What if commercial real estate is already in a period of serious distress, but most investors cannot see the full extent of it yet?

When a market turns, people expect the evidence to be obvious. They expect public defaults, collapsing prices, and clear signs that the cycle has changed. But this downturn is unfolding differently. Distressed assets are changing hands privately, lenders and institutional owners are limiting what becomes public, and significant capital remains on the sidelines because investors still do not know how to price rates, risk, and future values with confidence.

In this episode, I sit down with John Azar to examine what is actually happening inside the commercial real estate market, why this cycle is not simply another version of 2008, how hidden distress is creating opportunities for investors who preserved capital, and why the operators who showed discipline during the euphoric years may be the ones best prepared to act now.

What You'll Discover In This Episode

• Why commercial real estate can be in distress before the broader market acknowledges it

• How private sales and nondisclosure agreements can conceal the real level of pain

• Why this cycle looks fundamentally different from the 2008 financial crisis

• How the excesses of 2021 through 2023 created many of today's distressed assets

• Why the behavior of an operator during the last cycle matters when evaluating them today

• How patience and preserved liquidity can become an advantage in a repricing market

• Why uncertainty around rates and values is freezing capital despite abundant liquidity

• What investors should examine before allocating money to a distressed real estate opportunity

About the Guest

John Azar is an entrepreneur, adventurer, executive coach, and the Founder and Managing Partner of Peak 15 Capital. As a fund manager, John helps investors access tax-efficient commercial real estate opportunities designed to support long-term capital growth and generate regular cash flow throughout the holding period. Through Peak 15 Capital's current fund, limited partners can participate in opportunities structured to provide General Partner-level economics without taking on the same operational risks and responsibilities. Peak 15 Capital takes a collaborative, transparent, and highly disciplined approach to investing. The firm focuses on protecting the downside through extensive due diligence, conservative underwriting, and prudent deal execution, while pursuing strong returns, tax advantages, and quarterly distributions for investors. To learn more, visit http://peak15cap.com, http://johnazar.com, or send an email to azar@peak15cap.com. You can also find John on Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Your Host

From pro-snowboarder to money mogul, Chris Naugle has dedicated his life to being America's #1 Money Mentor. With a core belief that success is built not by the resources you have, but by how resourceful you can be. Chris has built and owned 19 companies, with his businesses being featured in Forbes, ABC, House Hunters, and his very own HGTV pilot in 2018. He is the founder of The Money School™ and Money Mentor for The Money Multiplier.

His success also includes managing tens of millions of dollars in assets in the financial services and advisory industry and in real estate transactions. As an innovator and visionary in wealth-building and real estate, he empowers entrepreneurs, business owners, and real estate investors with the knowledge of how money works.

Chris is also a nationally recognized speaker, author, and podcast host. He has spoken to and taught over ten thousand Americans, delivering the financial knowledge that fuels lasting freedom.

Resources

Private Money Guide: https://go.moneyschoolrei.com/book-podcast

Wealth Wednesday Webinar: https://go.moneyschoolrei.com/wednesday-webinar-podcast

Mapping out the Millionaire Mystery: https://go.moneyschoolrei.com/newbook-podcast