A Turnabout on Trade and Fed Talk? Plus the Housing Slump & First CRE Draft—A Market on Edge

Markets may be uncertain, but the LightBox team is keeping it grounded—with some perspective and invoking the classic Gimme Shelter. As investors brace for tariff fallout, Manus, Dianne, and Martha break down the latest headline fatigue, a housing market under pressure, and the question of whether the lending engine will keep running. The team dives into a stalled $778M securitization deal, a funding $17B pipeline on pause, and why “a dead battery, not a blown engine,” might be the best metaphor for today’s economic environment. Plus, the LightBox Appraisal Index shows lenders are still engaged—at least for now. And with the NFL Draft underway, the team hosts the first-ever, all-in-good-fun LightBox CRE Investment Draft, naming key picks (grocery-anchored retail, multifamily, data centers), sleepers (strip malls, medical office), and a bust (luxury hotels). As for wild cards, the team has it covered with converted offices and a surprise bet on San Francisco’s AI alley. It’s a packed episode filled with data, debate, and some pretty sharp team names. Let the CRE Draft smack talk begin.

02:57 Economic Data Roundup

06:20 Housing Market Slump

09:16 Assessing the Trade War Impact

12:19 Lending Market Signals

19:59 LightBox Data Dive and Appraisal Snapshot

27:49 Loan Modifications Rise in March

32:57 The NFL Draft: CRE Investment Picks

Have questions for the pod team? Send them to [e-mail].

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