The 2024 AAPL Annual Conference brought together some of the brightest minds in private lending. Investors, brokers, and capital providers gathered in Las Vegas, NV, to discuss the current state of the real estate market, showcase their latest technology innovations, and explore what's in store for 2025.
With historically low real estate transaction volumes shaping the broader market, brokers and real estate investors have continued to face new challenges and opportunities. Private lending continues to be a critical tool to combat these challenges, providing necessary access to capital and delivering creative solutions that enable real estate professionals to thrive in any market.
Here are the key takeaways from this year's AAPL conference that can help brokers and real estate investors stay ahead of the curve in 2025.
One of the major themes at this year's AAPL conference was how private lending is helping brokers and real estate investors succeed during a challenging year. Despite historically low transaction volumes, traditional financing options have become more difficult to secure, leading many real estate investors to rely on private lending solutions. Multiple industry leaders highlighted how this shift toward more competitive and flexible loan options better aligns with real estate investors' needs.
Charles Goodwin, Vice President of Sales at Kiavi, explained, "Despite real estate transactions still being historically low, the private lending space had a great year. This is primarily because of the capital that has continued to flow into the space and the innovation from the lenders, which are driving loan origination volume away from banks/credit unions and into our private lending space."
For brokers, this trend could signal a chance to deepen relationships with private lenders, expanding their toolkit to provide REIs with flexible options for new construction projects, fix-and-flips, and build-to-rent (BTR) opportunities.
For REIs, this could mean new access to tailored loan options that support unique projects—even in a tough market. This would allow real estate investors to act quickly on opportunities that traditional lenders might overlook.
Innovation in lending technology emerged as a central focus at AAPL. These technological advancements are helping brokers and REIs close deals faster, streamline processes, and access flexible capital.
Loan origination platforms and tech-driven processes are now speeding up loan approvals, eliminating time-consuming and unnecessary hurdles, and making private lending a more attractive option. Brokers can leverage this technology to provide their clients with faster financing and tailored capital solutions, creating a competitive edge.
Kate Zanobini, Sr. Broker Experience Manager at Kiavi, shared her excitement about the positive changes coming for real estate investors: "Overall, the industry is ready for a very exciting 2025 with a lot more types of products and technology solutions coming into the private lending space!"
The key takeaway for both brokers and investors is clear: Technological advancements are reducing the time to funding and offering tools that simplify the borrowing process. This win-win situation allows brokers to strengthen their client relationships while helping REIs stay agile and competitive.
The APPL conference highlighted the importance of collaboration between brokers, lenders, and investors. Strong partnerships could make aligning funding solutions with real estate investors' goals easier. For brokers, this collaborative approach could provide a more straightforward path to helping their clients secure financing options tailored to their strategy.
For investors, strong broker-lender relationships mean access to strategic advice, innovative loan products, and the confidence to take on larger or more complex real estate investing deals. Building a trusted team can be the difference between missing out on a project and closing a profitable fix-and-flip deal.
As competition among private lenders increases, loan options may become cheaper and easier to access. This can help real estate investors get better terms and lower overall costs.
Advancements in technology and the institutionalization of private lending could also streamline processes and improve loan offerings. However, as private lending continues to consolidate, experts at APPL expect fewer lenders to gain market share. While there will always be space for smaller private lenders, the capital markets are becoming increasingly standardized and institutionalized, positioning top lenders to dominate the market.
Brokers who keep up with these trends can better help their clients get the financing they need on time. Understanding these possible market dynamics will enable REIs to invest confidently, secure competitive pricing, and expand their investment portfolios.
The future of private lending relies on innovation, technology, and collaboration. Whether you're an investor seeking flexible funding or a broker supporting clients through changing market conditions, the insights shared at AAPL reveal one thing: private lending is evolving, and the opportunities are endless.
With Kiavi's one-of-a-kind tech platform, we are dedicated to providing real estate investors with innovative private lending solutions that will simplify and streamline the funding process. By combining advanced technology with deep industry expertise, Kiavi is ready to partner with brokers and investors to help them scale their businesses.
Ready to see how Kiavi can support your real estate investment needs? Explore our financing options and see how Kiavi can help you thrive in 2025.