Grossman: When new lenders enter the market, launch new products or change their requirements, they need to reach borrowers quickly, and they reach out to the largest brokerages, like Meridian, to accomplish this. I expect highly active brokerages will grow and gain market share in 2017 by providing real-time access to information and guidance to both clients and lenders.

GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about MBA CREF?

Grossman: It was a productive conference with 10% more registered attendees than 2016, confirming that lenders expect to be active and are pursuing new business. Everyone I spoke to was still in the process of balancing the myriad factors at play: higher interest rates with further potential raises in 2017, the unspecified fiscal policy of the Trump administration, as well as concern about the duration of the real estate bull market, which areas and property types may be impacted and in what order. Overall, there was a lot of optimism and there is also lot of capital waiting to be put to work.

SAN DIEGO—While the next several years will most likely reflect very strong commercial real estate performance, almost every conversation at MBA's CREF/Multifamily Housing Convention and Expo 2017 here in February touched on the uncertainty of how much longer the positive trend will continue, Meridian Capital Group managing director Seth Grossman tells GlobeSt.com. We spoke with Grossman about his experience at the conference and his predictions for the mortgage-brokerage field this year.

GlobeSt.com: What were your main takeaways from MBA CREF?

Grossman: First take away: We have been in an extended bull market. The next several years will most likely reflect very strong performance, and savvy buyers continue to look forward to opportunities. However, almost every conversation at MBA CREF touched on the uncertainty of how much longer the positive trend will continue. Second take away: Most industry experts believe that rates will continue to increase this year. This will ultimately impact asset prices, and the debt will not size, as it does now in a low-rate environment. Last and most important take away: A large number of new lenders are looking to put out far more capital than I have seen in the past. These lenders are conducting business across the capital stack including senior mortgages, mezzanine, preferred equity, high- and low-leverage loans as well as bridge loans. The majority of these new lenders are unregulated and often hedge fund backed, family run or ultra-high-net-worth backed, crowd platforms, private-equity backed, or are funded by some other form of private capital.

GlobeSt.com: What are your predictions for this year in the mortgage-brokerage field?

Grossman: When new lenders enter the market, launch new products or change their requirements, they need to reach borrowers quickly, and they reach out to the largest brokerages, like Meridian, to accomplish this. I expect highly active brokerages will grow and gain market share in 2017 by providing real-time access to information and guidance to both clients and lenders.

GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about MBA CREF?

Grossman: It was a productive conference with 10% more registered attendees than 2016, confirming that lenders expect to be active and are pursuing new business. Everyone I spoke to was still in the process of balancing the myriad factors at play: higher interest rates with further potential raises in 2017, the unspecified fiscal policy of the Trump administration, as well as concern about the duration of the real estate bull market, which areas and property types may be impacted and in what order. Overall, there was a lot of optimism and there is also lot of capital waiting to be put to work.