In March 2026, IREI began interviewing people across 11 different property types to share their insights and outlooks on asset management in a video series titled Asset Management In Focus.
In the fifth installment of this series, Chase McWhorter, managing director, Americas, at Institutional Real Estate, Inc., interviewed Steven DeFrancis, CEO at Cortland. DeFrancis explained Cortland's integrated approach to asset management, where the investments team handles both acquisition and execution rather than handing off to separate teams. He discussed recent trends, particularly how data-sharing restrictions following legal settlements have changed how operators access market information and pricing data.
DeFrancis highlighted how technology and data science play crucial roles at Cortland, including the firm’s centralized application processing system that has reduced fraud losses and improved response times. When discussing advice for investors, DeFrancis recommended ev
