Igor Zhizhin
Mr. Igor Zhizhin has successfully demonstrated over 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur in multiple sectors and markets. His diverse background includes a film production company in Chicago, a privately held real estate fund in California, a medical transportation company in New York, and a commercial real estate advisory firm representing family offices and private investors in Chicago.
His current focus is the small balance commercial real estate sector having established American Street Capital (“ASC”) a national commercial mortgage banking company in 2009. ASC was started in the peak of the recession to create a viable outlet when conventional commercial banking debt was barely accessible. It has successfully grown to becoming one of the most recognized commercial finance firms in the Midwest having
arranged over 400 transactions since inception.
Mr. Zhizhin is a member of several corporate advisory boards and is particularly proud of co-founding the American Ukrainian Chamber of
Commerce & industry (“AUCCI”). Mr. Zhizhin has been extensively published in commercial lending trade publications and is a member of the
Forbes Real Estate Council. Mr. Zhizhin’s academic achievements include graduating with Honors from the University of Chicago with a Bachelors
of Arts in psychology, master coursework in Organizational Behavior and Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University, and graduating from the
University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business with his Masters of Business Administration.
Publications
Develop a Magic Touch
Uttered nearly a century ago by Nobel Peace Prize winner Christian Lous Lange, the notion that “technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master” has become more accurate every day. In the fast-paced, high-stress world of commercial real estate finance, efficiency, speed and productivity are fundamental requirements for survival. Read More
Secure Preapprovals To Win Commercial Real Estate Deals
The 2017 Commercial Real Estate Lending Trends Survey by the National Association of Realtors® confirmed that only 30% of all commercial real estate transactions are all-cash. That is why for the vast majority of transactions, the prospective seller and their agent will always defer to the buyer with proven financing in place versus the offer that only has empty promises as proof they will get the money to close the deal.Read More
Eco-Consciousness Is Within Reach
The combination of higher interest rates, compressed cap rates and increased operating costs have forced many players in the commercial real estate sector to search for alternatives to save on financing costs, whether they are already property owners or are looking to acquire real estate. The borrower-friendly green initiatives offered by the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have created an opportunity to do just that while also promoting more environmentally efficient multifamily buildings.Read More
Navigate the GSE Highway
Since the Great Recession ended in 2009, no other market players have had a greater impact on the multifamily lending industry than Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. As of this past May, Fannie and Freddie held or guaranteed 44 percent of all outstanding multifamily mortgages, up from 25 percent in 2006. The two government-sponsored enterprises, or GSEs, also play a vital role in the purchase or guaranteeing of small-balance multifamily commercial mortgages — loans valued between $750,000 and $7.5 million.Read More
Seeing is Believing in Lending
In a world dominated by e-mail, text messages and social media, people can go through their whole lives interacting with business associates they have never met in person. Just because online interaction is the status quo, however, doesn’t mean it’s the best course of action.Read More
Mortgage Bankers See Much More Upside than Downside in 2017
Past performance is no guarantee of future success, but the commercial real estate lending community has the wind at its back early this year. Strong property fundamentals, increasing values and healthy sales activity — particularly among multifamily assets — drove borrowing and lending activity to new heights in 2016, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).Read More
Know Your Borrower
Commercial mortgage brokers are aware that a host of factors influences a lender’s decision on whether or not to extend a loan. And one of the most critical points is the perceived image of a borrower’s ethics and conduct. Regardless of the lender or the program, the fundamental question always revolves around the risk of default by the borrower and how this borrower would handle the payment obligation in case of adversity.Read More
The Summary of All Deals
Perhaps the most significant factor that differentiates successful commercial mortgage brokers from their competition is their ability to draft effective executive summaries of their deals. The executive summary serves as an elevator pitch on paper; it needs, therefore, to immediately grab the attention of a lender. This document should include the details of the story behind the requested loan, as well as the underlying criteria for credit in a single page that is clear, professionally stylized and accurate.Read More