From Our Clients and Partners

Facing a sudden and hefty default fee of almost half a million dollars triggered just days before our CMBS loan maturity date while new financing was hanging in the balance, our industrial property was on the verge of a financial disaster. That's when the team at The Henley Group (THG) stepped in and turned things around.

With their quick response, solid expertise, and long-standing relationships, THG successfully negotiated with the Master and Special Servicers. Success! The default charge was slashed from $500,000 to $100,000 and enabled us to close smoothly within 14 days, steering us clear of potential legal hassles. THG’s strategic approach, negotiating skills, and CMBS know-how saved the day, making them the go-to team for navigating the complexities of CRE finance. We're beyond grateful for their exceptional service, and if you're in a tight spot, THG is the partner you want in your corner.

Jonathan Garrity | President & CEO, Cambridge Hanover

We are immensely grateful for the exceptional support and expertise provided by The Henley Group to resolve a very complex and fraught situation with our investment property. After surviving several turbulent real estate markets where our large, industrial mixed-use space generated inconsistent cash flow, we were finally faced with two things: the CMBS loan coming due and a difficult Master Servicer.

The Henley Group’s business acumen and negotiating skills were on full display leading us to a successful Discounted Payoff (DPO). The 87% payoff approval from the lender exceeded our expectations, and I attribute this remarkable feat to David and Dave’s tireless efforts. They were adept and persistent in their negotiations and were willing (and able!) to think out of the box, providing creative solutions to the many obstacles put in their path. They not only kept themselves consistently accountable but kept our group and the Lender focused on the best possible outcome for all of us. With extreme confidence, I highly recommend engaging with The Henley Group to navigate, negotiate, restructure, and resolve a distressed loan.

Christi Sulzbach | Managing Partner, Rocovich Family, LLC

At the outset of the project, our expectation based on prior history with CMBS Lenders was that any potential resolution to our needs would be at least a 6 to 12-month process. Our 600,000 SF Class A office building required a loan modification and was further complicated by Mezz debt. David and the team quickly grasped the nuances of our situation. They were able to engage, in a very short period of time, with the key individual on the Special Servicer side and achieve not only a loan modification but also approval of a major lease within 100 days after executing the engagement letter. This remarkable feat is attributable to David and Dave’s tireless efforts to push forward negotiations, be willing to think outside the box, provide creative solutions to obstacles, and keep not only themselves, but us, as the Client, and the Special Servicer accountable and focused on the end result. If a situation should arise again, I would be honored to work with David, Dave, and Tammy again.

Kelli Lind | Chief Operating Officer, KORE Investments; Esplanade II, Downer's Grove, IL

I met David and Tammy back in 2013 when they took a road trip to Baltimore to spend the day with me. They wouldn’t leave until they exhausted their entire 5-page list of questions, probing me on the inner workings of CW Capital and how they could work with us as a Borrower Advocate. Perhaps it was a bold move to walk into the perceived “den of the enemy” but I think it’s their passion for their clients and grit that I appreciated. Since that day, we’ve enjoyed a mutually respectful working relationship and have closed multiple successes on behalf of our clients. During my 15-year tenure at CW Capital, I’ve dealt with many Borrower Advocates, however, The Henley Group’s integrity from day one compelled me to work with them.

Andrew Hundertmark | Special Servicer, CEO Argentic Services; Former Managing Director, CW Capital

Senior Asset Manager & Team Leader | Top 5 National Special Servicer

We’ve referred numerous clients to The Henley Group for workouts in light of COVID-19 with great success. We partner with The Henley Group because they are the gold standard in the CMBS workout space and our clients expect “best-in-class” service. In every instance, The Henley Group works expeditiously, creatively and professionally, undertaking complex and often difficult negotiations and regularly achieving excellent outcomes. We highly recommend them.

Zachary D. Streit | Founder, Managing Partner, Way Capital; Former SVP, George Smith Partners

My partner, Kyle Neumann, and I were focused on CMBS workouts from 2010-2014 and were engaged in almost three quarters of a billion dollars of transactions. We know firsthand the challenges and uncertainties of this business and saw a lot of inexperienced and questionable advisors that emerged to peddle their services. But David and Tammy have decades of experience and expertise that help them develop the workout strategies for any deal. Just as importantly, they are extremely well-connected in both the origination and servicing sides of the CMBS world, and they are able to leverage long-standing relationships to gain additional insight into the motivations of the various parties in order to achieve the desired outcome.

Finally, they are straight shooters and undeniably trustworthy. They know what can and can’t be done in this arena. They don’t overpromise, and they get personally involved, advising their clients throughout the process. If you’re looking for a vendor to hire on the cheap, there are plenty of those out there. But there are often major implications to these workout situations – both financially and to one’s reputation. If you want a trusted advisor to come work alongside you, there is no one I can recommend more strongly than David and Tammy. We no longer take engagements for CMBS workouts but every single inquiry I receive, I now redirect to The Henley Group.

Bob Pearson | Mortgage Banker, Sr. Vice President, Bellwether Enterprise

David’s ability to navigate and negotiate through inertia, use his network and skills to connect the dots, create pivot points in a discussion and to seize opportunities for success are why you hire him. Dave is passionate about his work, he synthesizes complicated and often conflicting data, nimbly adjusts his strategy, and positions his client for the best possible outcome. A loyal guy with integrity who stands up for his clients, we’re glad he’s on our team.

Alan Weissman | Owner and Developer, Alfred Weissman Real Estate, a multi-generational Commercial RE Co.

He proactively forwards the agenda, gives constructive feedback and offers real-time communication. Many of my telephone calls with David were logged after working hours or on weekends, no black out times. He’s a real pro in the inner workings of the CMBS Servicer world, and I trusted him to handle our most valued assets. Without him, we would have been totally exposed and could have lost so much.

Frank A. | Full-Service Hotel Owner and Hospitality Executive

As an executive and part of an office park development team, we worked with David over many years to study and assess multiple, complicated office projects. David’s vast experience, powerful network, and incisive evaluation allowed us to pre-empt some negative consequences. Knowing he was just a phone call away was a relief and freed me up to focus on stabilizing the property. Most importantly, David gave me peace of mind. He brings immense value and I consider him a trusted advisor.

Gary Ciaffi | Property Owner, President of Delle Donne & Associates and CPA

A CMBS loan in our portfolio required modification in order to align incentives and create a structure to allow for $5,000,000 of new investment into the property that would be senior to a portion of the debt. David helped guide us through a complex process, interfacing with the special servicer, and helped us achieve a great outcome. We highly recommend him!

Director | National Retail Developer, Capital Markets

Dave’s 20+ years of deep experience originating, securitizing and restructuring hotel loans allows him to tackle my clients’ specific issues head on. Dave’s hotel advisory services range from evaluating PIP investments, franchise agreements and capital event valuations, to accessing Lender reserves, resolving lock box and cash management complications. Dave’s expertise solves our clients’ problems. He’s a valuable asset to our team.

Michael Sonnabend | Mortgage Banker, PMZ Realty Capital