Are Real Estate Syndicates a Good Investment?

What Are Real Estate Syndicates?

A real estate syndicate is a partnership where investors pool their money to buy and manage properties. Typically, a sponsor (sometimes called a syndicator) scouts for prospects, raises capital, and manages the assets, while passive investors deliver much of the equity for the syndicate. Each investor owns a share of the property proportionate to their investment and receives a share of the income and profits generated.

Investing in property through syndication allows you to get in on deals that may otherwise be inaccessible. Syndicates can be a more hands-off investment, with professionals overseeing the day-to-day management. However, it’s essential to approach them with a clear understanding of the risks. These can include the illiquidity of investments, reliance on the performance of the syndicate, and potential conflicts of interest among investors and sponsors.

Factors To Consider Before Investing in Real Estate Syndicates

Conducting careful due diligence is crucial before handing over hard-earned money in any investment, including a real estate syndicate. Failing to research key elements of any deal can lead to subpar or even negative investments. Here are some important aspects to evaluate:

Track Record of Sponsors

The experience, credentials, and past performance of the sponsors of the syndication need to be examined closely. Review their background to understand their investing experience, education, industry connections, and previous results. More experienced sponsors tend to perform better over time and have done so through good and bad market cycles.

Request the background on previous projects to evaluate actual net returns to investors after fees. Verify claimed returns with independent audits or directly contacting past investors. Sponsors with a strong history of achieving projected internal rates of return show more trustworthiness; they also don’t need to worry about giving you the information you need. Records, not promises, are the coin of the realm here.

Investment Strategy and Financial Projections

Understand the specific business plan and underwriting assumptions for the project. Carefully review projected costs, revenues, appreciation rates, capitalization rates, debt terms, occupancy rates, and other financial projections to determine if they are reasonable. Stress test assumptions to account for economic fluctuations. What would be the worst-case scenario? How devastating would it be for your investment? Ensure the sponsors have a sound method for their projections.

Be wary of sponsors making unrealistic projections since their goal may be collecting large fees, not the long-term health of the syndicate. Experienced syndicators tend to outline conservative growth estimates and focus more on downside protection than maximizing projected returns.

Property Fundamentals

Research all details available on the property being considered: location, asset class (e.g., multifamily, retail, office, etc.), history of tenancy, occupancy rates, debt levels, cap rates, and net operating income. Evaluate current leases to determine revenue stability. Analyze the industries of the tenants to account for economic risks; diversification among the tenants, if possible, is a plus.

Generally, properties with higher occupancy rates in growing metro areas make safer investments. Territories experiencing population and job growth and solid market fundamentals will be more likely to have sustainable rental demand and better appreciation over the investment term.

Fees

Syndicates can charge fees for services like acquisition, asset management, property disposition, refinancing coordination, tenant coordination, audit preparation, and capital raising. Carefully analyze the fee structure to determine the overall costs so that the sponsors’ incentives are properly aligned with yours.

Reputable sponsors focus more on the success of the investment over quick profits from excessive fees. The fee terms should be clearly explained in the offering documents.

Benefits of Investing in Real Estate Syndications

Access to Institutional-Grade Properties

Real estate syndication can enable the pooling of capital for single high-quality properties worth potentially $10 million to $100+ million, sums out of reach for most individual investors.

Top sponsors leverage extensive networks and industry expertise to source exclusive off-market prospects before they hit the listings. Pooling funds gives you a seat at the table for investing in class A institutional properties otherwise only accessible to large institutions or REITs.

Potential for Leveraged Returns

Professionally managed real estate syndicates can have strong leveraged returns. Cash-on-cash yields from rental income and back-end appreciation tend to increase over time.

When leverage is strategically employed, annual returns can be doubled or tripled. The ability to employ leverage to enhance equity returns is a key benefit driving investors to commercial real estate investing.

Tax Benefits

Commercial real estate investments can increase after-tax returns through depreciation shields, deferred capital gains, and cost recovery deductions. Capital gains taxes can also be deferred through 1031 exchanges when there’s a sale of the new property.

