Deciphering Commercial Real Estate Acronyms

Commercial real estate speaks its own language. 

For those trying to follow the rollercoaster of the industrial, retail and office markets, the macro takes on vacancy and financing can be overwhelming. But observers could also feel held up on the little things on which the industry’s largest players and functions hinge. 

Acronyms. 

While the building blocks behind industry news, reports and filings can serve as helpful shorthand, they also may leave you with the feeling of FOMO if you’re not ITK.

TBF, the commercial real estate industry has plenty of them, from REIT (real estate investment trust) to CRE CLO (commercial real estate collateralized loan obligation) to CMBS (commercial mortgage-backed security), all of which can feel like some secret code that requires the Rosetta Stone if you’re JW.

If you are ISO some answers, fear not, because The Real Deal’s Hiten Samtani is here — at a time when the CRE market feels like it’s teetering on the precipice — to clear things up on the meaning of things like LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate), that hopefully won’t leave you asking, “WTF?”

Check out the latest episode in TRD’s Pay Dirt series to turn your Qs into As. Whether you’re an industry insider looking to brush up, or a casual observer, we’ll keep it on the DL so you won’t have people LOLing at you.

— Ted Glanzer