2010: Closer to Breaking Through

For all the talk of distress in 2009, we certainly didn’t see many deals transpire. Yet there are high expectations that trades will begin to ramp up and some of the pent-up capital waiting to take advantage of the distressed market will see some play. That could lead to a better sense of valuations, though there is still speculation as to whether we’ve hit bottom.

One thing that is certain is the coming year will bring us one step closer to working through the glut of troubled assets. As for what factors will shape that resolution, many industry observers suggest investors pay close attention to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., special servicing, asset valuation, REITs and the government’s plethora of programs.