In the News—Week of January 5, 2026

Thomas Title & Escrow is pleased to announce the successful closing of a $10,500,000 self-storage facility transaction in Weatogue, Connecticut, demonstrating the firm’s continued ability to execute complex commercial real estate closings at the highest level nationwide.

The transaction involved the acquisition of a self-storage facility by New Coast Real Estate, a Chicago-based investment firm, from Talcott Mountain Self Storage. The purchase was financed with a $9,191,000 loan provided by Live Oak Banking Company.

Thomas Title & Escrow served as the title and escrow provider for the transaction. The closing was expertly managed by Joel Montemayor, Senior Commercial Escrow Officer, with support from Vickie Montemayor, Escrow Assistant. Additional on-the-ground support was provided by our Connecticut office, ensuring a seamless and timely closing process. Jusitn Wine, National Account Executive, maintained consistent client communication and transactional support throughout the lifecycle of the deal, reinforcing Thomas Title & Escrow’s commitment to proactive service and execution certainty.

This transaction highlights Thomas Title & Escrow’s ability to close sophisticated commercial real estate deals across markets nationwide by leveraging the strength, underwriting capacity, and operational scale of Stewart National Commercial Services. Through the Stewart platform, Thomas Title & Escrow delivers a powerful combination of local expertise and national resources, enabling clients to transact with confidence regardless of geography or asset complexity.

Closings like this exemplify our team’s collaborative approach, attention to detail, and ability to deliver certainty on high-value commercial transactions, As part of Stewart National Commercial Services we are able provide best-in-class solutions to investors, lenders, and brokers across the country.

Hospitals bought by REITs are more likely to close, face bankruptcy, study indicates

A recent study found that hospitals purchased by real estate investment trusts face significantly higher risks of closure or bankruptcy compared to other hospitals, Stat News reports. Research published in BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal, showed these facilities were nearly six times more likely to close or file for bankruptcy within four years of acquisition. The study examined the aftermath of such acquisitions and found that one-quarter of the hospitals acquired by these real estate companies experienced closure or bankruptcy, while only 4% of non-acquired hospitals faced similar outcomes. Though only a small percentage of American hospitals operate under this ownership model, the findings suggest this structure may create financial vulnerabilities that threaten hospital viability.

Billionaire real estate developer says he’s leery about investing in data centers

Real estate developer Fernando de Leon, who successfully predicted the 2008 financial crisis and built a $10 billion commercial real estate business, is raising concerns about the current data center investment boom, CNBC reports. Despite major private equity firms investing heavily in data centers, de Leon questions why large tech companies with trillion-dollar market caps prefer not to own these assets themselves. He says it suggests the technology inside may quickly become obsolete due to advances in artificial intelligence. He worries that the long-term leases developers rely on may contain significant loopholes, and that institutional investors are putting pension funds at risk. Drawing on his background in evolutionary biology and understanding of market incentives, de Leon believes he’s seeing the same warning signs that preceded previous market distortions, though he remains optimistic about the overall growth of commercial real estate capital markets over the next decade.

Ashkenazy adds to Beverly Hills portfolio with deal for Neiman Marcus property

Ben Ashkenazy’s firm, Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, has purchased the two-block Neiman Marcus property located at 9700 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills’ Golden Triangle, The Real Deal reports. Financial details were not revealed. This acquisition expands Ashkenazy’s retail footprint in the area to 350,000 square feet, complementing his existing properties including the Beverly Connection mall and the former Barneys building. The purchase aligns with reports indicating that Ashkenazy had raised $750 million for commercial real estate acquisitions nationwide.