Sinkuler: RE is 'Back to Basics'

NEW YORK CITY-Returning to bedrock principles is a theme that’s frequently sounded in the current downturn, and just as commercial real estate lenders are focused on underwriting, so Ernst & Young’s Rick Sinkuler says buyers and sellers need to look at the fundamentals. Sinkuler was named partner at E&Y last week.

“We’re trying to help clients understand that it’s really about getting back to basics,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “By that I mean a number of clients are going to be in a position to either buy or sell assets, and it’s very important that buyers and sellers understand what they have.”

The fundamentals, says Sinkuler, “have often been masked by complex securities wrappers, and it’s important to get beneath those and start to peel them back to understand the cash flows, the underlying assumptions and the markets those assets operate in. Because when you peel it all back, you really get down to the real estate.” He adds that transparency is key, “and the more you can do to restore confidence in whatever you’re buying or selling, the better off your client’s position will be.”