.png)
Independent property judgement for high-stakes lending and asset decisions
DCRE provides independent, property-side judgement on complex assets.
​
We are brought in when a property decision matters, the exposure is meaningful, and relying on standard process alone does not feel sufficient.
​
That may be before a refinance, acquisition or development decision.
It may be later, when a loan is live and the position is becoming harder to manage.
It may also be where decisions have stalled because different parties are working from different assumptions about the same asset.
​
Our role is to establish what the property actually supports, in today’s market, before further commitments are made that are difficult or expensive to reverse.
"Daniel provides a second pair of eyes, relentlessly focused on the right outcome. He truly understands what you’re trying to achieve and applies unique, property‑specific risk strategies to get you there."
- Dr Tim Dunn
Why DCRE exists
Most problems in property do not start with bad behaviour or poor intent.
​
They start with assumptions that have not been properly tested. Numbers that look workable on paper. Exits that rely on things going right. Risks that are understood loosely but not worked through in detail.
​
Once valuation, credit or enforcement are involved, momentum has often already taken over. At that point, decisions tend to be reactive and options are narrower than people realise.
​
DCRE exists to intervene earlier, while there is still room to decide, and to re-establish clarity later when momentum has begun to work against you.
​
We are not here to replace advisers or internal teams.
We are here to give a clear, independent view of what the property can realistically support, and what that means for the decision in front of you.
Who we work with
We work with people who carry the consequences of the decision.
​
That typically includes lenders, brokers, investors, developers and owners dealing with complex assets, tight timelines, or situations where being wrong would be costly or difficult to unwind.
​
If a decision is low risk or easily reversible, this work is probably unnecessary.
​
If confidence has not kept pace with momentum, that is usually when we are brought in.
What we do
DCRE works in three core situations. Everything else we do supports one of these.
​
Before funding or commitment
​
We are often engaged before valuation, credit or legal instruction, where a case is asset-led and assumptions need to be tested properly.
​
This involves examining value, GDV and exit logic as they stand today, identifying where assumptions are fragile, and surfacing constraints that have not yet been fully addressed.
​
The aim is not to push deals forward.
It is to establish whether the asset supports the outcome being pursued.
​
In some cases that means a deal proceeds in a much cleaner position. In others, it means stopping early, before time, fees and credibility are spent on something that was never going to work.
​
For lenders and brokers, this reduces time lost on cases that will not complete.
For borrowers, it provides clarity before capital is committed.
​
When a live position is under pressure
​
We are also brought in when a loan is live and the original exit has not materialised as expected.
​
This may be due to slower sales, pricing that no longer works, refinancing assumptions that have shifted, or timelines tightening.
​
At this stage, our role is to re-establish a clear, factual picture of the asset and the options available.
​
We assess why the exit is not working, what can realistically be done next, and what the consequences of each option look like in practice.
​
Because we sit outside the lending process, borrowers are often more open with us than they are with lender-appointed teams. That allows issues to be addressed earlier and cooperation to be clearly evidenced.
​
For lenders, this provides better information before decisions escalate.
For borrowers, it creates a way forward based on reality rather than hope.
​
Contested, stalled or deadlocked situations
​
In some cases, DCRE is engaged where decisions have already hardened and property facts sit at the centre of disagreement.
​
This may involve probate, co-ownership disputes, stalled disposals, litigation support, or situations where different parties are working from different assumptions about the same asset.
​
The role is the same as elsewhere. We establish a shared, evidence-based understanding of what the property actually supports, so decisions can move forward on reality rather than position.
Independence and boundaries
DCRE is independent.
​
We are not brokers, valuers, agents or solicitors.
We do not arrange finance, approve lending, manage assets or enforce outcomes.
​
Our work is typically paid for by the borrower and deliberately sits outside the lending process. That structure is intentional. It allows a more open examination of the asset and the strategy without cutting across internal teams or existing advisers.
​
Where appropriate, and with consent, our work can be shared to support clearer discussions between all parties.
What this delivers
The work leads to fewer late-stage surprises, cleaner valuation and credit discussions, earlier identification of weak cases, and better-informed decisions on live loans.
​
Most importantly, it helps people make decisions that stand up when tested.
​
Recent instructions have included early asset issues identified on time-critical refinances, exit assumptions challenged before valuation to avoid rework, live loans stabilised through clearer pricing and strategy, and complex assets repositioned with realistic buyer profiles.
​
In several cases, avoidable downside was identified early enough to change the outcome.
From Daniel Clarke
"Most property problems don’t come from the market.
​
They come from decisions being made before the asset has been properly understood.
​
DCRE exists to provide an independent view of what a property can realistically support, before further commitments are made.
​
We don’t replace advisers.
We help people decide what to do, and why."​
When to get in touch
DCRE is usually engaged before committing to a high-stakes refinance, acquisition or development, when a deal feels uncomfortable but has not failed, when a live loan needs clarity rather than escalation, or when property facts sit at the centre of a dispute and decisions are stalling.
​
If you are dealing with a complex situation and want an independent view before it goes further, we are always open to a sensible conversation.