The Walker Webcast

On the latest Walker Webcast, Willy welcomed longtime friend and bestselling author Jim Collins for a deeply personal conversation inspired by his latest book, What to Make of a Life.   Together, they explored what it means to build a meaningful life, how to navigate unexpected turning points, and why reinvention can lead to some of our greatest opportunities. From finding work that ignites y...

Willy was joined by Dr. Larry Sabato, founder and director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics and creator of Sabato's Crystal Ball. Together, they examined the upcoming midterm elections, the battle for control of Congress, shifting voter sentiment, and the key races that could determine the balance of power in Washington. They also discussed the reliability of polls and predictio...

Willy was joined by Walker & Dunlop experts Aaron Appel, Kris Mikkelsen, and Ivy Zelman for a candid discussion on the state of the market and what lies ahead. Together, they examined how shifting interest rates are impacting commercial real estate valuations, financing, and transaction activity, the growing challenges surrounding multifamily debt maturities, and emerging opportunities across the...

For 300 episodes, Willy has asked the questions. Now, the tables have turned as award-winning journalist and New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos takes over the interviewer’s chair and puts Willy in the hot seat, answering YOUR most-asked questions. In a candid and wide-ranging conversation, Willy reflected on the lessons he’s learned from building Walker & Dunlop, the risks that paid off—and the op...

Willy was joined once again by Dr. Peter Linneman for the Most Insightful Hour in CRE, recorded at the 2026 Dominium Capital Partner Summit. With interest rates at 25-year highs and oil-driven inflation adding new uncertainty, what should commercial real estate investors do now? Willy and Peter unpacked why Peter believes rates will eventually come down, what owners facing near-term maturities sho...

Willy sat down with Chris Lee, Partner and President of KKR Real Estate. Three years after Chris last joined the Walker Webcast, where does he believe the commercial real estate market stands today? Willy and Chris discussed where KKR is deploying capital across credit and equity, opportunities created by the wave of multifamily maturities, and why today’s market demands a highly selective approac...

On a special episode of the Walker Webcast, recorded at the 2026 Zelman Housing Summit, Willy was joined by Sean Dobson, CEO of Amherst, a leading real estate investment and development firm. Sean explained why today’s housing market looks more expensive than before the Global Financial Crisis — but lacks the same catalyst for a crash. He and Willy also discussed the mortgage lock-in effect, singl...

Willy sat down with Paul Cheek, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, serial entrepreneur, AI strategist, and author of the new book, No One Works Here, for a conversation about AI, the future of work, and what it takes to build an AI-driven enterprise. They explored why AI is advancing faster than organizations can adapt, why leaders may be looking at AI ROI through the wron...

Willy sat down with Steve Hills, former President and General Manager of The Washington Post and author of the forthcoming book, The Alpha Trap, for a conversation about leadership, transformation, ambition, and the hidden costs of success.   They explored how Steve helped transform The Washington Post from a newspaper into a digital-first technology company, what that experience can teach le...

Willy sat down with Ivy Zelman, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Zelman, a Walker & Dunlop Company, for her latest read on the U.S. housing market and the forces that could reshape housing demand for years to come. They explored why Ivy believes the housing market may be more balanced than the prevailing shortage narrative suggests, how slowing population and househol...

Willy sat down with Liz Ann Sonders, Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab and one of the most influential voices in finance, for a wide-ranging conversation on what’s driving markets today and what investors should be watching next. Willy and Liz Ann explored a changing investment landscape shaped by inflation, interest rate volatility, federal deficits, and shifting labor and housing mar...

On a special episode of the Walker Webcast, recorded live at the 2026 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference, Willy was joined by New York Times reporter and bestselling author David Gelles. David’s book, Dirtbag Billionaire, explores the remarkable life of Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard—a reluctant entrepreneur who built an iconic brand while challenging conventional ideas about capitalism, consum...

We featured a special keynote from Walker & Dunlop's Summer Conference with Aditya Sanghvi, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and leader of the firm's global real estate practice. Aditya cut through the AI hype to explain what today's breakthroughs actually mean for real estate. Drawing on McKinsey's work with leading organizations, he explored why so few companies are realizing meaningful valu...

