Daria Walker: A Masterclass in Mortgage Brokerage

What does today’s commercial real estate market look like from the desk of a mortgage broker who is still getting deals done?

Bruce Bean welcomes Daria Walker back to SF Commercial Property Conversations for a wide-ranging conversation about commercial real estate, mortgage brokerage, and what she is seeing across California.

Daria shares how she has continued closing deals in a challenging market, including industrial properties, multifamily transactions, portfolio repositionings, and even a mobile home park. She discusses roughly $30 million in Bay Area multifamily business from the past year and explains why investors are looking beyond traditional opportunities to find returns that make sense.

Bruce and Daria take a close look at Oakland and the changes taking place in the East Bay. Daria discusses property values, rents, new ownership, adaptive reuse, small businesses, and why she believes Oakland has an opportunity to regain momentum.

The conversation then moves south to Los Angeles, where Daria describes a very different commercial real estate environment. She explains why smaller transactions are still happening while many middle-market deals remain on hold. She also discusses Measure ULA, rent restrictions, office values, institutional capital, and why today's market may create opportunities for smaller investors and business owners who want to own their buildings.

Daria also shares an interesting observation about the current market: some very small deals and very large deals are getting completed, while much of the middle of the market is sitting on the sidelines.

Outside of real estate, Daria has taken on another challenge: amateur boxing. She tells Bruce about training every day for an upcoming fundraising fight and why she is taking the competition just as seriously as she takes her career.

Daria brings experience, energy, and a dealmaker's perspective to a conversation about where California commercial real estate has been—and where opportunities may be emerging next.

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