For assets held until death, heirs can typically inherit properties at a stepped-up cost basis, greatly reducing tax exposure. Savvy syndicate sponsors structure deals to maximize your after-tax cash flow and returns.

Diversification

Investing in real estate helps to diversify your portfolio, and its returns fluctuate according to their own rhythm. Their returns don’t necessarily correlate with those of stocks and bonds.

In addition, property values and rent tend to rise with inflation over time. This provides a potential hedge when rising prices are affecting traditional securities. Hence, diversifying into private real estate investments can lower a portfolio’s risk-adjusted returns.

Passive Income Generation

Most real estate syndicates only need you to invest your capital if you’re a limited partner. There are ordinarily no further obligations. Thus, you can passively earn attractive property yields without personally sourcing or managing assets.

Risks and Challenges of Investing in Real Estate Syndicates

Illiquidity of Investments

The illiquid nature of private real estate investments is perhaps their biggest drawback. Most syndicates have a projected hold period of five to seven years or more. Your investment, then, will likely remain locked up for the entire duration with little opportunity to exit early.

Nevertheless, events in your life may mean that you need your funds sooner. Without a secondary market, the only option would be finding a buyer to take over the remaining stake—a difficult task. Thus, you have to calculate this as part of your risk and be comfortable with your money being out of reach during the period of the syndicate deal.

Reliance on Sponsor Credibility and Performance

Investors depend wholly on the skill and experience of the syndication sponsor for their returns. Even with the best due diligence, sponsors may fail to execute business plans after unforeseen events.

Subpar operators could mismanage properties, and soon, they will be overleveraged, have high vacancies, or require unexpected capital infusions. Transparency and clear, consistent communication about property operations will be key. In addition, ill-equipped sponsors can spread themselves too thin across many projects. Alternatively, there’s the chance of fraud. 

Assessing the sponsor’s character and competence takes significant due diligence. It would be best to analyze past deals, speak with industry references, and verify all background claims. Look for key signs of integrity—strict adherence to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines, transparent reporting, aligned incentives, and testimonials from previous investors. If the sponsor isn’t fully transparent or you find reasons to think the sponsor isn’t fully trustworthy, walk away. There are many investment vehicles available that won’t leave you with misgivings at the start.

Despite your best efforts, newer syndicators can still be difficult to evaluate until they have finished a few successful projects. As such, the risk of a problem sponsor is another reason it’s important to diversify across different syndicates or other investment vehicles as part of a long-term, prudent investment plan.

Conflicts of Interest

Syndication fees can pose conflicts of interest regarding how the sponsor is compensated. Sponsors may choose to flip properties prematurely instead of doing what’s best for the asset over the long term. Alternatively, they may overleverage properties by pulling out cash, leading to a greater risk of default.

Also, the sponsor may decide to act as a broker on both the buying and selling sides, drawing commissions from both transactions. Look for fee terms to ensure there’s a fair alignment between your interests and those of the sponsors with incentives like profit splits.

Structuring a Real Estate Syndicate

Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)

LLCs are favored for their simplicity and flexibility in managing and protecting against personal liability. In an LLC, there are generally two key roles: the general partner (GP) or syndicator, who manages the investment, and the limited partners (LPs), the investors. The GP handles acquiring, managing, and, eventually, selling the property, while LPs provide capital and share in the profits, usually without participating in day-to-day management.

All members of the LLC have an ownership interest in the company and enjoy limited liability protection. This means that your personal assets are generally protected from the company’s liabilities.

Limited Partnerships (LPs)

LPs are like LLCs, but some legal and tax differences exist. In a limited partnership, there are still GPs and LPs. However, GPs have unlimited liability and are responsible for managing the partnership, while LPs have limited liability and typically don’t participate in management.

LPs can offer more favorable treatment for passive losses, which can be particularly beneficial in some real estate investments. As an LP, you may be able to use passive activity losses to offset passive income, a benefit that can be more restricted in LLCs. Moreover, income distributed to LPs is typically not subject to self-employment tax, though LLC members may be liable for this tax for their share of the LLC’s income. This difference can result in significant tax savings for LPs.

