Situs, the premier global provider of strategic business and technology solutions to the real estate finance industry, today announced the completion of its acquisition of The Collingwood Group, a Washington, D.C. advisory firm led by the former head of FHA, and partners who have held senior leadership positions in HUD, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHFA, focused on housing policy and regulation.
By acquiring Collingwood, Situs obtains regulatory policy experience and insight across the residential housing and multifamily finance industry. "Collingwood is a thought leader in the housing industry, and we are excited to have them join the Situs team," said Steve Powel, CEO of Situs. "This acquisition expands our professional service offering beyond the commercial real estate sector, providing residential housing expertise and advice to manage complex credit risks and address continuing regulatory challenges. Further, the Collingwood team provides a presence in Washington, D.C., to better serve our existing GSE's relationships."
"Collingwood has an established track record and credibility for providing consulting and advisory services in the housing industry," said Brian O'Reilly, President of Collingwood. "Joining Situs enables us to also provide fulfillment services to our clients, and offer these clients the same level of industry expertise in the commercial real estate sector. The acquisition will also accelerate our growth in the strategy, risk management and regulatory-compliance area."
"We are delighted to partner with such an experienced and well-regarded team," said Stephen Friedman, Chairman of Stone Point Capital, a financial services-focused private-equity firm and the majority owner of Situs. "Collingwood has deep experience and specialized expertise in the policies and regulations impacting the housing industry. These capabilities will complement Situs' service offerings in the commercial real estate sector and will significantly broaden Situs' overall position as a leading provider of risk management and operational support services to the real estate finance industry."
ABOUT SITUS
Situs is the premier global provider of strategic business and technology solutions for the real estate finance industry, trusted to evaluate, optimize and manage critical assets and securities: from commercial and residential real estate, to small- and medium-enterprise and consumer lending. Since 1985, Situs has set the standard in financial services for service, quality and execution. Situs has offices across the US and Europe and has been involved in more than $1 trillion of real estate debt and equity deals.
In 2016, Situs acquired Hatfield Philips International to become the largest independent loan servicer in Europe. In 2014, Situs acquired Real Estate Research Corp. (rebranded Situs RERC). Situs RERC is Situs' SEC-registered investment advisor, and has become one of the largest valuation management firms in the U.S. and European Pension fund sector. In 2009, Situs acquired Merrill Lynch and Ocwen's NPL special servicer, GSSG in Germany.
ABOUT THE COLLINGWOOD GROUP
The Collingwood Group provides advisory services and business development opportunities combined with access to decision makers, financial sponsors, corporate boards and senior industry executives. The firm's core focus is helping companies and investors drive growth, build their businesses and accelerate value creation by identifying and exploiting opportunities in the financial services industry.
