Business

David Ebrahimzadeh Discusses The Impact Of The Covid Pandemic On The Real Estate Market

Published

5 years ago

April 20, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge effect on the United States economy as a whole and a major impact on the residential real estate market. The pandemic affected rental vacancy rates and prices and home sales in different ways. Major cities and suburbs were affected in vastly different ways.

David Ebrahimzadeh explains the effects that the global pandemic has had on the real estate market across the country, naming some of the problems that have come up and offering an outlook for future months.

Economic Disruption Leads to Distressed Landlords

Many people lost their jobs and were unable to pay their rent or mortgage, though temporary eviction and foreclosure protections did help. There were far fewer protections for landlords, and many landlords are on the verge of losing their properties.

David Ebrahimzadeh advises landlords to carry cash reserves to get through these difficult times. It may be too late for many landlords today, but those who are still holding stable properties should start saving today.

COVID’s Effects on Home Prices

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a noticeable drop in home sales across much of the country and a corresponding drop in prices. Economic uncertainty and stay-at-home orders stalled the home sales market, though as the pandemic eased thanks to the introduction of vaccines, the housing market has begun to recover.

Urban Rental Disruption

As the COVID lockdowns began, many residents of densely populated urban areas began to realize that their environment was putting them in danger of catching the coronavirus. People who had the economic means to do so and the flexibility to work from home began to buy homes in suburban areas 50 to 100 miles from the city they were fleeing.

Rental vacancy rates in the inner cities rose significantly while rental prices sunk to unprecedented levels. This caused real estate prices to soar in areas like Westchester, New York as Manhattan and Brooklyn’s residents departed. This also caused younger renters to be able to move into cities like New York where in the past they would have been priced out. It will be interesting to see whether the flight from the city will persist past the COVID-19 pandemic and whether these fleeing renters will come back after the danger has passed.

Suburban Effects

The primary effect on the suburban real estate market from COVID-19 was the sharp rise in home prices. Since there was a small supply of homes available, competition and prices spiked. The mobile and well-off people who were able to leave the cities could afford to pay higher prices.

As real estate sale prices jumped in the suburbs, rental prices escalated as well. A low supply of affordable rental units was strained as people moved away from the cities.

Overall Economic Movements

The real estate market often falls prey to general economic fluctuations. The major law that governs real estate markets is supply and demand. High demand and a low supply will lead to the highest spikes in prices. This situation happened during the spring and summer of 2020 in many areas of the country.

Unemployment rates soared due to the pandemic, and wages went down. Many people in the hospitality and retail industries lost their jobs entirely, while others were forced to take significant cutbacks in hours.

Inequality in the Housing Market

The COVID pandemic has caused the wealth gap between the haves and have-nots to expand even further. While homeowners with stable jobs saw significant increases in their wealth thanks to burgeoning equity in their homes, the working class largely fell victim to economic disruption.

Possible Outlook for the Real Estate Market

The National Association of Realtors predicts that the economy will rebound in 2021. Interest rates will remain stable while the annual unemployment rate will dip to 6.2 percent. Housing prices across the country may climb by as much as 8 percent in 2021.

It will be fascinating to see whether the short-term effects of the pandemic will continue. If people are continuing to be able to work remotely for a permanent time span, they may stay in the suburbs and rural areas.

Understanding the Housing Market

David Ebrahimzadeh recommends that property owners keep close tabs on the economy and on real estate prices in their area. While it is best to hang onto properties in the long term, it is a good idea to judge whether it is the right time to make an investment purchase.

As COVID fades, its long-lasting impact on the economy may continue. It will take decades before some industries fully recover. The housing market will continue to be affected by economic shifts, unemployment rates, and the mobility of American workers. Taking all of these economic movements into account, this may be a great time to invest in real estate.

Business

Derik Fay and the Quiet Rise of a Fintech Dynasty: How a Relentless Visionary is Redefining the Future of Payments

Published

4 days ago

October 17, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Long before the headlines, before the Forbes features, and well before he became a respected fixture in boardrooms across the country, Derik Fay was a kid from Westerly, Rhode Island with little more than grit and audacity. Now, with a strategic footprint spanning more than 40 companies—including holdings in media, construction, real estate, pharma, fitness, and fintech—Fay’s influence is as diversified as it is deliberate. And his most recent move may be his boldest yet: the acquisition and co-ownership of Tycoon Payments, a fintech venture poised to disrupt an industry built on middlemen and outdated rules.

Where many entrepreneurs chase headlines, Fay chases legacy.

Rebuilding the Foundation of Fintech

In the saturated space of payment processors, Fay didn’t just want another transactional brand. He saw a broken system—one that labeled too many businesses as “high-risk,” denied them access, and overcharged them into silence. Tycoon Payments, under his stewardship, is rewriting that narrative from the ground up.

Instead of the all-too-common “fake processor” model, where companies act as brokers rather than actual underwriters, Tycoon Payments is being engineered to own the rails—integrating direct banking partnerships, custom risk modeling, and flexible support for underserved industries.

“Disruption isn’t about being loud,” Fay said in a private strategy session with advisors. “It’s about fixing what’s been ignored for too long. I don’t chase waves—I build the coastline.”

Quiet Power, Strategic Depth

Now 46 years old, Fay has evolved from scrappy gym owner to an empire builder, founding 3F Management as a private equity and venture vehicle to scale fast-growth businesses with staying power. His portfolio includes names like Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, BIGG Pharma, Results Roofing, FayMs Films, and SalonPlex—but also dozens of companies that never make headlines. That’s by design.

Where others seek followers, Fay builds founders. Where most celebrate their exits, Fay reinvests in people.

While he often deflects conversations around his personal wealth, analysts estimate his net worth to exceed $100 million, with some placing it comfortably over $250 million, based on exits, real estate holdings, and the trajectory of his current ventures.

Yet unlike others in his tax bracket, Fay still answers cold DMs. He mentors rising entrepreneurs without cameras rolling. And he shows up—not just with capital, but with conviction.

A Mogul Grounded in Real Life

Outside of business, Fay remains committed to his role as a father and partner. He shares two daughters, Sophia Elena Fay and Isabella Roslyn Fay, and has been in a relationship with Shandra Phillips since 2021. He’s known for keeping his personal life private, but those close to him speak of a man who brings the same intention to parenting as he does to scaling multimillion-dollar ventures—focused, present, and consistent.

His physical stature—standing at 6′1″—matches his professional gravitas, but what’s more striking is his ability to operate with both discipline and empathy. Fay’s reputation among founders and CEOs is not just one of capital deployment, but emotional intelligence. As one partner noted, “He’s the kind of guy who will break down your pitch—and rebuild your belief in yourself in the same breath.”

The Tycoon Blueprint

The playbook Fay is writing at Tycoon Payments doesn’t just threaten incumbents—it reinvents the infrastructure. This isn’t another “fintech startup” with a flashy brand and no backend. It’s a strategically positioned venture with real underwriting power, cross-border ambitions, and a founder who understands how to scale quietly until the entire industry has to take notice.

In an age where so many entrepreneurs rely on noise and virality to build influence, Fay remains a master of what can only be called elite stealth. He doesn’t need the spotlight. But his impact casts a long shadow.

Conclusion: The Empire Expands

From Rhode Island beginnings to venture boardrooms, from gym owner to fintech force, Derik Fay continues to build not just businesses—but a blueprint. One rooted in resilience, innovation, and long-term infrastructure.

Tycoon Payments may be the latest chess piece. But the game he’s playing is bigger than one move. It’s a long game of strategic leverage, intentional legacy, and generational wealth.

And Fay is not just playing it. He’s redefining the rules.