According to a report cited by Cory Johnson, CEO of Pender Capital, regional banks historically have accounted for roughly 59 percent of CRE debt origination volume. The projection moving forward is 40 percent. Who is going to pick up the slack? The vast majority is going to have come from the private lending space, says Johnson. In a sponsored interview published in the July/August issue of Real Assets Advisor, Johnson explains why commercial real estate debt — especially debt focused on the lower-middle market — is such an attractive investment. As we have seen volatility creep back into the marketplace, having a low or noncorrelated return profile is starting to get more attractive to investors that are looking at ways to further diversify their portfolios and add a segment that can provide a stable source of dependable, low-volatility income. To lear
