CBRE Names Robert Koontz to Lead Multifamily Debt Capital Markets

CBRE has appointed Robert Koontz as Senior Managing Director and Head of Multifamily Debt Capital Markets within its Debt & Structured Finance team, the firm announced July 13. The hire is central to CBRE's strategy to expand its multifamily debt platform by deepening agency origination capabilities, developing financing solutions, and strengthening institutional relationships across the capital markets landscape.

Koontz's Background and Role at CBRE

Koontz brings more than 25 years of capital markets and structured finance experience to the role. He spent 17 years at Freddie Mac, most recently as Head of Multifamily Capital Markets, where he oversaw more than $900 billion in issuance, directed the agency's capital markets execution and program development, and managed relationships with the GSE's largest institutional counterparties. Earlier in his career, he held structured finance roles at Wachovia Securities and Banc of America Securities.

Based between Washington, D.C., and New York, Koontz will operate nationally. He will work closely with Kelli Carhart, Head of Multifamily Capital Markets at CBRE, as well as the firm's Investment Properties and Investment Banking teams, reporting directly to James Millon, Co-Head of Capital Markets, U.S. and Canada.

Carhart previously worked with Koontz at Freddie Mac before joining CBRE in 2022, reflecting a multi-year effort by the firm to recruit agency-experienced capital markets talent into its brokerage platform.

Strategic Context: Scaling a Growing Platform

CBRE's multifamily debt originations exceeded $30 billion in 2025, with 2026 volume running approximately 60% ahead of the prior year. At that scale, the firm is moving into the range of institutional lending franchises that require centralized capital markets leadership to standardize product offerings, risk frameworks, investor relationships, and execution quality across markets.

Koontz's mandate includes expanding CBRE's agency origination capabilities as well as its balance sheet and risk transfer strategies, including bridge-to-agency loan offerings. That focus is responsive to a market environment in which elevated interest rates and cap rate repricing have created demand from owners seeking short-term, flexible capital to stabilize assets or complete business plans before locking in long-term permanent agency debt.

"This appointment reflects where we are taking our multifamily debt platform," said Millon. "Robert is a genuine platform-builder — his 17 years running capital markets at Freddie Mac gives us capabilities and relationships that simply cannot be replicated, and that directly benefit our clients. This is an investment in talent, products, and partnerships that will define what CBRE can deliver in multifamily for years to come."

Agency and Securitized Execution in Focus

Koontz's appointment positions CBRE to compete more directly in agency and securitized executions at a time when investor demand for high-quality commercial real estate credit remains strong. Spreads on AAA tranches in securitized markets have tightened to historically narrow levels, making agency CMBS and other securitized executions increasingly attractive for multifamily borrowers seeking to maximize proceeds and financing flexibility.

His experience managing institutional counterparty relationships at Freddie Mac is also relevant as banks moderate their commercial real estate exposure and platforms capable of sourcing, structuring, and distributing multifamily credit to a broad institutional investor base gain a competitive advantage.

"Our clients deserve access to the most innovative and comprehensive multifamily financing solutions available, and Robert's expertise at the intersection of agency execution and capital markets is exactly what will help us deliver that," Carhart said.

Integration Across CBRE's Capital Markets Franchise

Koontz's reporting line and matrixed role within CBRE indicate the firm intends multifamily debt to be fully integrated with its sales, advisory, and investment banking capabilities — aiming to capture the full transaction lifecycle, from property sales and joint venture structuring through permanent and bridge debt financing and securitization.

"CBRE's multifamily platform is unmatched in its reach, data, and client relationships," Koontz said. "The combination of origination capabilities, market intelligence, and an integrated platform across commercial real estate sales and investment banking creates a clear competitive advantage for clients. I look forward to working with this team to drive execution and expand what we can deliver for multifamily borrowers and investors across the country."

As lenders broadly return to commercial real estate and financing options expand across banks, life companies, debt funds, and agencies, borrowers are increasingly seeking execution strategy advice — which lender, which product, which term — rather than simply the lowest rate. CBRE's move to embed agency-grade capital markets leadership into its platform is aimed at capturing that advisory and origination demand, particularly from institutional owners navigating a market that may see a wave of refinancings and recapitalizations as interest rates evolve.

Sources

CBRE Press Release: Robert Koontz Joins CBRE to Lead Multifamily Debt Capital Markets