Corporations

Corporations are less common in real estate syndication but can offer more structure with shareholders, directors, and officers. As an investor, you’ll become shareholders with a stake in the corporation. Directors make major decisions, while officers handle daily operations. This structure offers liability protection but can be less tax-efficient and more complex for real estate investments.

Trusts

Trusts are used in specific scenarios, like estate planning or when specific legal protections are desired. In these cases, the trustee manages the property held in the trust, while the beneficiaries (investors) receive income generated by the trust’s assets.

Types of Real Estate Syndicates

Real estate syndicates come in several forms, each with unique risks and rewards in particular circumstances. Understanding these differences is key to choosing the right investment path.

Debt Syndicate

In debt (mortgage) syndication, investors essentially act as lenders. They pool their money to offer loans for real estate projects. The borrower could be a property owner or a developer. The investment is secured by the property itself, much like a residential mortgage. Investors earn money from the interest paid on the loan.

The risk with debt investing is generally lower compared with equity syndications since creditors are prioritized in repayments. Unlike equity investments, where the profit potential can be higher. However, the potential returns are usually capped at the agreed-upon interest rate.

Equity Real Estate Syndicate

Equity syndicates are the most common, involving direct fractional ownership in an investment property. Investors receive periodic income distributions and back-end proceeds from the eventual sale of the asset.

Returns depend on how well the property performs and the appreciation of its value over time. Investors receive returns as rental income and a share of the property’s sale price once sold. The syndicator usually manages the property and deals with tenants, maintenance, and other operational details.

Equity syndicates carry a higher risk than debt but benefit from leverage and upside potential. The risk in equity syndicates is typically higher since returns depend on the property’s performance, which is related to conditions in the market. However, the potential for higher returns is significant, especially if the property increases in value.

Commercial vs. Residential Real Estate Syndication

Commercial syndication involves apartments, office buildings, retail centers, self-storage, and other income-generating properties. These assets depend on business activity, which can fluctuate in line with the economy. However, the longer-term leases generally used for these properties can add income stability.

Residential syndicates focus more on home rentals, single-family houses, or small multifamily buildings. Residential investments can have higher vacancy rates and expenses without commercial lease contracts, making underwriting more complex.

Land Syndicate

Land syndication is the purchasing of vacant land for future development or farming. Investors in these syndicates anticipate that the land will increase in value as the demand for housing, commercial space, or agriculture grows. Given the unpredictability of correctly speculating on land value, these investments are a higher risk.

Affordable Housing Syndicate

Some sponsors specialize in affordable housing apartment communities that qualify for tax credits or other government subsidies. These investments support socially responsible objectives around accessible housing and come with downside protection and stable, capped returns. What you get in exchange is less in potential profits.

Opportunity Zone Syndicate

These investments target economically distressed areas designated as qualified opportunity zones, which use compelling tax incentives to bring in investors. Capital gains can be deferred until 2026 and potentially exempt from 15% of the gains if held for seven years. Opportunity zone deals can provide outsized returns, but they have potentially greater risks in unproven markets.

Evaluating Sponsor Credibility and Track Record

Conducting thorough sponsor due diligence is important before your involvement in a syndication. Warning signs like exaggerated return claims, frequent missteps, or lack of transparency should raise red flags. Here are signs of sponsor credibility:

• Five or more years of real estate investing experience across several market cycles
• Strong industry reputation with references from investors, brokers, and partners
• Adherence to securities regulations and accredited investor requirements
• Willingness to share documents like past financial, projections, and private placement memorandums (PPM)
• Evidence of successful exits and realized returns from previous projects

Verify sponsor backgrounds on FINRA’s BrokerCheck and confirm SEC-registered investment advisor status. Trustworthy sponsors, careful with their reputation, will focus more on long-term returns than quickly racking up fees.

