Rafael is the Founder and Managing Partner of Safe Harbor Capital Partners and is Chair of the Investment Committee. He has managed over $1B of performing and non-performing commercial and residential mortgage loans, defaulted debt instruments, and distressed real estate assets transactions in both Domestic US and International markets.

From 1992 to 1999, he was the founder and CEO of MTU, a provider of commercial vehicle fleet servicing and maintenance. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Serrano served as a business management and strategic consultant to British Aerospace Systems (BAE Systems, Inc.) with responsibilities throughout South America. Prior, he served as a Corporate National Accounts Manager with WorldCom, Inc.

In 2005, Rafael began his career in distressed debt with the founding of Safe Harbor Capital Partners. From 2005 to 2014, Rafael transacted loan workouts in separately managed accounts, generating benchmark-beating returns for an investor base that grew from high-net-worth individuals to include banks, fund managers, and prominent family offices. In 2015, Rafael launched Safe Harbor Distressed Debt Fund I, laying the blueprint for the family of funds managed today.

In the last two decades, Rafael has been an active participant in the acquisition, development and reposition of residential and commercial real estate properties. He attended Florida International University.

Insights from Rafael Serrano on Building a Scalable Distressed Debt Platform

Rafael Serrano has been active in the distressed real estate space for nearly two decades, acquiring more than $1 billion in performing and non-performing loans, defaulted debt, and REO assets across both U.S. and international markets. As Founder and Managing Partner of Safe Harbor Capital Partners, he has scaled the firm from a solo operation into an institutional-grade platform known for disciplined underwriting and consistent returns—even in the most complex legal and market environments.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Rafael shares his perspective on sourcing and restructuring loans, working with banks and borrowers through challenging workouts, and why Safe Harbor remains focused on single-asset CRE debt with sub-50% LTVs. He also discusses his approach to resilience, building long-term infrastructure, and the next phase of growth—including special situations, origination strategies, and democratizing access to private credit.

1:22 – Rafael’s early path: from car repair to consulting in South America to distressed debt

4:39 – The first Safe Harbor deal: a warehouse loan—and an NSF checking account

6:30 – Why consistency, discipline, and math drive underwriting at Safe Harbor

8:09 – Treating distressed debt as an ongoing business—not an opportunistic trade

14:03 – Regional banks vs. CMBS: where Safe Harbor sees opportunity

16:31 – Why CMBS servicers profit more when loans default

18:05 – Grit, mindset, and the emotional discipline behind Safe Harbor’s approach

Mentioned In Scaling Safe Harbor in Distressed Real Estate with Rafael Serrano

Safe Harbor | LinkedIn

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