Walker & Dunlop to Acquire IB Firm Zelman & Associates

Bethesda, MD.-based financial services provider Walker & Dunlop has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in housing research and investment banking firm Zelman & Associates. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Founded in 2007 by Ivy Zelman and Dennis McGill, Zelman has earned an impressive reputation among institutional investors and business executives alike for its unbiased, in-depth research, insightful analysis and trusted advisory services. The firm’s expertise spans macro, sector and company-specific trends across all areas of housing, including homebuilding, building products, demographics, multifamily, single-family rentals, mortgage finance and real estate technology and services.

“We are extremely excited to be joining forces with Zelman, one of the most recognizable brands in the housing industry known for high-quality research and must-read opinions on the sector,” said Willy Walker, CEO at Walker & Dunlop. “The combination of our two companies from a research and data standpoint will provide our bankers and brokers with unrivaled insight into the housing sector and local markets in support of their clients and transactions, and firmly establish Walker & Dunlop as the preeminent resource for housing investors and business leaders. The single-family and multifamily housing industries are converging within the single-family rental and build-for-rent asset classes, and Zelman’s unique research and Walker & Dunlop’s banking and brokerage operations will be a powerful combination as these asset classes are further institutionalized.”