Reviewing the Investment Strategy and Projections

The syndicate’s business plan and projections should demonstrate a deep knowledge of the market and focus on achievable targets. Here are key areas to evaluate:

• Conservative revenue and expense growth assumptions
• Detailed explanations justifying all projection line items
• An analysis testing diverse economic scenarios
• Leverage levels below 50% loan-to-value ratio
• Minimum five-year hold period for suitable asset appreciation

Request examples of underwriting for past investments. Note, however, that sponsors may have proprietary models not shared publicly. Nevertheless, the methodology and care taken should reflect experience and expertise. Reviewing strategy and forecasts prevents speculation risk and builds trust around return goals.

Joining a Syndicate

Once satisfied with your due diligence, you can start with a few key steps. 

For most syndicates, you must have accredited investor status. If so, confirm that you qualify as an accredited investor: you have had a minimum of $200K in individual income for the past two years or $300K in household income, and there’s an expectation that you can maintain it. Or you have a net worth of over $ 1 million, excluding your primary residence (with a spouse or partner). For entities, $5 million in assets also clears the eligibility bar. Meeting SEC accreditation standards makes investors automatically considered “sophisticated” enough to evaluate complex deals.

Next, request access to the PPM, which has comprehensive details on offering terms, property and market characteristics, risks, sponsor backgrounds, and more. Legal disclaimers are also given that emphasize how the investment is speculative, illiquid, and only suitable for those willing to accept high risk for higher returns.

Once you’re agreeable to the proposed terms and have carefully reviewed them with a financial advisor or lawyer (preferably both), you can sign the required paperwork. Subscriptions are typically filled on a first-come basis once investment capital minimums are met, usually between $50K and $250K for individual investors. Partners with active syndicate roles may put in more given their added responsibilities.

Finally, fund your investment commitment when required by the syndicators, which is once the deal becomes fully subscribed. Consider diversifying across several syndicates at appropriate allocation sizes to mitigate isolated property risk.

Syndication vs. Other Real Estate Investments

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

REITs are companies that own and operate real estate assets and trade like stocks on public exchanges. Investors can buy shares in REITs to participate in portfolios of very different property types, with many REIT shares listed and traded on major stock exchanges. REITs are legally required to pay investors 90% of their operating income in the form of dividends each year.

• Pros: Higher liquidity, lower investment minimums, professional management, stable cash flow
• Cons: No influence on assets, vulnerable to market swings, lower returns

Direct Rental Property Ownership

You might also choose to acquire rental properties yourself, picking among single-family homes, apartments, retail store locations, and more. You would own these assets and manage them without any fund sponsor involvement. Returns depend greatly on location, asset selection, and management skills, either yours or a property managed you hire.

• Pros: Greater control, all gains realized, pride in ownership
• Cons: Hands-on management, unlimited liability, smaller properties

Real Estate Crowdfunding

A newer option, real estate crowdfunding, essentially enables syndication sponsorship roles to be recreated by an online platform company. These are often open to non-accredited investors. Sponsors use crowdfunding platforms to source deals, raise capital, and manage regulatory paperwork. Returns may be higher given the added risk from less seasoned operators or projects that couldn’t find more traditional lending sources.

• Pros: Low investment minimums (can be as low as $1,000); online access and ease of selection; pre-vetted deals
• Cons: Potentially untested or poorly vetted sponsors and platforms; fees can be higher; offerings may be more speculative or high risk.

The Bottom Line

Real estate syndicates allow investors to pool resources and access larger properties, providing the potential for passive income and significant tax benefits, such as depreciation and pass-through deductions. Meanwhile, the property would be managed by professional syndicators who handle all aspects except for your initial capital investment. Nevertheless, you should be clear about the risks involved, including the illiquidity of these investments, reliance on the syndicate’s performance, and possible conflicts of interest.

To make an informed decision, conducting thorough due diligence is key. This includes scrutinizing the syndication sponsors’ track record and credibility, understanding the property fundamentals, and evaluating the investment strategy and fee structure. While real estate syndicates offer the potential for attractive returns and portfolio diversification, they require a commitment to long-term investment and an understanding of their complex nature, making them more suited to investors prepared for a hands-off yet significant commitment in real estate.