RE HF Pods? Do they exist?

Bump

Yes

Funds will literally carve out a niche for you if you are good, especially if your strategy is unique and uncorrelated with other strategies. Like why would they pass on someone who can make good risk adjusted returns? Strategy shouldn’t matter as long as you are profitable.

what are the best RE-focused pods?

The top ones that comes to mind is Long Pond and Waterfront

For LO, Cohen & Steers is the biggest by far

Are there any notable (successful) CMBS / RMBS / mortgage / REIT pods at the Big 4? 

I know all the major platforms (Citadel/MLP/P72/BAM) have either a real estate pod, or an analyst covering REITs that usually works under a Financials PM. It’s a smaller universe so there are definitely less pods than Consumer for instance, but they exist. I interviewed with a few but recently joined a Financials pod that doesn’t look at REITs.

Bump, curious what the biggest CMBS / mortgage trading pods are

What are ppl's thoughts on focusing on REITs in a MM context? Seems like there are a ton of TMT / consumer pods, but barely any REIT pods. Is there a reason for this?

Yes. Most REIT analysts eat crayons for breakfast though