#340: Hospitality, Industrial Investments, Bank Loans, and So Much More! -with Charlie Muller

Charlie Muller is a hospitality expert and managing director of Hospitality Investments for Avistone, LLC. Charlie has worked in the hospitality industry since he was a teen. And this year as of this year, he now holds over 38 years of experience in many facets of the industry including operations, capital planning, acquisitions, development, asset management, and dispositions. Having successfully lead 5 investment firms, he currently leverages his skills and knowledge as managing director of Avistone, LLC. Here  Charlie lends his expertise in the acquisition, (re)development, and asset management of over 200 properties in the hospitality and recreational spaces that in total value at over $5 billion. Quote: "Most of the debt that's available in the sector right now is coming from on debt fund acquisitions and typically the loan to value is roughly 65%…but we are seeing the pricing of that debt narrow almost every week" "…So there's nothing wrong with buying an older asset it just has to have good bones that will always be able to be improved and looking like new. So, I would say that the need to do larger transactions sometimes requires you to look at portfolios that might not fully fit your knitting." Highlight: 02:32 - Charlie tells us how he found his way into the hospitality space.  04:41 - Charlie talks about Avistone's background and its relationship to hospitality investments. 07:28 - Charlie describes what the economic health of the hospitality industry looks like today. 13:43 - Charlie gives listeners an idea about the stress cracks in the industry. 18:40 - Charlie discusses CMBS loans and debt distress in the industry. 20:11 - Charlie tells listeners what kind of hospitality investments Avistone looks for. 23:43 - Charlie provides insight into how to forecast hospitality risks. 28:40 - Charlie offers his perspective on a bank's position as it pertains to lending on an acquisition. 30:59 - Charlie is asked the golden nugget question: what is one deal that did not meet expectations?