for investors, landlords, and tenants heading into ICSC Las Vegas. 📺 Subscribe for new episodes every week. #RetailRealEstate #CommercialRealEstate #CREPodcast #PropTech #AIinRealEstate #RetailInvesting #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.