Intermediate terms

Essential Real Estate Syndication Terms

This curated collection includes key terms that might be helpful when exploring group investing and real estate syndication. It covers the specialized language used when pooling capital for large asset acquisitions. These terms were selected based on common questions and areas where investors often need clarity.

Learning Path

Acquisition Fee

An acquisition fee is an upfront charge in real estate syndications or funds, compensating the sponsor for identifying, evaluating, negotiating, and closing a property deal. It's typically a percentage of the purchase price or equity raised, impacting initial capital and overall investment returns.

Intermediate12-15 min

Capital Call

A capital call is a formal request by a fund manager for investors to contribute a portion of their previously committed capital to an investment fund or syndication, typically to fund new acquisitions or project expenses.

Intermediate12-15 min

Limited Liability Company

A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a business structure that protects its owners' personal assets from business debts and liabilities, while offering flexible taxation options.

Intermediate13-14 min

Cash-on-Cash Return

Cash-on-Cash Return (CoC) is a real estate investment metric that calculates the annual pre-tax cash flow generated by a property as a percentage of the total cash an investor has invested.

Intermediate15-18 min

Pro Forma

A pro forma in real estate is a projected financial statement that estimates future income and expenses for a property or investment, used to evaluate its potential profitability and viability.

Intermediate14-15 min

Carried Interest

Carried interest is a share of the profits of an investment fund, typically a private equity real estate fund or syndication, paid to the general partners (GPs) or managers after limited partners (LPs) have received their initial capital and a preferred return.

Advanced13 min

Preferred Return

Preferred Return is a priority distribution threshold in real estate syndications, ensuring limited partners receive a specified annual return on their unreturned capital before general partners share in profits.

Intermediate12-15 min

Sponsor

A real estate Sponsor is the active manager of a real estate investment, typically a syndication, responsible for identifying, acquiring, managing, and exiting the property, while also raising capital from passive investors.

Intermediate12-15 min

Regulation D

Regulation D provides exemptions from SEC registration for private offerings, enabling companies, including real estate syndicators, to raise capital from accredited and sophisticated investors under specific rules.

Advanced12-13 min

Accredited Investor

An Accredited Investor is an individual or entity meeting specific SEC-defined financial thresholds or professional qualifications, enabling them to invest in private, unregistered securities and exclusive opportunities.

Intermediate14-15 min

Equity Multiple

The Equity Multiple is a performance metric that measures the total cash distributions received from an investment relative to the total equity invested, indicating how many times an investor's initial capital has been returned.

Intermediate13-16 min

Due Diligence

Due diligence is the critical process of investigating and verifying all material facts about a property and its financials before a real estate acquisition, aiming to identify risks and ensure an informed investment decision.

Intermediate14-15 min

Waterfall Distribution

Waterfall distribution is a tiered profit-sharing structure in real estate syndications, dictating how cash flow and profits are allocated among investors and sponsors based on predefined hurdle rates and preferred returns.

Advanced13-16 min

Limited Partnership

A business entity composed of at least one general partner (GP) who manages the business and assumes unlimited liability, and at least one limited partner (LP) who contributes capital but has limited liability and no management authority.

Intermediate14-18 min

Asset Management Fee

A recurring fee paid to the general partner or sponsor of a real estate investment for strategic oversight and management of the underlying assets, aimed at maximizing overall investment value.

Intermediate12-13 min

Subscription Agreement

A Subscription Agreement is a legal contract between an investor and a private company (or syndicator) outlining the terms for purchasing shares or units in a private offering, commonly used in real estate syndications to formalize capital commitment and ensure regulatory compliance.

Intermediate13-15 min

Real Estate Exit Strategy

A real estate exit strategy is a predefined plan for how an investor will liquidate or conclude their involvement with a property, aiming to realize profits, recover capital, or mitigate losses.

Intermediate13-14 min

Real Estate Syndication

Real estate syndication is a private equity strategy where multiple investors pool capital to acquire and manage large-scale real estate assets, typically led by a sponsor (General Partner) for passive Limited Partners.

Advanced14-15 min

Operating Agreement

A legal document outlining the ownership, management, and operational procedures of a Limited Liability Company (LLC), crucial for defining member rights and protecting personal assets in real estate investments.

Intermediate12-13 min

Passive Investing

Passive investing in real estate involves generating income or appreciation with minimal active management, often through vehicles like REITs, syndications, or turnkey properties, allowing investors to benefit from real estate without the day-to-day operational demands.

Beginner18 min

Internal Rate of Return

The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is a sophisticated financial metric used in capital budgeting to estimate the profitability of potential investments, representing the discount rate at which the net present value (NPV) of all cash flows from a particular project equals zero.

Advanced15-18 min

General Partner

A General Partner (GP) is the active manager in a real estate limited partnership or syndication, responsible for all operational and strategic decisions, and traditionally bearing unlimited personal liability for the partnership's obligations.

Intermediate12-15 min

Promote Waterfall

A profit distribution mechanism in real estate syndications where the general partner receives a disproportionately higher share of profits after limited partners achieve specific return hurdles.

Advanced13 min