Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced on January 12, 2026 that it is expanding its Capital Markets Institutional Advisory footprint in South Florida by adding Michael Stepniewski, a senior director who is relocating from Manhattan to Miami. Stepniewski will lead the firm’s efforts to advise clients on financing strategies across all asset classes, combining localized South Florida expertise with Walker & Dunlop’s national platform.
Miami has emerged as a premier institutional market, with rising transaction activity and a robust financing landscape. The firm’s recent involvement in high‑profile deals—such as a bridge loan for 1001 Brickell Bay Drive, a construction loan for Villa Miami, a $125 million loan for Cassi Miami, and a $238.4 million refinancing for Forma Miami—demonstrates its deep engagement in the region. The new office is positioned to capture a larger share of this growing demand and to provide clients with on‑site expertise that complements the firm’s national reach.
By establishing a dedicated presence in Miami, Walker & Dunlop signals its commitment to the region’s momentum and its confidence that localized service will drive client acquisition and retention. The move also allows the firm to leverage Stepniewski’s decade‑long experience in large‑scale capital markets, including his prior work at Tishman Speyer, to deepen relationships with institutional investors and developers in South Florida.
Senior Managing Director Aaron Appel said, “Miami continues to demonstrate exceptional momentum as a premier institutional market, driven not just by rising transaction activity but by an increasingly robust financing landscape.” Stepniewski added, “The persistent tailwinds for South Florida’s continued growth made it clear that a permanent institutional advisory presence in the region is paramount to catering to our client’s needs.”
The expansion follows a series of marquee financings that Walker & Dunlop has arranged in the Miami area. In December 2025, the firm represented the seller in the sale of the Brickell Assemblage, which included 1001 Brickell Bay Drive, for $520 million. A January 5, 2026 bridge loan of $464.5 million was also arranged for the land at 1001 and 1111 Brickell Bay Drive. Earlier in 2025, the firm secured a $285 million construction loan for Villa Miami and a $125 million construction loan for Cassi Miami, and in October 2025 it arranged a $238.4 million refinancing for Forma Miami.
With the new Miami office, Walker & Dunlop is poised to deepen its market presence, accelerate deal flow, and strengthen its competitive position in a region that is attracting significant institutional capital. The firm’s strategy of pairing local expertise with a national platform is expected to enhance client service and drive future growth in the South Florida capital‑markets arena.
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