On Tuesday July 25, 2023 PROFILEmiami teamed-up with MG Developer to present ‘An Exploration into Capital Markets Coral Gables’, bringing an immersive panel and cocktail event exploring capital markets and real estate development in South Florida to the beautiful ‘Village at Coral Gables’ showroom. The relaxed and open setting featured cocktails courtesy of MG Developer and food from Coral Gables staple restaurant, Zucca, while attendees networked with industry leaders one of Miami’s hotbed neighborhoods for business and development.
The engaging panel featured keynote speakers Catie Naranjo, CDO at MG Developer; Scott Wadler of Berkadia, Melissa Tapanes, a partner at Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin and Tapanes, PPLC; and Ayush Kapahi, Founder at HKS; moderated by Demetri Demascus of PROFILEmiami. Topics explored included current environment of capital markets, the difficulties behind financing projects in todays market, the process a developer undertakes to obtain financing, what lenders are looking for when financing a project and the regulations that surround financing.
The evening was attended by real estate leaders such as Alirio Torrealba, CEO of MG Developer; Daniel De La Vega, CEO of ONE Sotheby’s International Real Estate; Cullen Mahoney, Senior Development & Acquisitions Officer of Continuum Companies; and Danny Schwimmer, CIO of The Allen Morris Company, amongst others.
“It is very challenging right now from start to finish. A developer handles everything from site selection, to marketing, to handling the construction costs, you name it, their ultimate goal is to get to the sales. You have to get to the finish line. The way to do that is to get a project built and capitalized as quickly as possible; and the way to do that right now is to find a project that is able to be built.” Said Scott Wadler of Berkadia.
“Cost of construction has gone up, insurance costs are up 5X, interest rates, cost of capital, both on the debt and equity side, almost everything has kind of ticked up. Lucking in Florida rents and property values have kept pace with the increased costs.” Said Catie Naranjo, CDO at MG Developer.
“Ashe market ages and moves it wants to be behind someone who knows what they are doing. It is no longer a speculative game, whether it is for sale housing or even just rental, it is about execution. It is about getting things done as fast as possible, and it is about having the right team.” Said Ayush Kapahi of HKS.
Attendees also got to explore the stunning, state-of-the-art, showroom for The Village at Coral Gables featuring curated interiors and furnishings that were selected from RH (Restoration Hardware), which have proven their design leadership in the luxury lifestyle market. MG Developer, led by Alirio Torrealba, announced on July 5, 2023 that it has secured a $67.5 million construction loan from Churchill Real Estate to build the highly anticipated Village at Coral Gables development, with groundbreaking expected this July.