On a special episode of the Walker Webcast, we featured an interview with Tom Nides, Vice Chairman of Strategy & Client Relations at Blackstone, with guest host Steve Hills, Author and former President & General Manager of The Washington Post, recorded live at Walker & Dunlop's 2026 Summer Conference.   Drawing on his experience spanning Wall Street, the White House, the State Department, and...

We featured a conversation with four of the industry’s most influential voices to examine the forces reshaping housing in America. Recorded live at Walker & Dunlop’s Summer Conference, this panel was moderated by Ivy Zelman, Executive Vice President of Research & Securities at Walker & Dunlop, alongside panelists Steven DeFrancis, Founder and CEO of Cortland, Ryan Marshall, President and CEO of Pu...

If today’s headlines leave you wondering what’s signal and what’s noise, don’t miss this special Walker Webcast featuring Willy’s opening remarks from Walker & Dunlop’s Summer Conference. In this timely keynote, Willy separates market noise from the data that matters, sharing his perspective on commercial real estate, housing fundamentals, consumer sentiment, immigration, interest rates, AI, and t...

Willy was joined by legendary footballer, Andriy Shevchenko, one of the greatest strikers of all time, Ukraine's all-time leading goal scorer, Ballon d'Or winner, former manager of the Ukrainian National Team, and one of his country's most influential global ambassadors. Together, they explored the latest developments from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the mindset required to perform under pressure, an...

Willy sat down with Dr. Peter Linneman for another installment of the Most Insightful Hour in CRE, sharing Peter’s latest outlook on the economy, capital markets, and where he sees the biggest risks and opportunities.   They explored why debt capital has largely returned while equity remains cautious, whether AI investment resembles the housing boom of the 2000s, why Peter believes many inves...

Willy sat down with Chris Crosby, founder and CEO of Compass Datacenters, a leading Class A, Community-First builder of the digital infrastructure powering the AI economy.   They discussed the genesis behind Compass, the company's community-first philosophy, its 100-year neighbor approach, and the realities of navigating local politics. Chris also shared his perspective on common misconceptions ab...

Willy sat down with Jeffrey Rosen, bestselling author, George Washington University law professor, contributing editor at The Atlantic, and CEO emeritus of the National Constitution Center, for a timely discussion about America’s founding ideals as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.   Willy and Jeffrey explored the enduring relevance of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutio...

Willy sat down with Robert Siegel, Lecturer in Management at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Operator, Venture Investor, and Author of The Systems Leader. They explored the competing pressures facing today’s leaders—from balancing innovation and execution to embracing AI while maintaining organizational focus. Robert also shared why curiosity, humility, and adaptability have become essential...

Willy sat down with Katie Cook, a trailblazing Marine Corps pilot who made history as the first woman selected to fly with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, live from the Walker & Dunlop Leadership Summit. She and Willy discussed her path from a military family to the Naval Academy, the near-plane crash in flight school that shaped her career, and the combat mission in Afghanistan where she fired Hellfir...

Willy sat down with Dr. Chris Palmer, Harvard psychiatrist, researcher, and author of Brain Energy. Dr. Palmer has become one of the leading voices exploring the connection between metabolism, nutrition, and mental health, challenging decades of conventional thinking about psychiatric disorders.  He and Willy discussed why mental illnesses may actually be metabolic disorders affecting the brain, t...

Willy sat down in person with Phil Washington, CEO of Denver International Airport and one of the country’s most respected transportation leaders.   They discussed DEN’s rapid growth toward becoming the busiest airport in the world, the massive infrastructure investments required to support rising passenger demand, and how the airport is balancing modernization, safety, and operational resilience....

Willy sat down with Senator Tim Scott, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, for a candid discussion on America’s economic future, AI, and global competitiveness. They discussed the race to lead in artificial intelligence, the growing importance of entrepreneurship and critical thinking, and why states embracing business investment are pulling ahead economically. Senator Scott also shared his...