Walker & Dunlop Expands Investment Sales Team with Acquisition of Leading Independent Student Housing Team

Rhea-AI Summary

Walker & Dunlop has enhanced its property sales team by acquiring FourPoint Investment Sales Partners, a boutique brokerage focusing on student housing and multifamily properties. This strategic move aims to leverage FourPoint's expertise and established client relationships, targeting a sales volume of $25 billion by 2025. The newly integrated team, led by experienced directors from FourPoint, will boost Walker & Dunlop's capabilities in the student housing sector, where it has already been recognized as a top lender, originating $7.1 billion in student housing debt since 2016.

Positive

• Acquisition of FourPoint Investment Sales Partners to enhance student housing expertise.
• Targeting a sales volume of $25 billion by 2025 as part of strategic growth.
• Walker & Dunlop’s strong historical performance with $7.1 billion in student housing debt financing since 2016.

Negative

• None.

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it has expanded its property sales team with the acquisition of FourPoint Investment Sales Partners, a boutique brokerage firm specializing in student housing and conventional multifamily properties. Located in Austin, Texas, the group includes Managing Directors Chris Epp, and Chris Bancroft, Senior Director Kevin Dufour, as well as Directors Matthew Chase, Craig Miller, and Kyle Peco. Together, with the Company's #1 ranked Fannie Mae student housing lending platform in 2020, the FourPoint team will lead and scale the premier student housing investment sales practice in the United States for the Company. Walker & Dunlop originated $7.1 billion of student housing debt financing volume since 2016 and has consistently been ranked a top student housing lender nationally.

Kris Mikkelsen, Walker & Dunlop Investment Sales (WDIS) Executive Vice President, commented, "As a long-standing correspondent to Walker & Dunlop, FourPoint has been a partner to our team for many years, and we are extremely excited to bring this talented group of brokers onto our platform. We set the goal to grow our property sales volume to $25 billion by 2025 as part of our Drive to '25, and one of our growth strategies was adding student housing expertise. We are entering this space with the best team in the industry, a move that will boost our sales volume and, more importantly, benefit our clients who invest in this area of the multifamily market."

"The FourPoint team has partnered with Walker & Dunlop's national student housing finance group for nearly 15 years. We have built trust, confidence, and a brand together," stated Mr. Epp. "Combining our strong student housing relationships with Walker & Dunlop's top-ranked platform allows us to continue delivering exceptional service to our clients while contributing to the Company's strategic growth over the next several years, particularly as it expands the scale of its property sales footprint."

Mr. Bancroft added, "We have always admired Walker & Dunlop's culture, client-centric approach, and real estate acumen. Because of our strong alignment of values, this acquisition is a natural continuation of our long-standing partnership together, and it will allow us to deliver more financing options to our clients."

As licensed commercial real estate brokers since the early 2000's, FourPoint Principals Chris Epp and Chris Bancroft enjoy the longest-tenured student housing brokerage partnership in the industry. Following successful careers at other nationally recognized brokerage firms, the pair founded FourPoint in 2014 with an emphasis on student housing investment sales and capital markets executions. Since inception, the firm has closed over $6 billion in property sales volume.

Walker & Dunlop is a leader in the student housing space, ranking as the #1 Fannie Mae DUS Producer for Student Housing in 2020 and the #2 Student Housing Producer in 2018 and 2019. The company's investment sales platform, WDIS, is one of the top-ten multifamily property sales platforms in the country, with $6.1 billion of volume in 2020, up 14% from 2019. For information about Walker & Dunlop's view on the apartment market, including an in-depth analysis of the student housing space, download our Winter Multifamily Outlook.

About Walker & Dunlop
Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. The company provides a comprehensive range of capital solutions for all commercial real estate asset classes, as well as investment sales brokerage services to owners of multifamily properties. Walker & Dunlop is included on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index and was ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in 2014, 2017, and 2018. Walker & Dunlop's 1,000+ professionals in 41 offices across the nation have an unyielding commitment to client satisfaction.

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SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc.

FAQ

What does the acquisition of FourPoint mean for Walker & Dunlop?

The acquisition will enhance Walker & Dunlop's expertise in student housing, helping scale their investment sales platform.

How much does Walker & Dunlop aim to grow its property sales volume?

Walker & Dunlop aims to grow its property sales volume to $25 billion by 2025.

What are the qualifications of the FourPoint team joining Walker & Dunlop?

The FourPoint team includes seasoned professionals with extensive experience in student housing investment sales, having closed over $6 billion in property sales volume.

What is Walker & Dunlop's current standing in the student housing market?

Walker & Dunlop ranked as the #1 Fannie Mae DUS Producer for Student Housing in 2020 and is among the top in the sector.