Sabal Financial Group Expands Home Builder Lending, Opens Orlando Office

NEWPORT BEACH, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 17, 2013) - Sabal Financial Group, L.P., a diversified financial services firm specializing in real estate, lending and banking, has announced the opening of an Orlando, Florida office in support of the East Coast expansion of the firm's Home Builder Lending division and activity in the southeast. Serving builders of for-sale home projects in the region, the Orlando office will be led by new hire Robert Singer who has been named Production Officer for the Florida region. The new office and appointment of Robert Singer follow the firm's recent expansion of its Home Builder Lending from operations focused on the West Coast to include the East Coast, making the firm one of the only non-regulated lenders serving builders coast to coast.

The new Florida office will serve builders active throughout Florida, with a focus on rebounding real estate markets in the state where new home inventory is constrained, employment and new home sales are growing and demand exists among builders for speed to market financing. Sabal offers non-recourse loans for all for-sale home project types, including single-family detached homes, condominiums and townhomes ranging from starter homes to luxury residence communities. Target markets include Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando, with loans ranging from $3 - 50 million.

"Florida is experiencing a surge in new home sales and demand and we are looking to help builders active in the region get the debt financing needed to get their projects built," said Tom Farrell, director of Sabal's Home Builder Lending. "As a non-regulated lender with established efficient processes, we offer builders speed in financing and are able to service Eastern market demands immediately."

Sabal Financial Group appointed Robert Singer as Production Officer for the state of Florida. Singer brings a strong background in builder finance and relationships to the firm, having been active in residential and commercial real estate markets for more than 20 years, the last four spent in Orlando, Florida. Previously, Singer was the Vice President at PNC Bank and RBC Bank in Orlando, Florida where he originated and managed a wide variety of commercial real estate assets, including retail, office, hospitality and industrial properties. Prior to his role at PNC, Singer held a Vice President role with Bank of America, leading the bank's home builder lending teams in Arizona and New Mexico. As part of this position, he oversaw a $500 million builder finance portfolio. Singer began his career with Barnett Bank in Jacksonville and received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business.

The new Orlando office and hire of Robert Singer follow the firm's recent expansion onto the East Coast, which marked the firm as one of the only active non-regulated lenders serving builders coast to coast. The expansion brings Sabal's builder financing into the states of Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

"There is recovery happening in many markets across the country especially in the Southeast were we are seeing positive growth," said Sabal Financial Group CEO Pat Jackson. "Singer brings an extensive background in real estate financing to Sabal as well as local Florida relationships. Our expansion into Florida will provide us with ample opportunity for growth and Singer will help leverage this opportunity for Sabal's Home Builder Lending team."

Sabal's Home Builder Lending division is comprised of an experienced team with an extensive background in both home building and lending, with former home builders on staff available to evaluate building plans. The firm is focused on delivering financial decisions based on sound real estate underwriting and is able to provide quick turnaround decisions, giving builders speed to market benefits unavailable through traditional finance providers.

About Sabal Financial Group

Sabal Financial Group, L.P. is an international diversified financial services firm specializing in real estate, banking and lending. The firm's flagship business has established a strong foothold in the distressed debt arena, bringing nearly $6 billion in real estate and land assets under management since the firm's inception in 2009. Sabal operates a number of complementary businesses including: Sabal Commercial Lending, a non-regulated debt provider offering acquisition, development and construction loans to established residential builders and commercial bridge loans to reputable real estate investors and owners; Sabal Commercial Advisors, a national transaction support services provider to CMBS investors and originators; the Sabal Bank Credit Advisory Practice, an advisor and M&A specialist serving commercial and investment banks with unbiased third-party credit portfolio risk and capital performance assessments; and Sabal Fund Analytics and Surveillance, a provider of expert oversight, reporting and disbursement controls on behalf of equity providers in real estate and non-real estate joint ventures, and controlled and non-controlled investment platforms.

A privately held company, Sabal Financial Group is headquartered in Newport Beach, CA. Visit the company online at www.sabalfin.com.