John Azar breaks down today’s capital markets, why deals are failing, and how to raise money, communicate with investors, and scale a commercial real estate fund. In this episode of RealDealChat , Jack Hoss sits down with John Azar , founder of Peak 15 Capital , to discuss the real state of capital markets, the rise of distressed commercial assets, and what operators must do to survive today’s environment. John shares his origin story—from structured finance at Morgan Stanley to launching multiple companies, navigating the 2008 crisis, and ultimately raising and managing large funds. He explains the differences between today’s market and 2008, why liquidity isn’t the problem this time, and why underwriting is causing widespread defaults across multifamily and commercial assets. John also breaks down how to start raising capital, the difference between syndications and funds, where he’s seeing the best opportunities (including flex industrial and ground-up development), and why transparent communication is the #1 rule of investor relations. He also covers how he uses AI and automation to save time while still keeping the personal touch required in private equity. What You’ll Learn Why defaults are rising in CRE (and why it’s NOT the properties) The biggest difference between 2008 and today How to start raising money the right way Syndication vs. fund structures—and when to use each Why flex industrial and development deals are trending How to spot distressed opportunities in today’s market How to scale from being the operator to being a fund manager The crucial role of communication in investor trust How AI tools save time but can’t replace relationships What Peak 15 Capital is investing in next 📍 Learn more: Peak15Cap.com 💡 Scale your REI business with AI: RealDealCrew.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Defaults rising: bad financing, not bad properties 01:00 – John’s origin story in structured finance 02:00 – Starting his first company & surviving 2008 03:00 – Launching syndications in the Southeast 04:00 – Peak 15 Capital & becoming a fund manager 05:00 – Today vs 2008: liquidity & debt differences 06:30 – Where the real debt problems are now 08:00 – How new investors should start raising capital 09:30 – When to move from syndications to a fund 10:30 – Best opportunities: development & flex industrial 12:00 – Why multifamily underwriting is failing 13:00 – Why flex industrial is outperforming 14:00 – Scaling pains: teams, roles & internal change 15:30 – The #1 skill: investor communication 17:00 – Staying in front of bad news 18:00 – AI & automation as time multipliers 20:00 – Why personal touch still matters 21:30 – What Peak 15 is funding next 23:00 – Upcoming course & education 24:30 – Rapid Fire: lies, advice, books & time-savers #CommercialRealEstate #RaisingCapital #JohnAzar #Peak15Capital #RealDealChat #Syndication #RealEstateFunds #FlexIndustrial #CREInvesting #InvestorRelations #RealEstateDevelopment RealDealCrew.com We empower real estate investors by optimizing your business processes through customized automation and system integration. From lead management to deal closure, we help you build a scalable and efficient operation. Learn more at
