Special Servicing during these dark times

Hi all,

Just finished reading a WSJ article that covered the forecasting of increased delinquencies in the CMBS space over the next several months. Given that special servicers are going to need more bodies to deal with this, what is everyone's take on working an analyst gig at one of them?

Going to be graduating this spring and have interned in AM and most recently brokerage - am I crazy to be looking at special servicing, or is it a decent starting point given the current reality?

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Back after 08, many people went to work in special servicing, workouts, receivership services, and other areas that suddenly demanded a surge in people. It's a normal part of a cyclical business. If defaults spike, people will need to go work to handle them. Many will be those let go from banks, brokerages, and firms that reduce headcount. 

The distressed world is a great place to start coming out of college, you can learn a ton and see the real issues in managing an asset. I think it sets somebody up to do very well at real estate investment decision making in the future.  

 

I currently work for a top 5 special servicer in terms of dollar amount of named special. Right now I'd argue it's some of the best experience one can get. Any time you can get exposure to distressed assets and why deals are going bad will only benefit you later on. I started at the beginning of the year, and given the amount of loans defaulting, I was also able to get far more exposure and responsibility than I would have at a production shop over the same period of time (9-10) months. Our agency perm debt production group also looks favorably on previous experience in special for new hires.

 

I currently work for a top 5 special servicer in terms of dollar amount of named special. Right now I'd argue it's some of the best experience one can get. Any time you can get exposure to distressed assets and why deals are going bad will only benefit you later on. I started at the beginning of the year, and given the amount of loans defaulting, I was also able to get far more exposure and responsibility than I would have at a production shop over the same period of time (9-10) months. Our agency perm debt production group also looks favorably on previous experience in special for new hires.

 

Hours are probably worse on average than asset management. Keep in mind special servicers only really staff up and go to work when there's an economic downturn. Our group as well also does a lot of peripheral due diligence work for B piece buyers. So that takes up quite a bit of time but so gives substantial experience reunderwriting deals. Pay is probably less... We're debt only so can't speak to repe asset management salaries. Servicing in general doesn't pay the best and as a 3rd party special were completely split from the actual trusts who own the loans. As for experience, we have the gambit from guys who have been doing special 30+ years to around 1 year of experience. We generally won't hire straight out of college.

 

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