
Matt Nicholson- From Broker to Principal: Mastering the Mid-Atlantic Capital Markets (#149)
Bio Matt Nicholson is Executive Vice President of Investments and Development for the Mid-Atlantic region at Lincoln Property Company, with over 18 years of commercial real estate experience and more than $20 billion in executed capital markets activity. A DC-area native raised in Annapolis, he attended the Severn School before earning a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College in 2005, where he played Division I lacrosse. He later earned an MBA in Finance from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business in 2013 and serves as a Board Member for Georgetown's Steers Global Real Assets Center. Nicholson began his career as a paralegal at White & Case before moving into agency lending at Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage, then joined HFF as an analyst in 2007. Following HFF's 2019 acquisition by JLL, he became Senior Managing Director co-leading the DC Office Investment Advisory Team. In March 2025, he joined Lincoln Property Company to lead investments, acquisitions, and development across the DMV corridor. The Leap to Lincoln Property Company [00:03:10] Matt discusses his early 2025 transition to Lincoln Property Company (LPC), where he oversees 700+ professionals, a 65-million-square-foot management portfolio, and 30 million square feet of leasing. He details LPC's 60-year history and partnership culture, and how the 2023 sale of its residential division (now Willow Bridge) and the Stonepoint Capital transaction cleared internal conflicts — enabling the commercial team to build an 18,000-unit multifamily pipeline. Roots of Resilience: Family, Loss & Work Ethic [00:13:30] Growing up in Annapolis, Matt lost his father at 10 and his mother 14 years later. He credits his drive to the courage of his late parents, the Depression-era grit of his grandparents, and his stepfather's relentless dedication — traveling globally for Micros Systems while raising Matt and his three younger brothers. The Defenseman's Playbook: Dartmouth Lacrosse to Real Estate [00:18:00] Following his father and uncle, Matt played Division I lacrosse at Dartmouth. Overcoming two knee injuries and a coaching change taught him that success means staying in the fight for your teammates. He explains how playing defense shaped his professional mindset — viewing complex capital stacks and risk mitigation through a tactical, strategic lens. Ethical Leadership & Fearless Effort [00:32:30] Matt shares his philosophy of "contagious light" — never asking his team to do something he wouldn't do himself. In institutional real estate, he argues that unwavering honesty and treating partners like teammates is bulletproof long-term strategy, especially during market resets and corrections. Navigating the Capital Stack & The Power of Reps [00:37:00] After stints as a paralegal and in agency lending, a family friend's career roadmap steered Matt toward capital markets. Starting at HFF just before the GFC, he built expertise through high transaction volume and a part-time Georgetown MBA. His core advice: prioritize "reps and fast pace" — stack learning experiences by underwriting and evaluating as many deals as possible early on. Market Outlook: DC Distress & Structural Demand [01:13:58] With DC office vacancy around 18.5%, Matt breaks down the market's bifurcation: top-tier law firms are driving Trophy asset demand while 1980s-vintage product struggles. He details Lincoln's strategy of chasing "structural demand" — infill logistics in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, medical office, and Northern Virginia's data center boom — and addresses the regional impact of federal workforce reductions from DOGE. Life Beyond the Deal: Fatherhood, Mentorship & Giving Back [01:31:30] Father of four boys, Matt coaches youth lacrosse and prioritizes weekend family time. He discusses mentoring the next generation through the ULI Mentorship pr... Chapters (00:00:00) - Icons of DC Area Real Estate(00:00:50) - Matt Nicholson(00:03:39) - Econs of ECA Real Estate(00:05:10) - How big is the Lincoln Property Company team in the Mid Atlantic?(00:06:06) - Interviews: Lincoln's Principal Acquisition Officer(00:07:47) - HFF Real Estate Interview: Lincoln Property Company(00:13:04) - Lincoln Residential's ability to do multifamily(00:14:07) - How My Grandparents Shaped My Career(00:21:04) - Getting your start in real estate at Dartmouth(00:24:25) - Georgetown Law Student on Starting Out in Real Estate(00:26:41) - Back in the Elevator at HFF(00:27:28) - Post-Grad School Support(00:28:22) - Georgetown's McDonough School(00:29:40) - Ex-Lacrosse Star on Playing Division 1(00:33:18) - What Kind of Ethical Leadership Can You Involve(00:35:20) - Lincoln Real Estate's Commitment to Integrity(00:37:59) - Exploring Real Estate in Your Early Career(00:40:03) - Exploring the Baltimore-Washington Economic Connection(00:42:04) - Have Intermediaries Changed the Way Wealth Advisors Work?(00:46:33) - How did acting as a Strategic Consultant shape your knowledge of the(00:47:54) - What was the most complicated or complex situation you ever got yourself into(00:50:14) - Have You Turned Down an Entrepreneurial Role?(00:52:18) - How Do You Balance the Hustle Needed to Close Real Estate(00:53:19) - Institutional Real Estate: Structured Environment(00:55:41) - Ray Richie on mentoring the next generation of real estate professionals(00:59:38) - Remembering ULI's Mentorship Group(01:00:58) - What aspects of integrating with JLL were the most stimulating?(01:04:00) - Understanding the user of real estate(01:05:01) - What Were the Most Spirited Parts of Putting Together Complex Transactions?(01:09:04) - What advice would you give young people considering starting their careers in brokerage(01:11:45) - Real Estate: Will AI Impact the Industry?(01:14:29) - DC Office Market: Bifurcation(01:17:32) - Does a Mixed-Use Development Make Sense for the City?(01:18:35) - Are you aware of any blocks in the city that are being assembled(01:20:55) - Doge Jobs Losses in the Region Impact the Region?(01:22:51) - Law Firm Growth: Is It Real?(01:24:50) - Reasons We're Investing in Data Centers, Healthcare & Inf(01:28:09) - Lincoln Property Group becoming more active in office investment(01:33:52) - How Do You Manage Technology in Your Child's Life?(01:35:14) - JLL Philanthropic Priorities(01:37:18) - Ending With Matt Nicholson(01:39:16) - A message for the future













