Commercial Real Estate Now | Episode with Hugh Chen, President & CEO of Saglo Companies

Karly Iacono sits down with Hugh Chen, President and CEO of Saglo Companies — a vertically integrated, privately held retail real estate firm celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. From surviving the S&L crisis and the dot-com bust to navigating COVID, Saglo has never defaulted on a loan. Hugh breaks down exactly how they've done it.

In this episode, we cover:

Saglo's 50-year history and what it takes to survive every down cycle in commercial real estate

Hugh's day-to-day as President & CEO — and why technology strategy must be led from the top

How to identify the right acquisition target: the full checklist Hugh's team uses to underwrite neighborhood and community shopping centers

CapEx decisions: when renovation makes sense, when it doesn't, and how lender financing changes the math

Saglo's capital stack: 65% LTV, banks over CMBS, and a friends-and-family equity model

The fund structure vs. deal-by-deal investing — and what made them switch

📍 Saglo Companies operates across Florida, Georgia, and Maryland with over 2.5M square feet of retail.

Commercial Real Estate Now is hosted by Karly Iacono. Subscribe for weekly conversations with top investors, operators, and experts across the commercial real estate industry.

🔗 Connect with Karly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlyiacono

#CommercialRealEstate #RetailRealEstate #ShoppingCenters #CRE #RealEstateInvesting #ValueAdd #PrivateEquity #SagloCompanies

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50 Years, Zero Defaults: How Saglo Survives Every Downturn

Commercial Real Estate Now

50 Years, Zero Defaults: How Saglo Survives Every Downturn