GMF Group (Led by Matthew Forssman and Gabriel Monfried) Acquires Pine Grove Estates in Lakeland, Florida

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An all-ages community, Pine Grove Estates puts residents within easy reach of Lakeland’s many amenities, from natural wonders to arts and cultural events and other urban attractions. Nature lovers can explore the beautiful Hollis Garden, a stunning 1.2-acre botanical garden featuring a wide array of flowers, shrubs, and ornamental trees. At the Circle B Bar Reserve, hikers and cyclists can enjoy peaceful trails, while wildlife viewers can spot an array of birds as well as bobcats and river otters. Lakeland is also home to more than 38 scenic lakes, making it a great destination for boating, fishing, and enjoying waterfront views.

For art lovers, the Polk Museum of Art showcases a collection of contemporary, classical, and pre-Columbian works from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. A local architectural landmark, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Florida Southern College campus, is home to the largest single-site collection of his architecture.

Lakeland’s historic downtown provides a charming blend of shops, eateries, and art galleries that the city describes as “a little mecca of cool.” With over 40 restaurants and bars, nearly two dozen retail stores, and multiple salons and spas, there’s always something to do, day or night. Alternatively, for a unique shopping experience, explore the Lakeland Antique Mall or Lakeside Village, an open-air shopping center with a variety of retail and dining options.

Sports fans can visit the Joker Marchant Stadium to catch a Detroit Tigers spring training game or enjoy a Minor League Baseball game with the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Meanwhile, families can head to the Safari Wilderness Ranch for an immersive experience viewing exotic animals on a safari-style tour. With its eclectic mix of attractions, amenities, and access to nature, Lakeland provides something for everyone.

GMF Group is a vertically-integrated real estate investment firm headquartered in Palm Beach, Florida. Founded by Gabe Monfried and Matt Forssman, GMF takes an opportunistic approach to identifying and capitalizing on opportunities within undercapitalized asset classes, with a strategic emphasis on manufactured housing communities (MHCs). As a top 50 U.S. owner-operator of MHCs, GMF is invested in and manages thousands of lots and units across a growing portfolio. The firm combines institutional expertise with a dynamic, agile approach to align with the interests of investors, employees, and the communities in which it invests to deliver value-driven outcomes. For more information, please visit gmfgroup.com.

Gabe Monfried is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GMF Group overseeing all of the firm’s investments, strategic initiatives, and fundraising. Gabe has completed more than $5 billion in real estate and capital markets transactions throughout his career. Prior to GMF Group, Gabe was Vice President, Principal Investing at Macquarie Capital where he led complex real estate equity and structured finance investments throughout North America across conventional and niche real estate asset classes. Gabe’s earlier career includes serving as Associate Vice President, Investments at CIM Group, a global real estate and infrastructure private equity firm with $35 billion in assets under management, where he focused on hospitality, multifamily, office, and renewable energy investments, financings, and developments. Gabe began his career as an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs. Gabe earned a BBA in Finance, Investment & Banking with honors from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Matt Forssman is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GMF Group overseeing all of the firm’s investments, strategic initiatives, and fundraising. Matt has completed more than $5 billion in real estate and capital markets transactions throughout his career. Prior to GMF Group, Matt was responsible for real estate acquisitions and asset management at BentallGreenOak. While at BentallGreenOak, Matt was involved with the acquisition and asset management of more than $1 billion of multifamily and office real estate investments. Matt’s earlier career includes serving as Associate, Investments at CIM Group, a global real estate and infrastructure private equity firm with $35 billion in assets under management, where he focused on real estate investments, financings, and developments. Matt began his career as an investment banking analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Matt earned a BA in Economics, cum laude, from Harvard College and is an active member of the Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle.

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.