167. Real Estate Private Equity 101 with MSIM's Lauren Hochfelder

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In this long-awaited episode of The Wall Street Skinny, we’re breaking down Real Estate Private Equity with Lauren Hochfelder, Managing Director and Co-CEO of Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing. If you’ve ever wondered what real estate investing looks like at the institutional level — beyond flipping houses or buying rental properties — this is your 101 primer. 

We dive into the nuances that make this asset class unique. Real estate is both macro and hyper-local, driven by long-term demographic shifts and on-the-ground intel from developers and market specialists. Lauren explains what it means when we say "investing in real estate is an inflation hedge" and why it's such a powerful combination of income and asset appreciation. For anyone curious about commercial real estate trends, we cover everything from the evolving role of the office post-COVID to how lease structures and regional supply chains affect asset valuations. Lauren also addresses the shift away from private equity firms buying up single-family homes and how purpose-built rental communities are gaining traction. 

We also discuss how the career path differs from traditional private equity, what backgrounds are valued in the industry, and how this corner of the investing world offers a surprisingly diverse and dynamic mix of personalities and perspectives. Whether you’re a student, young professional, or investor looking to understand a foundational but often overlooked part of the market, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Before we get into it, we also touch on a few big finance headlines from the week: the Fed’s decision to hold rates steady, Millennium’s $14 billion valuation and what it means to buy into a pod shop, and the record-breaking $10 billion sale of a majority stake in the LA Lakers. From hedge fund structures to sports investing comps, we offer a quick download on the stories that caught our attention—and set the stage for deeper dives in future episodes.

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