Walker & Dunlop, Inc. - WD STOCK NEWS

Walker & Dunlop structured $302.24 million in Freddie Mac financing for a portfolio of ten multifamily properties in central Connecticut. The portfolio includes 2,286 units, with over 75% qualifying as affordable housing under FHFA guidelines. Taylor Williams, Managing Director, led the financing for Beachwold Residential. The loan offers an attractive fixed rate and additional proceeds. Walker & Dunlop was the top capital provider to the U.S. multifamily market in 2020 and originated $49 billion in debt financing in 2021, underscoring its strong market position.

Walker & Dunlop has expanded its affordable housing finance team with the addition of Ethan Waite as Director in the New York office. Waite joins a strong team led by Managing Director John Gilmore, focusing on increasing origination of affordable multifamily properties. The company emphasizes its commitment to affordable housing, highlighted by its acquisition of Alliant Capital in 2021. Walker & Dunlop was the largest provider of capital to the U.S. multifamily market in 2021, signaling its ongoing efforts to enhance its debt and equity offerings in this sector.

Walker & Dunlop has successfully closed its acquisition of GeoPhy, a commercial real estate technology firm, for $85 million with up to an additional $205 million in contingent cash earn-outs. This acquisition aims to significantly enhance Walker & Dunlop's technology-driven operations, particularly in their appraisal and small balance lending (SBL) platforms. The CEO of GeoPhy, Teun van den Dries, will join Walker & Dunlop, contributing to growth aligned with its Drive to '25 strategy. The deal is expected to accelerate revenue growth, though integration challenges may arise.

Walker & Dunlop announced the hiring of Gideon Orion as Managing Director on its investment sales platform, focusing on seniors housing property sales. Based in Los Angeles, Orion joins the seniors housing property sales team led by Joshua Jandris. With 14 years of experience and a strong client base, Orion will enhance the firm's capabilities in the active seniors' real estate market in Southern California. Walker & Dunlop has completed over 850 senior housing and healthcare transactions valued at more than $9 billion since 2009.

On February 16, 2022, Walker & Dunlop announced the successful sale of The Lydian for $66.2 million, a luxury mixed-use property in Denver, Colorado. Completed in 2018, the property includes 129 apartments, retail space, and coworking offices. This sale marks a positive indication of the recovery in Downtown Denver's real estate market post-COVID-19, with rent growth surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Walker & Dunlop showcased its strong market presence, previously completing $19.3 billion in property sales in 2021, a 214% increase from the prior year.

On February 14, 2022, Walker & Dunlop announced the completion of a $34.1 million construction financing deal for a 315,320 square foot Class A industrial building in Chino, California. This project capitalizes on the area's rising demand for industrial space due to e-commerce growth, and is expected to attract significant interest due to low vacancy rates below 1% and rental rates that have increased by over 10% in the last year. The financing was secured efficiently with favorable terms, emphasizing Walker & Dunlop's strong market positioning.

Walker & Dunlop structured $77.1 million in financing for two skilled nursing portfolios totaling 10 properties and 848 units. The portfolios include the Cascades Portfolio in Utah with 693 units and the Rollins-Nelson Portfolio in California with 155 units. The financing utilized various capital sources, including HUD loans, enabling debt service savings and cash for facility repairs. In 2021, Walker & Dunlop ranked as the #3 HUD lender, originating $737 million in senior housing and healthcare transactions.

Walker & Dunlop announced the acquisition of GeoPhy, a tech company specializing in commercial real estate analytics, for $85 million in cash, with an additional $205 million in potential earn-outs. This acquisition aims to enhance Walker & Dunlop's technology capabilities, particularly in lending and brokerage sectors. GeoPhy will continue under its CEO, Teun van den Dries, who will also oversee Walker & Dunlop's Apprise and small balance lending divisions. The transaction is set to close in Q1 2022, pending approvals.

Walker & Dunlop announced a successful $67 million financing for Zona Village, a Class-A multifamily property in Davie, Florida. The property includes 201 units and 16,500 sq. ft. of retail space and was completed in 2021. A national life insurance company provided the financing through a 10-year, non-recourse loan. The transaction reflects strong market demand for Class-A multifamily properties, with Zona Village ranked in the top 40 of 71,000 properties surveyed in the ORA Score. Walker & Dunlop originated $49 billion in debt financing in 2021, bolstering its position in the multifamily market.