What a ______ year!

I’m sure we all have a number of adjectives we could use to describe 2021 and they likely run the gamut from happy and rewarding to sad and challenging. As I think back on the year, this is how I would complete the statement:

What a CONTROVERSIAL year!

We, at Zelman, are no strangers to being contrarians but this year we made our most controversial and bold call yet. Our groundbreaking Cradle to Grave report laid out our view that housing demand and supply are set on diverging courses. Based on years of extensive demographic analysis done by Dennis McGill combined with our proprietary housing research, we predicted that decelerating population growth and household formation will result in the need for far less new housing supply than is widely believed. Our view is shocking to many but our conviction is high and we have welcomed every discussion and debate that has followed. I take my hat off to Dennis for his extraordinary work on our most significant research report to date.

What a MOMENTOUS year!

When Dennis and I set out to start our own research firm 14 years ago we didn’t know if we would have any clients, let alone a sustainable business. So when we were acquired by Walker & Dunlop this past summer, it was truly a momentous occasion. W&D recognized the value we could bring to their business and we knew a partnership with them would provide us with the opportunity and resources to expand our top-tier research and investment banking services. The stars aligned and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come in this next chapter for Zelman & Associates. Thank you, Willy Walker and team, for welcoming us into your family!

What a CATHARTIC year!

From a personal perspective, the process of writing and publishing my memoir, Gimme Shelter,?involved a lot of introspection. While challenging at times, it was also incredibly cathartic as I reflected on my childhood, my life experiences, my relationships and the legacy I hope to leave. I didn’t enter the writing process with the intention of soul-searching but I am grateful that it took me there. It helped me realize just how resilient I am and how passionate I am about sharing my experiences and lessons with others (even if that requires a level of vulnerability with which I never thought I'd be OK). In the end, that is more important than how many copies I sell or positive reviews the book gets.

What a TRANSFORMATIVE year!

When I think about the events I just mentioned, it is clear that altogether, 2021 was a transformative year. Personally and professionally, things are on a far different path as we end the year than they were when we started. I am thrilled about the direction I am taking my life; leaning into my roots as an analyst while also extending myself more and more as a mentor. And Zelman & Associates, now a Walker & Dunlop company, is on an exciting trajectory; welcoming many new relationships garnered from the high publicity of Cradle to Grave, partnering with our W&D colleagues to provide clients on both sides a full suite of services from research and market intel to real estate investment sales, financing and banking, and collaborating on innovative new research products.?

That’s my reflection on 2021. I'd love to hear how you'd complete the statement:

What a ______ year!